Pumpkin Mac n Cheese

Pure comfort food. Silky, satisfying and super cheesy sauce, garlic and sage roasted pumpkin vegan mac n cheese. Topped with a crunchy golden truffle oil-infused panko breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients

• One medium pumpkin

• 2 large garlic cloves 

• 3 fresh sage leaves (optional)

• Pinch of nutmeg 

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a few hours or overnight 

• 2 cups non-dairy milk (I used almond) 

• 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 2 Tbsp plant-based butter 

• 2 Tbsp plain flour

• 1 tsp cornstarch

• ½ cup vegan cheese (I used Daiya) 

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs 

• 1 Tbsp truffle oil (optional) 

• 400g macaroni / elbow pasta

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C, cut your pumpkin in half, deseed and rub a little olive oil, salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg over the flesh. Peel your garlic and place along with a sage leaf underneath each half of the pumpkin halves, skin side facing up on a baking tray. Roast for 15 mins, then flip and roast for another 10 minutes or until soft. 

2. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and spoon the soft flesh into a blender along with the roasted garlic, soaked cashews, 1 cup of plant-based milk, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste. Blend on a medium to high speed until smooth. 

3. To a large pot of salted boiling water add the macaroni and cook to packet instructions minus 2 minutes so the pasta is al dente. (You could use penne or fusilli if you don’t have macaroni to hand)

4. In a frying pan, add a little truffle oil (or 1 Tbsp of plant-based butter if you don’t have any) and add the remaining sage leaf and let it sizzle in the oil for a few minutes to release its aroma. Remove the sage leaf, add the panko breadcrumbs a little salt and pepper and fry on low, stirring until golden. Set aside. 

5. To the frying pan, melt the butter