Three-cheese Cauliflower Vegan Truffle Mac
Comfort food for the whole week? Heck yes! Creamy, cheesy, and of course, truffle-y, this is a must-try vegan truffle mac. Vegan cheddar, parmesan, and nutritional yeast bring the savory multi-dimensional goodness, while cauliflower and breadcrumbs add pleasing texture and nutrition to this indulgent meal. Get ready to feed a big family, or feed yourself for the entire week with this high-yield comfort food that’s just as delicious leftover!
Vegan or not, we all need mac n cheese in our lives.
I used to work at Noodles & Company, so I know this to be a true fact. Despite all of the awesome, intriguing dishes that Noodles serves, nothing is as popular as the mac n cheese. This is a tried and true ultimate comfort dish, a staple for kids and adults alike. Perhaps love of mac n cheese is a primary obstacle for those interested in a vegan lifestyle — of all the palate-pleasing animal foods, none can quite compare to cheese.
It is no wonder cheese is the best part of every meal, when its casein binds to the same receptors in the brain as opioids. When people say they are addicted to cheese, it’s not an exaggeration — cheese is an addictive substance! For me personally, it was hands down the most difficult animal food to let go of when I was ready to transition to a vegan lifestyle.
It’s not a hopeless situation, though — “giving up” cheese is simply a matter of finding the best vegan replacements. Some brands do certain cheeses better than others — Violife is the winner for parmesan, while Miyoko’s and Follow Your Heart are the best for mozzarella.
As far as I am concerned, I still eat cheese as a vegan – the only meaningful difference is that no one is harmed by my actions anymore. Sure, there is a whole world of dairy cheese that is simply not present in vegan form, though the most commonly used and crave-able varieties (parmesan, mozzarella, cheddar, feta, pepper jack, swiss) are all available for you to enjoy!
The palate adapts and transforms remarkably depending on the foods we eat. You may have noticed that, after reducing sugar intake for a while, a treat you used to enjoy becomes overwhelmingly sweet. Or, like me, you may have an extreme reaction to the sugar and carbonation of soda after not drinking it for years, wondering how in the world you tolerated it previously. The palate becomes more or less sensitive as exposure level to certain flavors changes, and the same is true for cheese.
One may expect to “suffer” without dairy cheese, but the truth is that the palate adapts to a new reality in not much time at all. And once you embrace the fantastic vegan cheeses on the market, you can still satisfy that exact savory, melty, salty craving — you’re not walking away from anything!
Through 3 trial runs, I have finally perfected my indulgent vegan cheese sauce. I have used the best vegan cheddar, best vegan parmesan, and uniquely cheesy nutritional yeast to re-create everything we all know and love in a comforting mac n cheese. Making the sauce requires some time and precision, but it pays off with a yield of 8 servings! Let’s dive in now to some tips for ultimate mac success.
Why this recipe works
The roux base thickens and adds flavor to the sauce
Starting a sauce with a roux base aids in thickening, which is helpful when a lot of liquid is involved. Plus, who doesn’t want an extra-savory buttery flavor? The powerful impacts of a roux base are even more evident in my mushroom alfredo.
Ripple pea protein milk most closely mimics dairy
Soy, coconut, oat, and even almond milk have their own unique flavors, which, in my opinion, do not fully lend themselves to mac n cheese. The first two trials of this mac used soy milk, and I found that the flavor wasn’t quite right. Ripple milk is impressive to me because it has the most creamy and neutral flavor of the plant milks I’ve tried, and it is perfectly thick and indulgent. Best of all, it has even more protein than soy milk, and it is allergy friendly for anyone avoiding nuts or soy.
The pasta water adds essential creaminess
Another problem with the first two trials of this mac was that they weren’t creamy enough. I struggled for a while with how to improve this quality — do I add more plant milk? Veggie broth? How much is needed? Fortunately, I got it right with the pasta water! Not only did the pasta water actually amplify the flavor, but it brings out the moisture level a mac n cheese needs.
The nutritional yeast compliments the vegan shreds beautifully
Not only were the first two trials of this dish not creamy enough, they also weren’t cheesy enough. When I told people this, of course the first question was “is it because you used vegan cheese?” Uh, no. It just didn’t smack me in the face with cheesy flavor as much as I hoped. Thus, my challenge became to both increase liquid and increase cheesiness — an imposing feat. I thought about adding in a third vegan cheese, but didn’t like the financial expense that addition would bring. To my delight, nutritional yeast gave this mac just the boost I was looking for. It is an essential component!
The cauliflower and breadcrumbs bring a pleasing texture
Some people have recently asked me how I know when a recipe is ready to share. Flavor is obviously key, but I find texture to be equally important. One may think, it’s just a mac n cheese — you just need noodles and cheese! Yes, this simple combination is great. But that crisp bite of cauliflower and grain of the breadcrumbs simply takes a basic mac to the next level.
Tips for ultimate vegan truffle mac success
Make sure your cookware is large enough
Let’s be honest about something — we are dealing with an epic portion of mac n cheese here. The noodles need at least 4 but ideally 6 quarts of boiling salted water to cook properly, and you will need 4 quarts for the sauce as well in order to accommodate 5 and 1/2 cups of liquid. Likewise, your casserole dish needs to be at least 9×13 — ideally larger and/or deeper. My 9×13 dish barely fits the contents, and mixing the cheese sauce in felt like God’s work. The sauce almost bubbled over in the oven (but didn’t), and I’m sure my final result weighed at least eight pounds.
Get the noodle/cauliflower base done before starting on the sauce
The sauce in this recipe requires constant attention, so it is best to get the base ready to go before you embark on this next step. It is important to make sure the noodles are slightly undercooked when added to the casserole dish, as they will cook fully in the oven. On a similar note, adding the noodles to a wide casserole dish with room temperature cauliflower will help them release heat and stop cooking.
Equally important is mixing in the truffle oil as soon as you add the noodles and cauliflower to the dish, as the oil will prevent sticking. And lastly, having the pasta water measured and ready is convenient when you start the sauce. If you are comfortable with multitasking, as I am, feel free to work on both elements (base and sauce) at the same time. It will just require you move at warp speed (okay, maybe not that fast).
Measure the plant milk out before starting on the roux
A roux requires constant mixing, and its flavor will transform depending on how long it is cooked. Here, we are just looking for the roux to appear thick and foamy — we aren’t looking for color changes. Of course, you are welcome to cook the roux longer for a deeper flavor. But when the roux is cooked to your liking, you’ll want to add the plant milk right away to prevent overcooking. It helps to have at least two cups measured out to be added quickly.
Add the cheese shreds as soon as your sauce starts boiling
I made the mistake of turning the temperature down first and adding cheese second when my liquid reached the boiling point. The temperature did not drop fast enough, and my liquid quickly rose to the top of the pan, beginning to boil over. Fortunately, I halted this stressful event by adding the cheese. Pay close attention to your sauce after turning the heat to high, and add cheese at the boiling point before you reduce the pan temperature.
How to modify this recipe
Make it gluten-free
There are 3 sources of gluten in this recipe: the flour, the breadcrumbs, and obviously, the pasta. Don’t let a gluten intolerance stand in your way! Instead of all purpose flour in the roux, try a gluten free flour you have on hand (I always recommend Bob’s Red Mill if you are looking to buy some). For the pasta, you can sub in chickpea, lentil, or even rice noodles and follow my instructions as noted in the recipe card. Lastly, gluten free breadcrumbs are sold at both Target and Walmart, likely among other places.
Add or remove truffle flavor
If you’re anything like my former Noodles coworkers, you either love or hate truffle oil. You may also dislike that most truffle recipes are using synthetic truffle flavor as the real stuff is so difficult to come by (it’s still delicious in my book, though no doubt Chef Ramsay would scoff).
In this recipe, the truffle flavor comes through nicely without being overpowering. If you really like truffle oil and want it strong, feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two, mixing and tasting as you add more and feel content. If you aren’t at all into truffle flavor, skip it altogether and instead coat the cooked noodles in olive oil or vegan butter to prevent sticking (you can then reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons).
Change out the vegetable
Don’t like cauliflower? No problem! Try adding in broccoli instead, following the exact same steps. Alternatively, sauté 16 ounces of mushrooms until they begin to release liquid, shrink, and brown a little. Don’t cook them until they are completely done — remember they will cook more in the oven. Add them to the casserole dish with the noodles before pouring sauce on top, and don’t forget the delicious mushroom juices!
Halve the recipe
Don’t want a metric ton of mac n cheese? I can’t relate, but no judgement here! This recipe can be easily halved — just use an 8×8 baking dish instead, and you won’t have to worry so much about using your largest cookware for each step of the process.
Switch up your vegan cheeses
I’d recommend keeping the nutritional yeast, but if you find there are different parmesan and cheddar vegan brands you prefer, or if you want a different cheese type entirely, go for it my friend! Given the length of time the cheese cooks in hot liquid, I expect even stubborn vegan cheeses to melt and incorporate nicely into the sauce. If you are feeling even bolder, you can switch it up with the spices. I wouldn’t recommend modifying the amount of red pepper flakes, though, as they really bring out the other flavors of the dish. Whatever you try, I will be curious to hear about your results!
Did you make this recipe? I would love to know what you think in a comment and rating below — this is a dish I’ve worked particularly hard to get right. Your feedback means so much to me!
Three-Cheese Vegan Cauliflower Truffle Mac
Equipment
- 4 to 6 qt saucepan/dutch oven/stockpot
- Large (at least 4 qt) saucepan or sauté pan
- Deep 9×13 casserole dish
- Small/medium bowl
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 lb elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 head cauliflower broken down into florets
- 3 tbsp truffle-flavored extra-virgin olive oil*
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp vegan butter I use Earth Balance
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 4 cups Ripple pea protein plant milk**
- 1½ cups pasta water
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded Daiya cheddar*** from block
- 1 cup shredded Violife parmesan from block
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
For the topping
- ¾ cup vegan panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- Remainder of Violife parmesan shredded from block
Instructions
First: Make the pasta base
- Fill a 4 to 6 quart stockpot, dutch oven, or saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, prep the cauliflower and shred the cheese.
- Once water is boiling, salt it generously. Taste and continue salting the water until it is as salty as the ocean. Add the box of elbow macaroni, and cook for 2 minutes less than al dente (in my case, this was 5 minutes instead of 7). Reserve 1 and ½ cups of water when pasta is cooked, drain the rest, and add pasta to casserole dish.
- Add broken down cauliflower to the casserole dish with the pasta, along with the 3 Tbsp of truffle oil. Mix well to combine.
Second: Make the sauce
- Preheat a large (at least 4 qt) sauté or saucepan on medium. Add the vegan butter and wait for it to melt completely. Once melted and bubbling, make the roux by gradually adding in the flour and mixing continuously with a rubber spatula.
- Once the roux is thick and foamy (this will happen quickly, in about a minute), add in the plant milk and pasta water. Then, add spices (garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper). Stir well, and increase heat to high.
- Stir regularly until mixture comes to a low boil. Then immediately add in the cheddar, parmesan, and nutritional yeast, and decrease heat to medium-low. (The immediate addition of the cheese at the boiling point will rapidly reduce the pan temperature and prevent the liquid from boiling over).
- Simmer sauce mixture and stir continuously until sauce takes on an orange color and thickens slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Watch for the cheese shreds to almost completely dissolve in the liquid (small shred remnants are okay — it will melt all the way in the oven). About 10 minutes into stirring, set oven to 400.
- Once sauce is richer in color, thicker, and cheese mostly dissolved, turn off the heat and pour sauce evenly over the noodles and cauliflower. Mix carefully (pan will likely be quite full) until noodles and cauliflower are evenly coated in cheese sauce.
Third: Top and bake!
- Mix all of the topping ingredients together in a small-to medium bowl. Using handfuls at a time, distribute topping evenly over the surface of the casserole dish.
- Pop the casserole dish into the oven on the middle or lower rack, and bake for 25 minutes until sauce is bubbly and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve and enjoy!! Allow to cool to near-room temperature for an hour or two before storing in the fridge.