By Casseroles, Ethnic, Mac n Cheese, Mexican, Original Recipes, Pasta
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Enchilada Mac and Cheese

Holy moly, this is a rich, creamy, and delicious spiced up mac and cheese casserole! Creamy queso, smoky cauliflower, and just the right amount of spice. If you like it really spicy, add more!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz elbows or other pasta shape
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 medium cauliflower
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s umami seasoning optional if you can’t find it
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ¼ cup vegan butter such as Earth Balance, Smart Balance, Miyoko’s, etc.
  • 3 small/medium tomatoes diced (or use a can of diced tomatoes)
  • 1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce or taco sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ cup flour any kind
  • 3 cups water
  • ¾ cup raw cashews (soak for several hours if not using a high speed blender or use silken tofu to make cashew free)
  • ½ cup vegan sour cream such as Follow Your Heart or Tofutti
  • 5 oz Daiya pepperjack shreds about 1.5 cup
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup red enchilada sauce
  • Optional toppings: cilantro, chopped red bell pepper, red onion, green onion, red cabbage

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • While the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with oil. Mince ¼ cup of the red onion and set it aside. Dice the rest of the onion. Finely chop the cauliflower, either with a knife or by pulsing in a food processor (pretty small, but not riced). And the diced onion, the cauliflower, umami seasoning, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt to the skillet. Toss to coat everything. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Stir it occasionally. You want the veggies to soften up and char slightly. When they are done, combine them with the cooked pasta.
  • While the veggies are cooking, melt the butter in a medium pot. Once hot and melted, add the ¼ cup minced onion, ¼ cup of the diced tomatoes, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne, and turmeric. Saute for 5 minutes while you prepare the cheese sauce.
  • Combine the water, cashews, cheese, sour cream, and vinegar in a blender. You can hold off on blending until the onion and tomato are done cooking. After 5 minutes, whisk the flour into the butter pot. Let it cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the flour/butter mixture to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce into the pot. It should thicken up pretty quickly. Whisk frequently to prevent burning and sticking. After the sauce has simmered for 1 - 2 minutes, remove it from the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once the pasta and veggies are combined and the cheese sauce is done cooking, stir 3 ½ cups of the sauce into the pot with the pasta along with the remaining diced tomatoes. Pour this mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Pour the remaining sauce on top. Drizzle the enchilada sauce over the top and use a butter knife to swirl it around. Optional: sprinkle smoked paprika or another spice as a garnish before baking.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Optional: turn the oven to broil until brown spots form on top. Allow the casserole to cool for 15 minutes before serving so that it will set well. Top with any desired toppings.

Notes