Nut Free Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
Creamy comfort food that will satisfy you for hours without weighing you down? YES PLEASE! You must-try this Nut Free Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese!
Vegan, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free
‘Tis the season for COMFORT FOOD!
We had our first snow of the season last week and I immediately craved ALL the comfort food! You know the type – the nostalgic and cozy food that gives you the warm and fuzzies inside.
Think back to some of your childhood faves – pasta, cheesy deliciousness, maybe a gooey brownie or chocolate chip cookie – you get the picture!
So as the snow started to fall and my comfort food instincts kicked in, I thought about what I was exactly craving… not just mac n’ cheese, but what about it that sounded so good?
After a little introspection and digging, I wanted something warm and creamy. I didn’t need Kraft Mac n’ Cheese to satisfy my craving, so I decided to healthify a childhood favorite.
Meet my Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese…
I chose pumpkin because it was the first thing I saw when I opened the fridge (leftover canned pumpkin, anyone?). I don’t know about you, but I stocked up on organic canned pumpkin from Thrive Market this season (where I also shop for all of my pantry staples). Creamy canned pumpkin makes a great base for the creamy sauce I was looking for.
Then I opted for lentil pasta for a bit more protein than traditional elbows. I always keep a box of this Modern Table lentil pasta or Banza chickpea pasta on hand. I think these alternatives taste just as good as regular pasta, so there was no sacrifice on these pumped up protein option.
This vegan pumpkin mac n’ cheese gets its cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast. Have you tried it before? Nutritional yeast is a great pantry staple, especially for my vegan and predominantly plant-based peeps. It’s the best way I’ve discovered to add a nut-free cheesy flavor to vegan dishes. It also contains protein and B vitamins, which for many vegans may be harder to come by. You guessed it… I also stock up at Thrive Market.
This Nut Free Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese is…
- Full of cheesy flavor
- Made with just 4 ingredients
- Easy to make in 15 minutes
- Packed with protein + pumpkin flavor
- A healthier twist on comfort food
- Food allergy friendly
- Vegan
- Gluten Free
Let’s get comfort food cookin’…
PrintNut Free Vegan Pumpkin Mac n’ Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry pasta (I used lentil elbows)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (I stock up from Thrive Market
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut milk (or your preferred milk)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a stock pot filled with water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, combine the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Mix together until well-combined.
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain water, retaining 1 tablespoon of pasta water. Add pasta back into the stock pot with the pasta water and add the pumpkin sauce. Mix until pasta is completely coated.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. Enjoy immediately!
Don’t Forget to PIN IT…
How easy is this for Thanksgiving lunch? Literally just a few minutes to a protein-packed meal!
XO
Chelsey
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Can’t wait to try this!!!