1Cook elbow noodles according to package instructions in a large pot.
2Boil cashews in a small saucepan or pot for about 10 minutes.
3Once cashews are done, drain and rinse them under cold water.
4In a high-powered blender or blender cups, add 1 cup water, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, lemon juice, peppers, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, and cashews.
5Blend until smooth, which may take 1-2 cycles, and you may need to add another 1/2 cup of water to achieve a very smooth consistency.
6Add the blended sauce to the cooked noodles in a 9x13 baking dish and mix to fully coat.
7Mix together all breadcrumb ingredients (panko breadcrumbs, lightly crushed corn flakes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, and melted vegan butter).
8Top the mac and cheese with the breadcrumb mixture.
9Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are toasty and brown.
Ingredients
16 oz large elbow noodles
2 cups cashews
1.5 tsp onion powder
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp smoked paprika
1.5 tsp salt
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
0.25 tsp cayenne
1 large Juice from lemon
7 oz piquante/pimiento peppers
0.5 cup nutritional yeast
Chives, for garnish
0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
0.5 cup corn flakes, lightly crushed
0.5 tsp garlic powder
0.5 tsp smoked paprika
0.25 tsp salt
0.25 tsp onion powder
2 Tbs melted vegan butter
1 cup water
0.5 cup water
Equipment
large potsmall saucepan or pothigh powered blenderblender cups9x13 baking dishoven
Tips
When boiling cashews, drain and rinse under cold water before blending as most blenders cannot handle super hot substances.
Blend the sauce until very smooth; it may take 1-2 cycles and additional water may be needed depending on how long cashews were boiled and the blender used.
If skipping the breadcrumb topping, still bake the mac and cheese in the oven to allow the sauce to thicken and cook up.
The picante or pimiento peppers are an absolute must for this dish and can be found where olives are sold.