Cauliflower Mushroom Mac and Cheese

This is no ordinary cauliflower cheese, but a delicious dish I created where Cauliflower Cheese meets Mac and Cheese.  They get married and have a baby called ‘more-ish’, which simply grows on you, as the term implies.  The addition of the mushrooms raises its flavour to a level above either of those two dishes by themselves.

Make, bake and enjoy, but be ready to undo your jeans button for the day !  Filling, but a must, trust me.  In addition, apart from being mouthwatering, it is also very easy to prepare.

The trick for this dish is either getting hold of, or making yourself, good vegan cheese in advance.  So, without further ado, let’s jump straight into the recipe.

Serve with your favourite greens or salad of your choice.

NOTE :  This dish can be made into a gluten free dish, simply substitute your pasta with gluten free pasta, and voila !  

Serves 4-6 portions

INGREDIENTS

200g penne of your choice (gluten free if you wish)
2 to 3 cups mushrooms, sliced and chopped
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large zucchini/courgette, sliced lengthways
2 cups melting-type vegan cheese of your choice
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground garlic
3 cups soya milk, or other unsweetened plant-based milk
chilli flakes for garnishing (optional)

METHOD

1. Boil or steam your cauliflower florets and set aside.  Don’t leave them covered once cooked and tender, and don’t overcook them to the point of almost melting, tender will do.
2. Boil your pasta until al dente, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process from continuing, and set aside.
3. Grease a large, deep enough dish in readiness for assembling the recipe.  The one I used was around 10 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep.
4. Sauté your zucchini until golden on both sides and set aside.  Then do the same with the mushrooms.

5. Place your cheese, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, turmeric, salt and garlic in a high speed food blender/liquidizer (I used my Vitamix, which has been my dedicated workhorse for the last 6 years !) – and blend until smooth.

6. Then pour into a large non-stick saucepan, and heat up stirring almost constantly until it thickens.  Set aside as is for a few moments.

7. Place your cauliflower in the cheese sauce mix and gently make sure that all the pieces are immersed in the cheese.

8. Then add your pre-cooked pasta and pre-cooked mushrooms and do the same.

9. Gently spoon the mixture into your pre-greased oven dish, and carefully place your pre-cooked zucchini pieces on top around the edges, and make a cross in the middle for decoration if you wish.

10. Sprinkle on the chilli flakes, and bake in your pre-heated oven until golden on top.

11. Remove from the oven once golden, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting out the portions and serving.  Enjoy !

All recipes and content © Miriam Sorrell www.mouthwateringvegan.com 2010

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suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike