Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
A creamy, plant-based mac and cheese using red lentils and chickpea pasta, packed with protein and nutrients from broccoli.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 0.75 cup red lentils (135 g), soaked 5 minutes, drained
- 1 box Banza chickpea pasta (8 oz / 227 g)
- 1 whole broccoli crown (about 20 oz / 600 g), cut into small florets and diced stems
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup nondairy milk (120 ml), unsweetened & unflavored
- 1/2 cup vegan cheddar shreds (56 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
Instructions
- Soak the red lentils in a small bowl and cover with water by about 1/2 inch. Let sit 5 minutes, then drain completely. Transfer to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully soft and breaking down into mush.
- Prep the broccoli while the lentils cook, cutting it into uniform small florets and dicing stems into bite-sized pieces.
- Blend the lentils when they are mushy with nutritional yeast, paprika, turmeric, tapioca starch, salt, nondairy milk, vegan cheddar shreds, and garlic powder until completely smooth and silky.
- Steam the broccoli in a large pan with 1/2 cup water, covered, on high for 8–10 minutes until tender.
- Cook the chickpea pasta according to package directions, stopping just shy of al dente. Drain and add the pasta directly to the pan with the steamed broccoli.
- Combine the blended cheese sauce with the pasta and broccoli, cooking on medium-low for 2–3 minutes until thickened to your preferred consistency. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
Notes
For a creamier texture, blend the sauce while the lentils are warm. Also, tapioca starch provides the sauce with stretch and gloss, but cornstarch or arrowroot can be used as substitutes.