Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

🥘 Ingredients

• sugar pumpkin aka “pie pumpkin” or small-medium butternut squash 1 small
• Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• raw cashews ½ cup
• nutritional yeast ½ cup
• dry mustard powder 1 tsp
• garlic powder 1 tsp
• onion powder ½ tsp
• smoked paprika ¼ tsp
• freshly grated nutmeg can substitute ground, but the flavor is much better with fresh ¼ tsp
• kosher salt + more to taste 1 ½ tsp
• Freshly
• white or yellow miso 1 tbsp
• tapioca starch/flour or cornstarch 1 tbsp
• lemon juice 2 tbsp
• lite coconut milk 1 cup
• rigatoni pasta 10 oz

1. 1

   Gather: sugar pumpkin aka “pie pumpkin” or small-medium butternut squash , Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil , raw cashews , nutritional yeast , dry mustard powder , garlic powder , onion powder , smoked paprika , freshly grated nutmeg can substitute ground, but the flavor is much better with fresh , kosher salt + more to taste , Freshly cracked black pepper to taste, white or yellow miso , tapioca starch/flour or cornstarch , lemon juice , lite coconut milk , rigatoni pasta .
2. 2

   Prep the squash. Use a very sharp knife to slice the pumpkin or butternut squash in half, then scoop out the seeds and stringy bits using a spoon. If it's too thick or hard to cut, microwave for 60-90 seconds to soften.
3. 3

   Cook the squash by roasting (recommended method) or steaming it. To roast the pumpkin or butternut squash in the oven, preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Drizzle the pumpkin or squash halves with a bit of olive oil or avocado oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the halves, flesh side down, on the prepared sheet pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until completely tender and lightly browned (pumpkin should take about 30 minutes; butternut squash closer to 40 minutes). Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. To steam the pumpkin or butternut squash in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, pour 1 cup of water into the inner cooking pot and lower a compatible steamer rack or the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot into the inner pot. Place the pumpkin or squash halves in the basket or on top of the trivet, close the lid, and pressure cook at high pressure for 12 to 14 minutes. Once the timer is up, perform a quick pressure release by manually releasing the steam valve. Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
4. 4

   Cook the pasta. While the squash is cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to the box directions until al dente and drain in a colander.
5. 5

   Measure out 1 1/2 cup of the roasted or steamed pumpkin or butternut squash flesh. Reserve the rest for another use, such as a curry, soup, or side dish.
6. 6

   In a high-powered blender, add the 1 1/2 cup of the pumpkin or squash flesh. Add in the soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, nutmeg, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, black pepper to taste, miso paste, tapioca flour or cornstarch, lemon juice, and lite coconut milk. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed, more miso paste for more umami, or more lemon juice for more acidity.
7. 7

   Return the cooked and drained pasta back to the saucepan and add the cheese sauce. Heat over medium heat until the sauce is well combined with the pasta and warmed through. Season the mac and cheese with salt/pepper to taste.