This easy vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is made with creamy pure pumpkin puree and is the ultimate vegan pasta recipe for fall!
It's time to break out the cans of pumpkin because it's officially pumpkin season! Every fall, I look forward to making all things pumpkin. From sweet treats to savory dishes, pumpkin is such a versatile ingredient.
You might think that it is a little weird to adding pumpkin to your mac and cheese sauce, but trust me on this one. The pumpkin creates a luscious, creamy pasta sauce.
You can roast your own pumpkin and make a homemade pumpkin puree, but I like to use canned pumpkin for this recipe. It is such a time savor.
If you have followed my blog for awhile, you already know that I am a fan of cooking with beer. I just love the depth of flavor the beer gives to the recipe.
For this Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, I like to add a pumpkin ale to the sauce. I like to look for a pumpkin beer that has been brewed with real pumpkin and has a great combination for fall spices. There are lots of great pumpkin ales on the market.
For this recipe, I used Punkin Ale from Dogfish Head—a brown ale that has been brewed with pumpkin, brown sugar, and fall spices. Feel free to use one of your favorite pumpkin beers.
To balance out the flavors in the sauce, a pinch of nutmeg and maple syrup takes this sauce to the next level. Sometimes beer can be a little bit bitter. The maple syrup helps to balance out any bitterness from the beer.
I hope that you enjoy this Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese this fall. It is one of my favorites! Be sure to tag us on Instagram @thymeandlove and #thymeandlove!
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
This easy vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is made with creamy pure pumpkin puree and is the ultimate vegan pasta recipe for fall!
Ingredients
- 1- 16 ounce Package of Macaroni Pasta
- ¼ Cup Vegan Butter
- ⅓ Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1- 15 Ounce Can Pumpkin Puree
- 1-12 ounce Bottle Pumpkin Beer
- 2 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
- ½ Cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- 1-2 teaspoon Maple Syrup, or to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, make a roux or paste by melting the butter. Once melted, add the flour and start whisking the butter and flour over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add in the pumpkin and whisk to combine.
Then add the pumpkin beer, almond milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, salt, and maple syrup; whisk to evenly combine the ingredients.
Let the sauce simmer until it has thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add more salt or maple syrup if necessary.
Once the pasta is done, add the pumpkin sauce to the pasta. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.
Serve and enjoy!
XO Jeni
JoAnn M Lakes
What can you do if you have no desire to purchase a 6 pack of pumpkin beer? We're not beer people but I've cook with it and don't have an issue about using it. Any substitutes I can add to the recipe and regular beer to acquire the proper flavor profile?
Jeni
You can just use vegetable broth!