Equipment
Ingredients
Mac 'n' Cheese Base
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
- 14 g vegan butter
- 8 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g garlic powder
- 380 ml oat milk
- 180 g dried macaroni
- 100 g vegan cheese, grated
- 15 ml buffalo sauce
- 8 g dijon mustard
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Buffalo Breadcrumbs
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 5 ml buffalo sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1014 kcal
- Protein
- 31 g
- Carbohydrates
- 134 g
- Fat
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 1302 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 65 mg
- Potassium
- 1147 mg
- Calcium
- 918 mg
- Iron
- 7.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 97 mg
- Phosphorus
- 445 mg
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 934 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 11 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.89 mg
- Niacin
- 9.2 mg
- Folate
- 311 mcg
- Water
- 120 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Boil the sweet potato cubes in salted water for 10 minutes until they are tender. Drain and set aside.
Melt the vegan butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 3 minutes to create a roux, then stir in the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Slowly pour the oat milk into the pan while whisking constantly. Continue whisking for 10 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and smooth.
Boil the macaroni in a separate pot according to the package instructions. Reserve 50ml of the pasta water before draining.
Preheat the grill or broiler to 220°C (425°F).
Add the vegan cheese, buffalo sauce, mustard, reserved pasta water, and cooked sweet potato to the sauce. Mash the potato into the sauce using a potato masher until well integrated.
Stir the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce until coated. Transfer the mixture to a 1-liter baking dish.
Mix the breadcrumbs with buffalo sauce and olive oil in a small bowl. Top the pasta with the breadcrumb mixture and grill for 5 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.
Chef's Notes
- For an even creamier sauce, consider using a high-speed blender to purée the cooked sweet potato and oat milk mixture before combining it with the roux.
- Don't overcook the pasta; it should be al dente as it will continue to cook slightly under the broiler.
- Taste and adjust the buffalo sauce and salt levels before combining with the pasta. The heat and saltiness can vary significantly between brands.
- Ensure your vegan cheese melts well. Some vegan cheeses require a bit more coaxing or a slightly longer cooking time to achieve a smooth consistency.
- For extra crispiness on the breadcrumb topping, you can toast them separately under the broiler until golden brown before adding them to the mac and cheese.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture of the sauce may change slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 175°C (350°F) until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Cheese sauce is too thick or dry
Cause: The sauce reduced too much during simmering or the pasta absorbed the liquid.
Fix: Stir in the reserved pasta water or an additional splash of oat milk until the desired consistency is reached.
Prevention: Do not overcook the sauce once it reaches the desired thickness.
Lumpy sauce
Cause: Oat milk was added too quickly to the roux.
Fix: Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve or use an immersion blender to smooth it out.
Prevention: Add liquid in a very slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously.
Cultural Context
A plant-based version of American macaroni and cheese, featuring buffalo sauce which originated in Buffalo, New York.
