Southwest Cheesy Mac
with Jalapeños & Pepita Parmesan
Add some southwestern flair to your favorite childhood dish with spicy pickled jalapeños and sweet roasted red peppers. Nutritional yeast, a deactivated yeast that’s a great source of B vitamins (except for B12), imparts a nutty, cheesy flavor rivaling that of parmesan. We combine it with pepitas for a rich, crunchy topping.
Nutrition (per serving)
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond milk
- 6 oz cavatappi pasta
- 2 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup pepitas, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 oz pickled jalapeños, minced
- 4 oz roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
- Salt*
- Pepper*
Nutrition (per serving)
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INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, miso, and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in flour and almond milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer sauce to blender and set aside.
Add pasta to boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water to stop cooking process, and return to pot, off heat.
Add cheddar and a pinch of salt and pepper to blender with sauce. Blend cheese sauce until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (TIP: Vent blender (by removing plastic center of lid) and begin blending on low and finish on high to avoid splashing.)
Stir together pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt in small bowl.
Add cheese sauce, jalapeños, and red peppers to pot with pasta and stir. Transfer to baking dish, sprinkle with pepita parmesan, and bake until hot and bubbling, 7 to 10 minutes. Divide southwest cheesy mac with jalapeños and pepita parmesan between plates. Dig in!
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