Wowza! If you're craving a loaded vegan mac and cheese... this spicy jackfruit mac and cheese is for you! It's:
So Creamy
Smothered in Spicy BBQ Jackfruit
So Satisfying
And Just So Darn Fun!
Top it with our homemade breadcrumbs for some crunch, sprinkle some green onion or parsley... and oh boy is this an exciting meal!
How To Make Vegan Jackfruit Mac And Cheese
Although there are a few components to this loaded mac and cheese recipe, each element is quite quick and easy.
For extra timeliness...
- The Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce can be made ahead of time
- And so can the Easy Mac And Cheese Sauce
- Or... make a full batch of our Spicy Chipotle Pulled Jackfruit and have some as a Pulled Sandwich and the leftovers over this loaded mac!
Even if you are making all the components just for this recipe, with a bit of multi-tasking you can have everything ready in 45 minutes.
- Start by soaking the cashews for the sauce in boiling water.
- Make a half batch of our Chipotle BBQ sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stirring every so often.
- While the BBQ sauce simmers, shred and prep the jackfruit.
- Your BBQ sauce is done, and take 5 minutes to get the jackfruit cooking. Allow it to simmer for 20 minutes.
- While the jackfruit simmers away, boil the water for your pasta and blend the mac and cheese sauce.
- Heat the blended sauce on the stovetop for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, your pasta is cooking.
- Now the jackfruit is done, your sauce is warm, your noodles cooked. Pile it all on, and serve!
Recipe Cost
This vegan jackfruit mac and cheese costs us approximately: CAD $13.89 for 4 large servings ($3.47/serving)!
Now that's pretty good for such a loaded, tasty meal!
If we were to purchase a loaded mac and cheese like this from a restaurant, we can expect to pay CAD $12-17 per plate!
This way, the two of us get heaping portions and then... we get to have it all over again the next day! And it's just as creamy, saucy, and tasty leftover!
Do you think you'll whip this all up in 45 minutes or make some of the components ahead of time for a speedier mac and cheese mountain?!
Let us know in the comments below if you're as hooked on this jackfruit mac and cheese as we are!
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Vegan Mac & Cheese With BBQ Pulled Jackfruit
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This jackfruit mac and cheese is tasty beyond tasty! Spicy chipotle BBQ jackfruit mixed with creamy cashew mac is a match made in heaven!
Ingredients
- 454g macaroni noodles (or noodle of choice, see notes)
For The Easy Mac & Cheese Sauce
- ¾ cup raw cashews, (105 g, soaked for 15 mins in boiling water)
- ½ yellow onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup broth (homemade for extra savings)
- 1 cup soy milk (or plant milk of choice)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast + 1 tablespoon
- ½ tsp salt
- optional: ½ teaspoon vegan butter (or more to taste, smoothes out any starchy flavour)
- optional: ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
For The Jackfruit
- 1 540ml can young green jackfruit
- ½ tbsp oil
- ½ small yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup water or broth (homemade for extra savings)
- ½ -1 cup Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce (or your favourite spicy BBQ sauce)
*All the ingredients for this recipe are from our pantry and freezer tips!
Instructions
- Start by soaking your cashews for the mac and cheese sauce. In a heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water from you kettle over the cashews and let sit for 15 minutes.
- If using our Spicy Chipotle BBQ sauce get that started and while the sauce simmers you can shred the jackfruit. Making a full batch of our BBQ sauce will leave you with lots leftover or make a half batch and you will have plenty for this recipe.
For The Jackfruit:
- Drain and shred the jackfruit. I find the easiest way is to pull it apart with my fingers. Discard the very end if it’s too hard, but the pieces will soften as they cook.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Saute all the onion and garlic for both the jackfruit and the mac and cheese sauce in a bit of olive oil or water/broth. Once the onion is translucent and the garlic fragrant (about 2 minutes), remove about two thirds and add it to your blender for the sauce.
- Add your shredded jackfruit to the skillet, stir for about 1 minute. Then add water/broth and ¼ cup of your prepared BBQ sauce. Allow to simmer, covered, on low for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water/broth if the mixture starts to dry up.
- Get the water for your pasta boiling in a large pot and start preparing your mac & cheese sauce.
For The Mac & Cheese Sauce:
- Add the soaked and drained cashews to the blender with the cooked onion and garlic. Add in the remaining sauce ingredients (other than the vegan butter). Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the blended sauce to a small saucepan and heat over medium low for 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently until heated through. (Adding some butter at the end will help cut any starchy flavour).
To Bring It All Together:
- Cook your pasta if you have yet to do so. When your pasta is cooked and drained, cover in your sauce, spoon into bowls, and top with your cooked jackfruit (mixing in the remaining ¼ cup BBQ sauce).
- Drizzle with more BBQ sauce if desired and top with green onion and breadcrumbs.
- Enjoy your masterpiece!
Notes
*Approximate Cost: CAD $13.89 total ($3.47 per serving).
*If using a BBQ sauce of your own we suggest a spicy sauce since the jackfruit has some sweetness to it. But if you like sweet; then try your favourite sweeter BBQ sauce and let us know how you like it.
*This sauce recipe makes 700ml of sauce so if you use 454g of noodles you will have lots of sauce (which we love!). Feel free to use more noodles, decrease the sauce slightly or use the leftovers as a cheesy saucy drizzle on breakfast bowls, pizzas, burritos, veggies or whatever tastiness you can dream up!
*For a nut-free mac and cheese sauce use our Easy Creamy Bechamel!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Stovetop, Blender
- Cuisine: American
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