Mushroom Mac ’N’ Cheese
This vegan mac ‘n’ cheese with mushrooms is the ultimate comfort food for chilly nights in front of the telly.
Want more vegan recipes? Try 3 issues of Vegan Food & Living magazine for just £3!
“Anyone who knows me will know about my mac and cheese obsession. I struggle to understand why you wouldn’t like mac and cheese,” explains Lucy Watson.
“Whenever I tried to switch to veganism previously, this was the dish that would make me relapse. I just couldn’t resist it. So I HAD to find a good recipe for mac and cheese – one that would actually taste similar to the original.
“Many of the recipes I tried use cashews, but I never felt they were successful at recreating the flavours and textures. Thankfully, this one is spot-on and the mushrooms add an extra texture and flavour that take it to the next level.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Rating:
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 6)
- 83.333333333333 83.333333333333 g dried macaroni
- 6.6666666666667 6.6666666666667 g dried wild mushrooms
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 Tbsp vegan butter
- 41.666666666667 41.666666666667 g chestnut mushrooms
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 Tbsp thyme leaves
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the béchamel sauce:
- 8.3333333333333 8.3333333333333 g vegan butter
- 0.5 0.5 Tbsp plain flour
- 133.33333333333 133.33333333333 ml almond milk
- 0.041666666666667 0.041666666666667 tsp grated nutmeg
- 0.66666666666667 0.66666666666667 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 33.333333333333 33.333333333333 g vegan cheddar cheese, grated
- 8.3333333333333 8.3333333333333 g vegan parmesan cheese, finely grated
- For the topping:
- 6.6666666666667 6.6666666666667 g vegan parmesan cheese, grated
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7. Cook the macaroni in boiling, salted water according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain in a colander and refresh under cold water until cooled.
- Put the dried mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl. Pour 150ml (5fl oz) boiling water over them and leave them to rehydrate for 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms from the liquid, reserving it for the béchamel sauce. Roughly chop the mushrooms.
- Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When hot, add all the mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the mushrooms have browned well. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
- For the béchamel sauce, put a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the butter and stir until melted. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the almond milk, and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens, then lower the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until the cheese has completely melted.
- Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and macaroni to the saucepan with the sauce and stir well until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. Transfer to a deep 25x30cm (10x12in) ovenproof dish.
- Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle over the macaroni. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and crunchy.
Feed Me Vegan by Lucy Watson, published by Sphere, is available from Amazon (RRP £16.99.)
