We’re a football family. As soon as the clock strikes noon on Sunday, football is on no matter what teams are playing. Most of the time it’s just on in the background, except when The Cowboys are playing because they get our full attention. Even though it’s just on while we go about our normal Sunday tasks, the sound of football alone makes me feel nostalgic. Probably because football means fall and fall means the beginning of a season full of family and friends gathering together to eat and celebrate. And this vegan buffalo mac & cheese is a great dish to serve while gathering!
There are certain types of food that you want to eat while watching football – chips and dips, wings, fried food, mac & cheese – and this vegan buffalo mac & cheese combines a couple of those iconic football favorites into one, delicious, plant-based dish. The sauce is everything you want in a sauce, smooth, creamy, and cheesy, and the cauliflower is a great vessel for adding extra flavor because it absorbs the hot sauce so well and gets nice and roasted in the oven. And it’s all topped with a crunchy garlic breadcrumb topping that gives a little bit of texture. It’s a great combination and is sure to bring a smile to your face whether your favorite football team wins or loses!
This vegan buffalo mac & cheese is versatile so feel free to add more or less noodles or cauliflower based on your preference or even substitute the cauliflower for broccoli. Just make sure you don’t miss out on the crunchy, garlicky topping!
Plant-Based Buffalo Mac & Cheese
Course: MainDifficulty: Easy10
minutes30
minutesThis mac & cheese is spicy, creamy, and completely vegan.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of hot sauce (we love Crystal’s but any hot sauce will work)
Salt and pepper
- Cheese Sauce
1.5 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours
3/4 cup of plant-based milk
1/4 cup of hot sauce
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Pasta and Serving
8 oz. of pasta (we love using chickpea pasta for extra protein but any of your favorite pasta works)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons of plant-based butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup plant-based cheddar (optional)
Directions
- Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Toss all cauliflower ingredients together and spread on a baking sheet.
- Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through for even browning.
- Remove from oven and set aside.
- Cheese Sauce
- After soaking the cashews, drain, and combine all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender.
- Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Pasta
- Cook pasta according to box instructions.
- Serving
- Combine pasta, sauce, and cauliflower together and spread in a 9×13 pan.
- Combine breadcrumbs with melted plant-based butter, salt, and garlic powder.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs and plant-based cheddar (optional) on top of mac and cheese and broil for 5 minutes.
- Serve!
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