Try Lucy Watson’s Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and Enter for a Chance to Win ‘Feed Me Vegan’
Lucy Watson has gone from reality star to passionate vegan activist – and now cookbook author! Her book, Feed Me Vegan, is out today, and we couldn’t be more excited.
Packed with comforting, easy-to-make, and totally delicious recipes, Feed Me Vegan features tempting meals from breakfast to dinner – as well as all the sweet treats and snacks you need in between. To celebrate, we’re giving a copy away. Enter below, but first, check out Lucy’s recipe for Mushroomy Mac ‘n’ Cheese, adapted from the book. She introduces the dish:
Anyone who knows me will know about my mac and cheese obsession. I struggle to understand why you wouldn’t like mac and cheese! Whenever I tried to switch to veganism previously this was the dish that would make me relapse. I just couldn’t resist it. So I HAD to find a good recipe for mac and cheese – one that would actually taste similar to the original. Many of the recipes I tried use cashews, but I never felt they were successful at recreating the flavours and textures. Thankfully, this one is spot-on and the mushrooms add an extra texture and flavour that take it to the next level! For the vegan cheese I would use the Cheddar or Parmesan from Follow Your Heart – though Violife Parmesan and Sheese Cheddar are also really good with this.
Mushroomy Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Prep Time: 35m
Cook Time: 25m
Servings: 6
Ingredients
500 g dried macaroni
40 g dried wild mushrooms
150 ml boiling water
2 Tbsp + 50 g vegan butter
250 g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp thyme leaves
Sea salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp plain flour
800 ml almond milk
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
200 g vegan cheddar, grated
90 g vegan Parmesan, grated
2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C.
- Cook the macaroni in salted water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool.
- Put the wild mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour in the boiling water and let rehydrate for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid.
- Melt 2 tablespoonsful of vegan butter in a frying pan over high heat. Add the wild mushrooms, nutritional yeast, chestnut mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned well. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
- To make the béchamel sauce, melt 50 g vegan butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring Whisk in the almond milk, a little at a time. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens then reduce the heat and add the nutmeg, vegan cheddar, and 50 g vegan Parmesan. Stir until the cheese has completely melted. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the macaroni and mushrooms and stir well until evenly coated in the sauce. Transfer to a deep 25- x 30-cm dish.
- Top with the remaining vegan Parmesan and the parsley. Cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is golden-brown and crisp.
Recipe Adapted From Feed Me Vegan
