Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) pack elbow macaroni noodles, plus water + salt to boil
  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight if using a regular blender)
  • 2 cups filtered water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1⁄4 cup vegan butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 pack American slices by Follow Your Heart, chopped
  • 1 pack smoked gouda by Follow Your Heart, chopped
  • 1 pack provolone slices by Follow Your Heart, chopped
  • Optional Topping: 1 bag shredded pizza style shreds by Follow Your Heart
  • 6 teaspoons vegan butter

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni noodles until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a high-speed blender, blend the soaked cashews with water until smooth. Add chopped cheeses, vegan butter, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and cornstarch. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  4. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked noodles in the mixing bowl. Mix well to coat the noodles evenly. Transfer the noodle and cheese mixture to a 9” x 13” baking dish. Pour any leftover cheese sauce over the top.
  5. Optional: Sprinkle shredded pizza style cheese on top. Dot the surface with small dollops of vegan butter.
  6. Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the edges are slightly golden and the cheese is melted.
  7. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

  • There should be enough if you want to reserve some cheese mix on the side (about a 1 cup) for other dishes like nachos or cheesy baked potatoes.
  • Substitute vegetable broth with water as desired.
  • Experiment with other vegan cheese brands for different flavor variations.
  • Fancy it up and use some breadcrumbs on top about half way through cooking (I use Kelly,s Just Crumbs)