This delicious mac and “cheese” recipe using sweet potato and unsweetened almond milk keep the recipe dairy free and vegan. The sauce is very creamy and does not taste like eating a sweet potato. You will not miss the heavy cheese.
We need to roast two medium sweet potatoes at 350 F for two hours. After they are cooked let them cool, peel and mash. Measure out one cup for the recipe.
Weather your lactose intolerant, vegan or a cheese lover I promise you will love this recipe. I have made this recipe several times and have slowly changed the way that I make it. If you watch the video its based on how I started out making the recipe.
One of the things I do different is I start out by blending the sweet potato, milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk), garlic, salt, mustard and a pinch of nutmeg. I do not add the lemon juice at this point. I do not want the milk to curdle. By blending everything is makes the sauce creamier and simplifies cooking.
For the recipe I use the very minimum of salt. You may want to add more. But taste the sauce first before adding more.
Now we need to make a roux. Heat 1/2 cup of neutral flavored oil on low heat. When it’s hot add 3.5 ounces of flour. 3.5 ounces gives a one to one ratio of flour to oil. Whisk to blend the flour and oil together and cook on low for two minutes.
Raise the burner to medium high and add the contents of your blender. Bring to a simmer.
When it starts to bubble reduce heat to medium and cook for five minutes. Keep stirring to break up the sweet potato. After five minutes add the lemon and whisk in.
Cook your Pasta according to package directions. When your close to the recommended time start checking for doneness. You do not want to over cook your pasta.
When your pasta is almost done add half a cup of your pasta water to your sauce and whisk it in. The starchy water just makes it better. Now is the time to taste the sauce and adjust to your liking.
Optional additions to the sauce.
More Salt (we already talked about that).
A few dashes of Louisiana style hot sauce (I do this 90% of the time).
If you do not have gout and you want to up the cheesiness add nutritional yeast.
A pinch of curry powder.
If your really want to take this to a new level when your blending the other ingredients add a can of Rotel. Then you will have Queso mac and cheese.
Combine your pasta and sauce. It’s now ready to serve.
My video on YouTube
Ingredients
Roux
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3.5 oz all purpose flour
In the blender
- 1 cup sweet potato Roasted and mashed
- 3.5 cups almond milk unsweetened
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 pinch Nutmeg A small pinch
Other
- 1 pound macaroni
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
To the blender
- Add the sweet potato, milk, garlic, salt, mustard and nutmeg
- Blend until smooth and set aside
- Make the roux
- Heat 1/2 cup of neutral flavored oil on low heat. When it's hot add 3.5 ounces of flour. Whisk to blend the flour and oil together and cook on low for two minutes.
- Raise the burner to medium high and add the contents of your blender. Bring to a simmer.
- When it starts to bubble reduce heat to medium and cook for five minutes. Keep stirring to break up the sweet potato. After five minutes add the lemon and whisk in.
Cook Your Pasta
- Bring a pot of water to boil
- Add your pasta and cook according to the manufacturer directions.
- When the pasta is almost done add half a cup of your pasta water to the sauce and whisk it in
- Drain the pasta
Combine
- Add your drained pasta to the sauce
- Mix the pasta and sauce
