Vegan Spicy Cheesy Sauce: Perfect for Pasta

sneak peak: a tasty, easy recipe for a creamy, cheesy vegan sauce perfect for pasta, as a soup, or any other way you want to enjoy it; like mac n cheese? you'll like this


Vegan Spicy Cheesy Sauce, imogen molly blog, www.imogenmolly.co.uk


There are an unbelievable number of vegan takes on a classic mac n cheese available nowadays, whether in a packet ready to be zapped in the microwave, in a restaurant ready to be enjoyed with zero washing up or effort, or as a recipe ready to be followed time and time again.

Many of them are delicious, but only a select few are notably similar to non-vegan mac n cheese. With that in mind, why market something as mac n cheese unless it is actually going to be what people expect of mac n cheese? I can confirm this sauce is absolutely divine with pasta, and it has similar vibes, but it won't make you think it's mac n cheese. Therefore I am not marketing it as such, and instead of 'cheese sauce' it is 'cheesY sauce' because while it is not cheese, it can be used similarly to cheese. Make sense? Cool.

With that out of the way, let's move on to what this is, rather than what it isn't. It's creamy, spicy, vibrant, flavoursome, packed full of veggies and vitamins and nutrients, very moreish, and super duper versatile - this doesn't have to be a sauce...

It can also be a soup.

Mind = blown. Not only that, but other things too. It can be:
- a soup
- the sauce for your chosen pasta (fresh or as a pasta bake)
- the base for a curry
- a béchamel replacement in veggie lasagne
- a marinade for firm tofu
- salad dressing (for a LOT of salads)
- an innovative new take on gravy (add some marmite for classic gravy flavours)
- a dip for crisps or crudités (once chilled, and you might want to make it a bit thicker for this)
- pretty much anything. a drink? okay, if you want

Spicy Cheesy Sauce [Vegan!]
makes loads; if you don't need it all at once, keep it in the fridge for a few days (my rule is basically if it smells okay then I'll eat it) or freeze it for as long as you need, then defrost in a saucepan when you're ready to use it

Ingredients
3-4 medium sized carrots
1 large sweet potato
5 tbsp nutritional yeast ('nooch' to its chums)
8 tbsp oatly (1/2 cup, 120ml)
1 heaped tbsp tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cardamom
(this may be a long list of ingredients, but there are essentially only two steps so it's super easy to make and 100% worth it; also, if you don't have all these spices, you can easily sub them for others or use a spice blend that hits a whole bunch of them at once)

Directions
1. Prep your veggies. Peel all your carrots and sweet potato, then chop into chunks around 1/2 inch each (although it really doesn't matter as they'll be blended up anyway - this is just to help them cook quickly). Steam them however you wish, either by using a steamer on the hob or (my usual method) microwave in a microwave-safe tub with a splash of water and the lid on for a few minutes until they're fork-tender (i.e. soft but not mushy).
2. Add everything to a blender. Blend. (Or a food processor. Food-process. But a blender is better.)
OR
2. Add everything to a high-sided and preferably flat-bottomed pan or bowl, and whizz with a stick blender.
3. Depending on how you're going to use it, either heat it up in a pan or leave it to cool, and serve in whatever way your heart desires!

I served this over Waitrose 1 Ditaloni Rigati pasta (only the best for my pasta palate #pastlate) with tenderstem broccoli mixed through and cherry toms on top, and also ate a hefty amount of it with a teaspoon first under the guise of taste-testing and making sure it was just so. IT'S SO GOOD.

Have you made this recipe? Let me know! Tag me in photos on Instagram (@imogenfin) or send me a message - I'd love to see!

- post #16 of 21 in the 21-day challenge -

Comments

  1. It's a cool recipe. I might try it out later. But I am not a vegan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You don't need to be vegan to enjoy vegan food - it suits everyone! Hope you love the recipe.

      Delete
  2. Hi,
    I'm a school teacher & reading a primary school in Florida. Last few minutes reading your blog post and understand that I have to need a blender to save my time to cook and making juice for my kids. So I think I buy a blender for blend fruits juice. I was searching post about best stick blender but I didn't find in your blog. My request to you please mention me a post about the best and cheap blender. I hope you will do it for me.
    Waiting for your reply.
    Thanks
    Jessica

    ReplyDelete

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