A lovely easy take on the classic that is so easy to make – this is comfort food at its best! To make it a little healthier use wholemeal pasta rather than white pasta as it will up the fibre content.
Takes 30 minutesminutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
400gdried macaroni pasta(or wholemeal penne for a healthier option)
For the Bechamel:
600mlnon-dairy milk
¼tspnutmeg
4clovesgarlic
4tbspwhite flour
4tbspoil
150gvegan cheddar-style cheese(ideally orange in colour)
200gpumpkin purée
¾tspsalt
¼tspground black pepper
Pinchof paprika
Topping:
50gbreadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Prepare the ingredients:Peel and finely dice the garlic.Grate the vegan cheddar-style cheese.
Cook the pasta:Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.Add 1 tbsp of salt, then reduce to a simmer.Add the pasta and cook it for 2 minutes less than the package instructions, as it will cook further in the oven.Drain and rinse the pasta, setting it aside, and reserve a cup of the pasta water.
Make the bechamel sauce:Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the oil.Once hot, add the diced garlic and cook for 1 minute until golden.Sieve in the flour, and add the nutmeg, paprika, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.Cook for 2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the non-dairy milk, stirring continuously.Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. It should start to reach a creamy consistency.Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium and stir in half the grated vegan cheddar cheese and the pumpkin purée.Mix until the cheese melts into the sauce.Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed.
Assemble the dish:In a 22 x 22 cm casserole dish, add the pasta.Pour in the bechamel sauce and half of the remaining grated cheese, mixing everything well.Level out the pasta mixture and sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs on top.
Bake:Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
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