Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac + Cheese

Closeup of a small bowl of Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

5 from 4 votes

Amazingly creamy and comforting, this Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac + Cheese is flavored with homemade vegan cream cheese and Cajun seasoning that will leave you coming back for seconds!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: cajun, cashews, classic, creamy, dairy-free, dinner, easy, fall recipe, food, gluten-free, healthy, healthy bowl, indulge, lunch, mac + cheese, pasta, plant-based, pumpkin, recipe, savory, spices, thanksgiving, traditional, vegan, weeknight meals

Servings: servings

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Shanika

Ingredients

MAC + CHEESE:

1 (8 oz.) box organic macaroni or shells (See FAQ for gluten-free option)
¾ cup organic pumpkin puree (Canned version; Not Pie Filling!)
1 ¾ cups Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk!)
2 Tbsps vegan butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup organic all-purpose flour (See FAQ for gluten-free option)
2 Tbsps nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon juice of a lemon
red pepper flakes, garnish

HOMEMADE CAJUN SEASONING:

1-2 tsps Homemade Cajun Seasoning

VEGAN CREAM CHEESE SAUCE:

1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked overnight, drained, + rinsed (See Notes!)
¼ cup filtered water
1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (See Notes!)
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BOIL THE PASTA:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add macaroni or shells and cook according to packaging. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

TO MAKE THE VEGAN CREAM CHEESE SAUCE:

Add the cashews, water, oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, rosemary, and sea salt to a high-powdered blender. Blend for about 1 minute on medium-high speed, until smooth, and it looks like a semi-thick paste that resembles cream cheese. NOTE: If too thick, add a little warm water (1 tablespoon at a time), until desired consistency is formed.

TO MAKE THE PUMPKIN 'CHEESE' SAUCE:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter (and let it melt) and add garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Next, add flour and whisk until incorporated. Add nutritional yeast, ground mustard, and cajun seasonings.
Slowly add Almond milk, whisking frequently until combined and smooth (without lumps). Once mixture becomes thick, add 1 cup vegan cream cheese and pumpkin puree, whisking frequently again. Add the lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Continue to whisk sauce becomes smooth and ingredients are combined.
Once combined, add drained pasta and toss in sauce carefully.
Garnish with red pepper flakes (optional) and enjoy! Serve with your favorite vegan mains and sides.
Bon Appetit!

Notes

STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
CAJUN SEASONINGS: Any leftover cajun seasoning mix can be stored in a ziploc bag for later use or used as garnish.
SOAKED CASHEWS: To best soak cashews, add 1 cup of cashews to a bowl or measuring cup and cover with cold water, sealing the top with plastic wrap and leaving it out (at room temp.) overnight. When ready to use, drain and rinse. If not able to soak overnight, simply cover cashews with boiling water and let sit for 30 minutes, drain, + rinse.
OIL: Instead of olive oil, you can substitute with grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: To make this mac + cheese glute-free, simply substitute the pasta and flour with GF-friendly ones. Also, ensure that pumpkin puree is GF-friendly as well.

Nutrition