Name: Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Bake
Prep time: 13 min
Cook time: 31 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7 oz cooked pasta; 2 tsp olive oil; 0.25 cup finely chopped onion or shallots; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 0.25 cup fresh sage (julienned, divided); null dash red pepper flakes (to taste); 0.75 cup pumpkin puree (or use butternut puree for variation); 1.75 cup non dairy milk (such as almond, soy or cashew milk for creamier sauce); 1 tbsp starch (such as corn or arrowroot, or use flour); 4 tbsp nutritional yeast (for cheesiness (easily omitted, or use 1 tsp miso for similar flavor)); 0.5 tsp dried thyme; 0.75 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp dijon mustard ((natural stoneground), less or more to preference, if using ground, use 0.5 tsp and add 1 tsp lemon juice); null null additional flavors (- dashes of cinnamon, smoked paprika, add tomato paste, some vegan cheddar); 0.33 cup breadcrumbs; 0.25 tsp salt; 2 tsp olive oil

Instructions

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1

Cook the cooked pasta (7 oz) according to package instructions, rinse in cold water, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C).
2

Add olive oil (2 tsp) to a baking dish. Sprinkle the finely chopped onion or shallots (0.25 cup), of garlic (3 cloves), a third of the fresh sage (0.25 cup) and [red pepper flakes] and a pinch of salt (0.75 tsp). Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
3

Meanwhile, blend the pumpkin puree (0.75 cup), non dairy milk (1.75 cup), starch (1 tbsp), nutritional yeast (4 tbsp), dried thyme (0.5 tsp), remaining salt (0.75 tsp), black pepper (0.25 tsp), garlic powder (0.5 tsp), and dijon mustard (2 tsp) until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
4

Add the cooked pasta (7 oz) to the baking dish. Add the sauce and toss well. Add some of the remaining [fresh sage] and mix in.
5

Mix the breadcrumbs (0.33 cup) with the remaining [fresh sage], salt (0.25 tsp) and olive oil (2 tsp) in a small bowl.
6

Spread the breadcrumb topping on the [cooked pasta]. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Broil for 1 minute. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
7

To freeze: Bake the mac with half the breadcrumb topping for 20 minutes, cool completely, and freeze the container. Use foil to seal the top surface of the mac and cheese to avoid freezer burn, or transfer portions to containers which fit the mac with the least air space on top. To reheat: Thaw overnight, add breadcrumb topping and bake for 15 minutes or so until heated through and golden on top.