Creamy pumpkin mac and cheese

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Ingredients

  • 1 very small sugar pumpkin or 1 small butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs or 1 kg)
  • 1/2 cup (40g) nutritional yeast 
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional) 
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste 
  • 1 tablespoon mellow white or yellow miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup (56g) raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours or overnight 
  • 1 cup (240mL) canned “lite” coconut milk 
  • 10 ounces (280g) of rigatoni pasta, medium-sized macaroni shells, or pasta of your choice

Directions

  1. To cook the pumpkin or butternut squash in the oven, use a very sharp knife to slice the pumpkin or butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. If the vegetable is too thick or hard to cut, pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes to soften. For roasting, follow step 2; for steaming, follow step 3.
  2. To roast the pumpkin in the oven, drizzle the pumpkin or squash halves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper-lined or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until completely tender and lightly browned. Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. 
  3. To steam the pumpkin or butternut squash in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, pour 1 cup of water into the inner cooking pot and lower a compatible steamer rack or the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot into the inner pot. Place the pumpkin or squash halves in the basket or on top of the trivet, close the lid, and cook at high pressure for 12-14 minutes (for the Instant Pot, you’ll select the Pressure Cook or Manual button). Once the timer is up, perform a quick pressure release by manually releasing the steam valve. Once the pumpkin or squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
  4. While the squash is cooking, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to the box directions until al dente and drain in a colander. 
  5. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the roasted or steamed pumpkin or butternut squash flesh. Reserve the rest for another use, such as a smoothie, curry, oatmeal, or a baked good.
  6. In a high speed blender, add the 1 1/2 cups of the pumpkin squash flesh, along with the remaining ingredients (except for the pasta). Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed, more miso paste for more umami, or more lemon juice for more acidity.
  7. Return the cooked and drained pasta back to the saucepan and add the cheese sauce. Heat over medium heat until the sauce is well combined with the pasta and warmed through. Season mac and cheese to taste.

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