Vegan Mac and Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Peel and roughly chop onion. Chop garlic. Place a medium, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with butter. Once melted, add onion, garlic, white miso paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until miso paste dissolves and onion becomes translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Measure out ¾ cup almond milk. Add flour to the skillet and cook, whisking constantly, until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Lower heat to medium and add almond milk, ¼ cup at a time, while whisking. Simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Add shell pasta to the boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and return to the large pot, off of the heat. Add broccoli florets to a baking sheet and toss with 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast broccoli in the oven until browned and crisp in places, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add sauce to the blender along with cheddar cheese and a pinch of salt. Blend until cheese sauce is smooth, about 1 minute.

Set oven to broil on high. Pour cheese sauce over the shell pasta in the pot. Stir to combine. Transfer the mac & cheese to the oven-safe skillet and top with panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle 2 tsp olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until breadcrumbs are brown and crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Thinly slice scallion. Sprinkle sliced scallion over the mac n’ cheese. Serve hot, family style, with roasted broccoli on the side. Enjoy!