This Creamy Mac and Cashew Cheese is rich and savory while being guilt-free comfort food! Kids enjoy the simple flavors and the splash of colorful veggies is an easy way to add vitamins and nutrients to this fun and tasty (but still well-rounded) meal!
I love this Creamy Mac because it satisfies my comfort food craving and I feel fabulous and energized after I eat! I used to make “fancy” mac and cheese with smoked cheddar, maybe gouda, whatever expensive cheeses sounded good at the cheese island. Sure, it tasted good at the time, but it was too rich. Way too greasy. And after I ate I’d feel absolutely terrible; no energy, a gut-bomb at it’s finest. Even a small bowl left me feeling destroyed. With this mac and cashew cheese, I can have a giant bowl and still be able to do a big activity afterwards, like go for a bike ride or roll out my yoga mat. That’s what food is for, to give us energy! Not take it away.
Does this taste like cheddar cheese?
Nope! It’s made from cashews and other spices so it doesn’t taste like dairy cheese at all! This creamy vegan cheese has its own unique and savory flavors. It also doesn’t come with the saturated fat, cholesterol, and hormone-packed baggage that dairy comes with so I love enjoying a big bowl of this mac guilt-free!
Can this be a baked?
I tried sprinkling breadcrumbs on top and baking this for a baked mac version, but it unfortunately doesn’t work. Since it’s not completely drenched in saturated fat, baking only dries everything out. This mac and cashew cheese is best enjoyed hot off the stovetop!
Is this kid-friendly?
Yes! Kids love creamy textures and simple flavors, and this is all of the above!
Want to spice it up?
I personally love food with a little kick, so I like to add cayenne powder or even a drizzle of sriracha on top of my mac and cashew cheese. Adding spice to individual bowls makes it so everyone can enjoy their preferred spice level!
What makes this “cheesy”?
Nutritional yeast is the key, and everything else bolsters it up! Nutritional yeast is a yellow, flakey, inactive yeast that’s grown on a sugar-rich medium such as molasses, that gives food a “cheesy”, savory/umami flavor. Aptly named, nutritional yeast is packed with tons of nutrients including protein, antioxidants, vitamins (especially B vitamins!), and minerals.
A mere 2 teaspoons (5 grams) of fortified nutritional yeast contains:
- Calories: 20
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Carbs: 2 grams
- Sugar: 0 grams
% of the Daily Value:
- Fiber: 4%
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 246%
- Niacin (vitamin B3): 109%
- Vitamin B6: 212%
- Folate (vitamin B9): 59%
- Vitamin B12: 313%
- Iron: 2%
- Potassium: 2%1
I love using nutritional yeast on a wide range of foods including: eggless tofu scrambles, in place of cheese in pesto recipes, sprinkled on top of spaghetti and even popcorn. Wherever you’re looking for that savory flavor!
Green Peas
Although thought of as a veggie, green peas are actually a legume! Green peas aren’t as high in protein as other legumes, but high compared to other veggies and are packed full of nutrients, fiber, and vitamins! A ½ cup of cooked green peas contains:
- Calories: 67
- Carbs: 12.5 grams
- Fiber: 4.4 grams
- Protein: 4.3 grams
(% of the daily value)
- Vitamin A: 3.6%
- Vitamin K: 17%
- Vitamin C: 12.6%
- Thiamine: 17%
- Folate: 12.6%
- Manganese: 18%
- Iron: 6.8%
- Phosphorus: 7.5%2
Although green peas are considered a starchy food similar to potatoes and squash, they actually have a low glycemic index and can be helpful with regulating blood sugar levels and help prevent insulin resistance.3
Green peas are more than just tasty; with the high antioxidant content, saponins, as well as high vitamin K content, green peas have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties!4 Green peas also help prevent heart disease (the #1 killer in the U.S.) with the rich mineral and fiber content.
Creamy Mac and Cashew Cheese
Ingredients
Cashew Cheese
- 1 cup Cashews raw
- 1 ½ cups Unsweetened unflavored plant milk (I prefer soy)
- ¼ cup Nutritional yeast
- 3 tsp Onion powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp White miso or ¼-½ tsp salt
- 3 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tsp Lemon juice
Veggies
- 2 cups Broccoli chopped
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- ½ of a Red bell pepper finely chopped
For Serving
- 12 oz Elbow macaroni or shell pasta
- ¼-½ tsp Salt to-taste
- sprinkle of Paprika or cayenne for heat on top
Instructions
- Place cashews in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Soak for at least 15 minutes.
- While cashews soak, add the rest of the Cashew Cheese ingredients to the blender and prep veggies.
- When cashews finish soaking, drain water and add to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add anything more to-taste. Cashew cheese will thicken up after it rests.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, sauté broccoli on medium heat for several minutes. Add green peas and cook until broccoli is softened. Turn off heat and stir in red bell pepper.
- While veggies cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook 12 ounces of elbow macaroni or shells according to package directions, until al dente. Don’t overcook!
- When noodles are al dente, use colander to strain the water and return noodles back to pot. Pour cashew cheese on the noodles and stir to evenly coat. Add veggies to noodles and stir to combine. Option to heat everything together for a few minutes on low-medium heat. Add ¼-½ tsp of salt, a little at a time, to-taste.
- Serve immediately, topping each bowl with a sprinkle of paprika or cayenne powder for a splash of color.
Notes
If you enjoyed this Creamy Mac and Cashew Cheese I’d love to hear! Leave me a comment below! 🙂
Delicious Mac and much easier to clean with no cheese!