Everything that you want from a Mac & Cheese with bold flavours, soft cheese and fresh greens cutting through the whole dish to give it a nice veggie-packed edge. This recipe has quickly turned into a favourite in our household, we serve it alongside Sunday roasts, bowls of salads and even on its own for a great pasta dinner.
Bake it with breadcrumbs at the end to give it a crispy topping or if you’re in a rush you can leave out the last part and serve it as pasta for a super simple dinner.
Serves: 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Food styling: Lily Gjertsen
Photography: Leo Harris
Season: Winter
ingredients
500g macaroni pasta
150g cashews
2 slices of bread
Large handful of kale
60g basil
1 garlic clove
Juice of 1 lemon
400ml almond milk
2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
200g grated extra mature cheddar
200g grated mozzarella
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
method
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Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7.
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Place the cashews into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for at least 10 minutes until they become soft. Once soft, drain.
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Place the kale onto a large baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Mix well and roast for 5-10 minutes until crispy. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before roughly chopping. Leave to one side until needed.
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Place the bread into a blender and blend until you have breadcrumbs. Transfer to a small bowl and rinse out the blender ahead of making the sauce.
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Next, place the drained cashews, basil, garlic, lemon juice, almond milk, mustard and a large pinch of salt into a powerful blender (we use a NutriBullet) and blend until a smooth sauce forms – you may need to add a dash more almond milk until you reach a smooth, sauce-like consistency
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Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the pack, cooking for 1 less minute than stated. Drain (saving one mug-full of pasta water) and place to one side until needed.
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Place a large pan over a medium heat and pour in the green sauce, add the grated cheeses and heat through until the cheeses have melted into the sauce.
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Mix some pasta water, chopped kale and the cooked pasta through the sauce, cooking for a further 5 minutes until everything is piping hot. You may want to add another dash of almond milk until you reach a silky consistency.
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Pour the macaroni into a large baking tray and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the top turns golden. Serve immediately.
Read more: Bitter Lemon
Food writer and photographer duo Lily Gjertsen & Leo Harris know exactly what you want to cook mid-week. Their vegetarian recipes use staple pantry ingredients and veg that you’ll often have in your fridge, so you don’t need to do too much thinking when you’ve come back from a long day. It’s simple, delicious and nourishing food.
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