Potato-carrot cheese sauce is the thing these days. This vegan Black Pepper Cheesy Mac and Broccoli from Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen by Richa Hingle has a creamy sauce that’s filled with vegetables, and it’s loaded with black pepper. What makes this sauce different is the black pepper: add black pepper and then, when you think that should be enough, add some more.
Black Pepper Cheesy Mac and Broccoli
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups 600ml water
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
- 1/3 cup (50g) chopped carrots
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 small green chile, optional
- 1 small tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup (30g) raw cashews or macadamias (or 1/4 cup pepitas to make nut-free)
- 2 1/2 cups (225g) chopped broccoli
- 3/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari (or coconut aminos to make soy-free)
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ( omit to make oil-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce, optional
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste, divided
- 10 to 12 ounces cooked elbow pasta (gluten-free if necessary)
Instructions
-
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, combine the water, potato, carrots, garlic, onion, chile (if using), tomato, and cashews. Cover the skillet and cook 18 to 20 minutes, or until the potato is very tender. Let the mixture cool slightly.
-
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the broccoli and set aside. Alternatively, you can add the broccoli to the cooking pasta pot in the last two minutes.
-
Combine the potato mixture (along with its liquid), mustard, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, oil, paprika, and sriracha (if using) in a blender. Blend for 1 minute, let the mixture rest for 1 minute, and blend again until smooth.
-
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt, white pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, stirring to combine. Add some additional water to adjust the consistency if the sauce is too thick.
-
Bring the sauce almost to a boil. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add the elbow pasta and broccoli. Stir to combine, cover the saucepan, and cook for 3 minutes. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle some more pepper on each serving, if desired.
Recipe Notes
From Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen copyright © 2017 by Richa Hingle. Used by permission Vegan Heritage Press.
This recipe looks like a must to try!!! Thank you so much! As a side point, I am really enjoying Rocha’s Indian Kitchen! Namaste!
Thank you, Donna!