Smoky Mac ’n’ Cheese with Coconut Bacon is a comforting recipe that is perfect for a BBQ.
I am so excited to be sharing a recipe from Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill by Linda Meyer and Alexa Meyer. You might be familiar with the mother and daughter team behind the popular blog, Veganosity. I love traditional BBQ foods, but haven't tried too many vegan BBQ recipes.
One of my favorite things about this cookbook is that you don't need an outdoor grill to enjoy a good BBQ. All of the recipes from Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill can be made using a grill pan or cast iron skillet.
You'll find recipes for hearty main entrees, sandwiches, sides, salads, and dips! It was hard to pick a recipe to share with you, but I decided to go with the Smoky Mac ’n’ Cheese with Coconut Bacon. Who doesn't love a good mac 'n' cheese recipe?!
What intrigued me about this mac 'n' cheese recipe was the coconut bacon. Have you made coconut bacon before? I'm obsessed. It is so easy to make and really has a bacon like quality to it. After the mac 'n' cheese goes into the oven for a few minutes, it gets topped with the smoky coconut bacon. It's such a unique topping for a mac 'n' cheese recipe!
This Smoky Mac ’n’ Cheese with Coconut Bacon is creamy, comforting, and delicious. The coconut bacon really takes this mac 'n' cheese to the next level!
Other recipes that I'm excited to make
I can't wait to make these recipes from the cookbook:
Texas BBQ Brisket
Wisconsin-Style Grilled Bratwurst
Kentucky Bourbon BBQ Quesadillas
Classic BBQ Short Ribz
Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill by Linda Meyer and Alexa Meyer is the perfect cookbook to have for the summer BBQ and grilling season!
Smoky Mac ’n’ Cheese with Coconut Bacon
When we think of Southern comfort food, we think of mac ’n’ cheese. This decadent and soul-warming dish is a favorite in the South and the Midwest, especially at backyard BBQs. This is why we had to remake the standard mac ’n’ cheese into a vegan version. The cashew cheese makes it just as creamy and comforting as dairy cheese, only a whole lot healthier. And don’t skip the coconut bacon, because it adds that Dzsumpin sumpindz that only bacon flavor can.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (60 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) liquid smoke
- 3 cups (720 ml) water ½ cauliflower head, chopped into small florets
- ½ cup (56 g) raw cashews soaked overnight in ½ cup (120 ml) water
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened almond milk
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 cup (160 g) nutritional yeast
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 lb (453 g) cavatappi noodles
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup (45 g) breadcrumbs
- 2 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the coconut flakes with liquid smoke and spread them evenly on a lined baking sheet. Bake the coconut for approximately 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove them from the oven and then set aside.
- Boil the water in a small pot. Once boiling, add the cauliflower and boil for 15 minutes.
- Drain the cooked cauliflower and place in a high-speed blender or food processor. Drain and rinse the cashews, and add to the food processor with the almond milk and lemon juice, then blend on high until smooth and creamy.
- Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to the cashew cream and blend until well incorporated into the cashew–cauliflower mixture. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Mix in the cashew– cauliflower mixture and pour into a baking dish.
- Combine the olive oil and breadcrumbs together and sprinkle on top of the noodles.
- Set the oven to broil, place the mac ’n’ cheese on the top rack of the oven and broil for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Serve by topping the mac ’n’ cheese with the coconut bacon and green onions.
Notes
Recipe republished with permission from Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill by Linda & Alex Meyer, Page Street Publishing Co.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill to review. As always all thoughts are my own.
XO Jeni
Linda from Veganosity
Thank you so much for the very nice review of our cookbook, Jeni! We're so grateful and happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and the book. Yes, coconut bacon is life, especially on mac n' cheese!