Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Mac with Broccoli & Kale
Super comforting vegan mac and cheese that’s made with a creamy sweet potato-based sauce and loaded with broccoli and kale to get those veggies in! The perfect fall meal that is nutritious but tastes insanely indulgent.
When I first went vegan, I wasn’t aware mac and cheese could be veganized (lol @ baby vegan Teo’s naïveté). I quickly learned, however, that there are actually a lot of different ways to make vegan mac, ranging from using plant-based versions of dairy products all the way to the mixing up your own nut/seed sauce with vegetables. My preference is always to cook with whole plant ingredients whenever possible, which is why I developed this mac recipe by transforming basic ingredients like potatoes and cashews into a creamy, lush, and “cheesy” mac sauce.
Since it’s fall and (more importantly) because I love eating sweet potatoes in any/all forms, I used sweet potatoes as the base for the sauce. And in keeping true with my brand of #TeamExtraVeg, I had to throw in plenty of broccoli and kale. The result? A divine-tasting veg-filled mac and cheese dish that’s insanely comforting and also super nutritious (though you wouldn’t guess it from the taste!).
Why You’ll Love this Sweet Potato Mac
Tastes indulgent... Since the sauce is insanely creamy and packed with amazing flavors, it tastes suuuuper indulgent - just as any comforting bowl of mac should!
AND made with very nutritious plant ingredients! Despite tasting indulgent, this dish is very nutritious, especially if you serve it with a whole grain or legume pasta! The sauce is made with clean plant ingredients, namely sweet potato, onions and garlic (sauteeéd in a bit of oil for creaminess), cashews (more creaminess!), water, tapioca flour/starch (to thicken), and delicious flavoring MVPs like nutritional yeast, miso, vinegar, spices, and salt. That’s it. No dairy, no highly-processed ingredients, no BS - just plants!
Balanced flavors. The sauce gets its sweetness from the sweet potato, a hint of umami from the miso and nutritional yeast, depth from spices like smoked paprika (for smokiness) and ground mustard (for spiciness), and it’s balanced out with salt (very important!) and acidity from apple cider vinegar. And if you like a spicy kick, a little cayenne gives it some heat!
Loaded with veggies! Mac and cheese is an easy dish to sneak some extra veggies into! Don’t @ me, but I actually think it’s a bit boring without the veggies. Kale and broccoli are classics to pair with sweet potato, not to mention that they’re nutritional powerhouses. Plus, who can say no to those cruciferous veg and dark leafy greens when they’re covered in a creamy mac sauce? 🤤
Easy to make. Not a ton of technique involved with this recipe, making it beginner-friendly! Roast some sweet potatoes. Boil some pasta and blanch the veggies in the same pot/water. Sauté some garlic and onions and blend them with the rest of the sauce ingredients (in a high-powered blender), then sit back and watch the blender turn them into a silky smooth magical sauce. 😍 Combine the sauce with cooked pasta/veggies and serve!
Versatile. It’s easy to switch up how you eat this mac! Keep it simple and serve on its own or make it extra with a sprinkling of vegan parm or some tempeh “bacon” or crumbles. It makes a great entree on a cozy night, but it’s also a great component of a larger bowl or potluck-style meal (looking at you, Thanksgiving!). Or swap out the blanched kale and broccoli for some roasted Brussels sprouts, if you want to switch up the veg and/or cooking techniques. There’s really no limit here - get creative!
Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Mac with Broccoli & Kale
Serves 3-4
Vegan, gluten-free option*
Ingredients
2 medium to large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs total)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, for cooking
8 ounces rotini pasta**
4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces from about 2 medium broccoli crowns
5-6 large curly kale leaves, stemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 8 hours in cold water OR quick-soaked for 1 hour in boiling hot water, then drained
1 cup water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon tapioca starch/flour
1 tablespoon mellow white or chickpea miso
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground yellow mustard powder OR 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
A few cracks of freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Pinch of cayenne pepper*** (optional, use only if you like some heat)
Directions
Make the sweet potato puree: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use a fork to prick holes into the sweet potatoes and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Roast in the oven until completely soft and you’re able to pierce a fork through them, about 50-60 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes). Remove from oven and allow to cool briefly until you can safely handle them. Scoop out the flesh and measure out 1.5 cups of potato puree for the sauce. Save the extra sweet potato puree to use in granola, oatmeal, overnight oats, smoothies, etc.
Note: sweet potato puree can be made a day or two before and stored in the fridge for faster meal prep.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet or cast iron pan. Add diced onion and sauté until golden, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Cook the pasta and veggies: In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. With 2 minutes left of pasta cooking time, add the broccoli to the pot to blanch. With 1 minute left, add in the kale to blanch briefly. Once done, drain the pasta water and return the cooked pasta and blanched broccoli/kale to the same pot.
Make the sauce: While your pasta is cooking, make the sauce. To a high-powered blender, add the sautéed onions/garlic, 1.5 cups sweet potato puree, drained cashews, water, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch/flour, miso, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, ground mustard, Kosher salt, a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne (if using). Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1.5-2 minutes. Taste and adjust any seasonings, if desired (I usually add more cayenne for some extra heat), and blend on high for another 15-30 seconds to incorporate.
Add the sauce to the cooked pasta/veggies and stir to combine. Serve as is or topped with vegan parmesan (I love homemade nut-based ones!), freshly ground black pepper, and/or chile flakes if desired.
*To make this dish gluten-free, use a gluten-free rotini pasta of choice.
**I recommend using a rotini-shaped shape as this recipe makes the perfect amount of sauce for that specific shape. If you use a different shape, you may need to adjust the amount of pasta used (for example, if you use elbows, you’ll need to use more pasta).
***Start with just a small pinch of cayenne pepper (cayenne is insanely hot!), taste, and add more to taste, depending on your heat tolerance. For reference, I find that ¼ teaspoon adds a nice amount of heat without overwhelming the sauce, but that’s just my palate.
I hope you’ll find as much comfort in this sweet potato mac as much as me! Don’t forget to leave a comment/review below and tag me on Instagram (@teostinykitchen) with your favorite way to enjoy your mac & cheese!