My mother used to make a delicious baked macaroni and cheese topped with (accidentally vegan) Ritz cracker crumbs and paprika. The sauce began with a roux to make a rich béchamel and was baked to perfection. Note: The texture of this baked casserole is meant to be firm, not saucy. The optional shredded vegan cheese makes the sauce richer, but it’s delicious without it.
Author: Robin Robertson
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Pasta
16 ounces (454 g) elbow macaroni
Olive oil or vegan butter, for preparing the baking dish
Sauce
4 tablespoons (56 g) dairy-free buttery spread or sticks
1 cup (112 g) shredded dairy-free cheese alternative (optional)
Topping
1 cup (72 g) finely crushed Ritz crackers
½ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon (15 ml) melted dairy-free buttery spread or sticks
Instructions
To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente.
Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish.
To make the sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the dairy-free butter.
Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk beverage. Add the salt. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thick, about 5 minutes.
Add the nutritional yeast, mustard, onion powder, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes until thick. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the dairy-free cheese (if using) until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add as much of the 1 cup (240 ml) of reserved cooking water, as desired.
Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine.
In a small bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, paprika, and melted butter to combine.
To finish: Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, top with the cracker crumb mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.