This recipe has serious bacon mac and cheese vibes, but it's completely vegan. Smoky, meaty mushrooms go oh so well with the creamy mac and cheese for a serious umami bomb of a meal.
- Slice or tear 4–8 oz of oyster mushrooms into strips and mince 2 garlic cloves. In a bowl, stir together 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and 1/2 tsp liquid smoke. Add the mushrooms and garlic and toss to coat.
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the mushrooms 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned.
- In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta of choice until it is al dente. Drain and return pasta to the pot, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Add the following to a high-speed blender: 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes if you have the time), 1 cup vegetable broth, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp chile powder, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend until creamy!
- Combine the pasta, mushrooms, and cheese sauce, adding some of the pasta water for extra creaminess. Enjoy immediately, and then again around midnight, directly from your tupperware.