Vegan Corn Mac N’ Cheese

This plant-powdered take on a classic mac n’ cheese is proper comfort food, just healthier. 

Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Serves: 8 

Take your mac n’ cheese to new heights with Almo! Our original unsweetened almond milk pairs perfectly with creamed corn to create a super satisfying and ultra-creamy sauce that’s remarkably similar to the original, only better for you. It’s loaded with plant-powered fibre and all the good fats you need to support a healthy heart. 

The rich “cheesy” sauce is made with anti-inflammatory garlic powder and ground turmeric, as well as Dijon mustard and most importantly nutritional yeast flakes, which are one of the very few vegan-friendly foods containing all nine essential amino acids. Most varieties of nutritional yeast are also fortified with vitamin B12 to support red blood cell production. 

Sweeter and milder than onions, the addition of roasted shallots deepens the flavour to this already sumptuous savoury dish. If you love your mac n’ cheese extra creamy, we recommend adding a couple of tablespoons of Almo Crème to thicken up the sauce. It’s also wise to cook with a cast iron skillet to keep your meal as healthy and wholesome as possible. We’ve used Le Creuset’s signature cast iron skillet from their new Meringue collection. 

Tip: Throw in some seasonal greens too for added nutrition, like sautéed kale or asparagus.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 cup corn kernels (canned, frozen or fresh) 
• 3/4 cup Almo Milk 
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt, more to taste 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric 
• 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 3 tbsp Almo Crème (optional)

To serve

• 450g macaroni pasta
• 3 shallots, peeled and sliced into wedges
• 2 ears of corn on the cob, husked
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Coat husked corn with olive oil and place cobs on the baking tray. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Turn corn, add sliced shallots; drizzle with additional olive oil and bake for a further 20 minutes. Set aside. 
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to packet instructions. 
4. Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and blend again until a smooth consistency is reached.
5. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron saucepan over low to medium heat. Carefully add the mixture to the saucepan and warm the sauce for about 2 minutes, continually stirring to prevent clumping. Taste and season to your liking. 
6. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and add to the sauce, stirring through to coat all the macaroni.
7. Serve with a sprinkling of caramelized shallots and shavings of roasted corn or simply place the corn on the cob on the side. To make extra sumptuous, top with vegan cheese and grill for 1-2 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.