Recipe: Vegan Chickpea Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese has been a long-standing tradition at Thanksgiving dinners, but its cheese content is not always popular among vegans, the lactose intolerant, or those who are watching their health. This recipe uses chickpeas and butternut squash to recreate the creamy, indulgent cheese sauce but without the added dairy or calories.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup of Talia’s Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1lb. macaroni noodles
• 4 tbsp. of olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup fresh or frozen butternut squash, diced
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, boil salted water and cook the macaroni noodles according to the package instructions. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water before draining the noodles.
2. In a large pan, pour in 2 tbsp. of the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onions and carrots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. In the same pan, add in the chickpeas, squash, salt, and 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the carrots and squash are tender.
4. Pour the mixture into a blender along with the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Blend until smooth.
5. Pour the blended sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to combine. If needed, add in the remaining 1/2 cup pasta water for a saucier texture.

*Original recipe from Today’s Parent.