Fast, easy, and so tasty, it's even carnivore-approved. Made simply with ingredients from the pantry, you'll love this comfort food classic sans the dairy anytime!
Yield: 4
Ingredients
1cupraw unsalted cashews
8ouncessmall pasta shellscan substitute another pasta like good ol' macaroni
2tablespoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice
1tablespoonnutritional yeast
1/2medium clove garlic
1/2teaspoondry mustard
1/4teaspoonchili powder
1/4teaspoonturmeric
1teaspoonfine-grain sea salt+ more to taste
1/8teaspoonfreshly ground black+ more to taste
1/2cupwater
Finely chopped fresh parsleyfor garnish; optional
Equipment
High-speed blender
Large pot
Instructions
First soak your cashews using either the cold water (slower) method or the hot water (faster) method. Place cashews in a medium bowl or jar and pour 3 cups water over the top. If using cool water, they'll need to soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours (up to 24 hours). Alternately, you can pour 3 cups boiling water over the top, and then they'll only need to soak for about 15 minutes.
Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add several pinches of salt to the water then add the pasta. Stir and cook according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, whip up the sauce. To the pitcher of a high-powered blender, add the soaked cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, mustard, chili powder, turmeric, one teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and water. Blend on high until completely smooth. The sauce should be thick, but a pourable consistency. If it's is too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water and blend again until it can be poured.
Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pan (off the heat). Pour the sauce over the pasta. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until the pasta is completely coated with the sauce.
Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Scoop into bowls or onto plates and garnish with a bit of chopped parsley if you wish. Serve and devour!
Notes
Jan. 10, 2024 update: Recipe title changed from Ridiculously Creamy Vegan Shells & Cheese to Creamy Dairy-Free Mac & Cheese.Adapted from Detoxinista.