Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Creamy, flavorful, and oh-so-delicious, this Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is a wholesome, dairy-free, and healthy alternative to classic comfort food. It’s super delicious, insanely cheesy, and oozing with plant-based ingredients. Cooked pasta is tossed in a cashew-based vegan cheese sauce and topped with vegan parmesan cheese. You’ll love the intense and smoky flavor of roasted pumpkin.
Protein Packed Vegan Recipes
GRATED TOMATO PASTA WITH CANNELLINI BEAN CROUTONS
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe
Creamy and Dreamy: This vegan pumpkin pasta offers a velvety, creamy texture reminiscent of traditional mac and cheese minus the actual cheese. The cashew-based vegan pumpkin pasta sauce is super creamy and satisfying, thanks to lite coconut milk.
Dairy-Free: This pumpkin pasta is a healthier alternative to the classic dairy-based mac and cheese. Cashews add a luscious, rich creaminess synonymous with mac and cheese, making it guilt-free comfort food.
Easy to Make: This easy vegan pumpkin mac and cheese is a fuss-free dinner fix for a busy weeknight, yet fancy enough to stand out on special occasions. You only need to cook the pasta and pumpkin and let your oven and blender do the heavy work.
Family-Friendly: Loved by both kids and adults, this vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is an excellent way to introduce plant-based meals to your little ones in the disguise of a fancy dish.
How to Make the Best Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Prepare Sugar Pumpkin and Garlic
Slice your sugar pumpkin in half, remove the guts and seeds, and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place your pumpkin halves face down on a lined baking sheet. Slice the top of the garlic head and season the exposed top with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the garlic head topside up on the baking sheet alongside the pumpkin.
Bake Sugar Pumpkin and Garlic
Bake at 425°F for 40 minutes until pumpkin is fork tender. Take the garlic out once the top is golden brown, which should be around 20-25 minutes. Let the roasted pumpkin cool slightly, then scoop out 2 cups of cooked pumpkin flesh with a spoon.
Blend the Pumpkin Cashew Cream
Add the cooked pumpkin flesh, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, lite coconut milk, tapioca starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, onion powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend everything until you have a smooth and creamy cheese sauce. Season it to taste as desired.
Cook the Pasta
While preparing the sauce, cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. Once cooked to al dente, strain the noodles and add them to a pot.
Combine and Garnish
Pour the pumpkin cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni noodles in the pot.
Mix everything until the noodles are coated in the creamy pumpkin sauce.
Serve Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Finish by topping your pumpkin mac and cheese with fresh thyme, sage, and vegan parmesan cheese for an extra burst of flavor. Serve and Enjoy!
What Is a Sugar Pumpkin?
Sugar pumpkins, also known as pie pumpkins, are small, round, and sweet varieties of pumpkins with dense and smooth flesh. Unlike the large pumpkins often used for carving during Halloween, sugar pumpkins are typically smaller and more manageable in size. Their buttery, sweet flavor and less fibrous flesh make them ideal for baking recipes like our pumpkin mac and cheese.
You can bake, sauté, roast, or steam them to make pumpkin pies, purees, and soups to add a touch of sweetness while infusing a pleasant pumpkin flavor. You can even eat them raw if you are a fan of pumpkin flavor.
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Success Tips
Make it Nut-Free: If you have a nut allergy, replace cashews with hemp seeds or sunflower seeds for a similar creamy texture.
Boost Fiber and Nutrients: Use whole wheat pasta or legume-based pasta for an added fiber and protein boost to your meal.
Alternative Pumpkins: If sugar pumpkins are unavailable, you can substitute canned pumpkin puree or roast a butternut squash for a similar taste and texture.
Add a Crunch: If you prefer a crunchy mac and cheese casserole, transfer your pumpkin mac & cheese into a baking dish, top it with breadcrumbs, and bake at 400°F for 15 additional minutes.
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love
CREAMY VEGAN EVERYTHING BAGEL PASTA
Want more FREE plant based recipes?!
Make sure to follow me on all my social platforms:
✨Instagram @That.VeganBabe
🍍TikTok @That.VeganBabe
💜Facebook @ThatVeganBabe
🍉Pinterest @ThatVeganBabe
Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small sugar pumpkin – also called pie pumpkin
- 1 head of garlic
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1.25 cups lite coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 300 g macaroni noodles
Optional Toppings
- Fresh sage
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh Chives
- Vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Slice your sugar pumpkin in half, remove the guts and seeds, and drizzle with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Place your pumpkin face down on a lined baking sheet.
- Slice the top of a head of garlic and season the top with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place this topside up on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 425f for 40 minutes until your pumpkin is fork tender. Take the garlic out once the top is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Let the pumpkin cool slightly, then remove the cooked insides and place 2 cups inside a high-speed blender.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Season to taste as desired.
- Cook your pasta according to package directions, then strain and add to a pot along with your pumpkin cheese sauce.
- Mix and top off your pasta with fresh thyme, sage, and vegan parmesan cheese.