Best Ever Vegan Mac & Cheese

½ cup + 2 tbsp raw cashews
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt, to taste
½ tsp garlic powder
1/16 tsp white pepper
1 + ¾ cups nondairy milk
1.5 tbsp cornstarch
¼ cup canola oil
2 tbsp light (yellow or white) miso paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
6-8oz pasta, cooked
1 tsp truffle oil (optional, but highly recommended)

I didn't bake it or use truffle oil or lemon juice. Came out great! I also added beans and spinach to make it a full meal!

Place cashews in a large-sized bowl of the food processor and finely grind–just don’t let the cashews turn to a paste. Add nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Pulse three more times to blend in spices.
In a heavy saucepan, combine milk, cornstarch and oil(s). Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease heat to low-medium, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, or until cornstarch dissolves.
With the food processor running, gradually add milk/oil mixture to cashew/nutritional yeast mixture. Blend for 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Next blend in miso and lemon juice.
Combine cashew cheese with macaroni noodles and serve. You may also bake it: Preheat oven to 325 and place macaroni mixture in a 8 or 9″ square baking dish. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with ½ C herbed bread crumbs. Continue baking, uncovered, for 15-25 minutes until topping is golden brown.

Serving Size: makes 3 cereal-bowl sized servings

Number of Servings: 3

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user PJCB53.