This roasted garlic beer and broccoli baked mac n’ “cheese” has all things delicious: beer, pasta and roasted garlic. The addition of beer in vegan recipes is so important because it lends that yeast-y flavor that is found in cheese, but without any of the dairy. So, we are getting the funk that is missing without real cheese from the beer, and depth of flavor from the roasted garlic. These two things are CRUCIAL.
Most vegan “cheese” recipes use nutritional yeast. You’ll notice that it is missing here. Nutritional yeast gets this funk to it when it is cooked that is beyond annyyyyy cheese I have ever had. Funky cheese = yum. Funk from nutritonal yeast = not yum. Beer is better, trust me.
Something that made this recipe a little bit easier for me to whip together is the barilla precooked ready pasta. Listen, I was raised by a spicy Italian grandma, I am a picky pasta eater for sure and this stuff is absolutely great. It comes out of the package very aldente with NO OILY RESIDUE (praise the pasta gods) just begging to soak up whatever sauce you want to put on it.
This recipe is:
Creamy
“Cheesy”
Impressive
If you like this roasted garlic Beer and Broccoli baked Mac & “Cheese” recipe, try some of my other comfort food favorites:
https://mindfulcooks.com/no-bake-peanut-butter-oatmeal-cookies/
https://mindfulcooks.com/instant-pot-hidden-veggie-bolognese/
https://mindfulcooks.com/whole-wheat-strawberry-clafoutis/
Roasted Garlic Beer and Broccoli Mac n' Cheeze
Ingredients
- 1 head garlic
- 1 cup beer
- 10 baby carrots
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup pea protein milk
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 1/2 cup vegan chive cream cheese, such as Diaya
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1tsp onion powder
- 8.5 oz cooked gemelli pasta, such as barilla ready pasta
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup corn flakes, crushed
- 1 tsp oil
- s&p
Directions
- Step 1 First, cut the top off the garlic head. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a tsp oil, if desired. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Step 2 Put on a large pot of salted water for cooking the veggies. Bring to a boil.
- Step 3 Meanwhile, put the cup of beer in a saucepot and cook until its reduced by half.
- Step 4 Now add the carrots to the water. Cook for 8 minutes. Add the broccoli in with the carrots. Cook two more minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water.
- Step 5 Put ONLY the carrots in a blender with the garlic, beer, mustard, non-dairy milk, soaked cashews, vegan cream cheese, lemon juice and onion powder. Blend until smooth.
- Step 6 Toss with the cooked pasta and broccoli and put into baking dishes of your choice.
- Step 7 Mix together the breadcrumbs, corn flakes, s&p and oil then sprinkle it over the Mac n cheese. Bake in a 350F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
