When the macaroni is drained, that little bit of cloudy cooking water is worth saving. It helps the orange sauce loosen just enough to settle into the elbows instead of sitting in a thick mound at the bottom of the pot. That’s the finishing touch I rely on for this Sweet Potato Vegan Mac and Cheese: a creamy, savory coating without dairy, built from sweet potato, cashews, and pantry seasonings.
The sweet potato and cashews simmer together, then blend with oat milk and nutritional yeast into a smooth sauce. There’s no separate cashew soak or complicated roux to manage. Once the sauce meets the pasta, a few minutes over low heat bring everything together into a bowlful of soft elbows and warm, savory sauce.
Kitchen Note
Set aside the pasta water before you drain the elbows. Its starch helps the blended sauce cling, and the full reserved amount gives you a smooth finish without making the pasta feel dry.
Save this Sweet Potato Vegan Mac and Cheese for a creamy, dairy-free dinner with a smooth sweet potato and cashew sauce.
Why the Sweet Potato and Cashews Go Into the Same Pot
Sweet potato and raw cashews need different amounts of time to soften, but they can share the same simmer. The potato becomes fork-tender while the cashews soften enough to blend into the sauce, so there’s no separate soaking step to remember. Cutting the potato into even 1-inch cubes helps the pieces cook at a similar pace.
That shared cooking step also sets up the texture. Drain both ingredients before blending, then add the oat milk and seasonings. The cooked potato gives the sauce body, while softened cashews help it blend creamy rather than gritty. If the potato still feels firm when pierced, keep simmering; a blender can’t turn an undercooked chunk into a silky sauce. Once the mixture is completely smooth, it’s ready to coat the macaroni.
What Gives This Dairy-Free Sauce Its Savory, Creamy Character
- Elbow macaroni — The short curves hold onto the sauce, so each forkful gets a good coating. A sturdy pasta is a better choice than a delicate shape that can break when stirred back together.
- Sweet potato — It supplies the sauce’s body and warm orange color. Choose a firm potato and cut it into even cubes so it softens evenly; very large pieces take longer to cook through.
- Raw cashews — Simmering softens them for blending, where they add richness and help give the sauce a creamy texture. Raw cashews keep the sauce’s flavor mild; roasted ones would bring a stronger toasted taste.
- Unsweetened plain oat milk — Its mild flavor lets the sweet potato and seasonings come through. Use plain, unsweetened oat milk rather than a vanilla or sweetened version, which would push the sauce in the wrong direction.
- Nutritional yeast — This brings the savory, cheese-like note that makes the sauce read as mac and cheese rather than a plain sweet potato puree. It’s worth using fresh-tasting nutritional yeast, since a stale container can taste flat.
- Lemon juice, Dijon, and the seasonings — Lemon and Dijon sharpen the sauce, while garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika round it out. Keep the smoked paprika distinct from hot paprika; it contributes a gentle smoky note rather than extra heat.
Cook the Pasta, Blend the Sauce, and Finish It in the Pot
Boil the Elbows Until Al Dente
Bring the water to a boil in a 6-quart pot, stir in the measured salt, and cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Aim for al dente, since the pasta will spend a few more minutes in the pot with the sauce. Before draining, reserve the pasta cooking water. Drain the macaroni, but don’t rinse it; the warm pasta is ready to pick up the sauce.
Soften the Sweet Potato and Cashews
Put the sweet potato cubes and raw cashews in a 2-quart saucepan with the remaining water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potato is fork-tender and the cashews are soft. If the potato resists a fork, give it more time rather than blending it early. Drain the two ingredients before adding them to the blender.
Blend Until Smooth, Then Coat the Pasta
Blend the drained sweet potato and cashews with the oat milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and remaining salt. Keep blending until the sauce looks completely smooth, with no visible pieces of cashew or potato. Return the macaroni to its pot over low heat, add the sauce and reserved pasta water, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce should coat the elbows and be hot throughout; keep the heat low so the bottom doesn’t catch while you stir.
Easy Ways to Adapt This Sweet Potato Mac
Make It Gluten-Free With Elbow Pasta
Swap in gluten-free elbow macaroni and cook it according to its package directions. The sauce stays the same; gluten-free pasta can soften quickly, so keep an eye on its texture as it cooks and drain it when it’s al dente.
Use Sunflower Kernels Instead of Cashews
For a cashew-free version, replace the raw cashews with the same volume of raw sunflower kernels and simmer them with the sweet potato until soft. They blend into a creamy sauce, though the finished flavor is a little earthier than the cashew version.
Trade Elbows for Cavatappi
Cavatappi gives the dish a springier bite and plenty of curves for catching sauce. Use the same pasta-cooking approach, following the package directions until al dente before finishing it with the sauce.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. The pasta absorbs some sauce as it sits, and the texture gets softer.
- Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating; the pasta may be softer than when freshly made.
- Reheating: Warm it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until it reaches 165°F. High heat can make the sauce stick to the bottom before the pasta warms through.
Questions That Come Up When Making Vegan Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potato Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring 4 quarts of the water to a boil in a 6-quart pot.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt.
- Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until al dente.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
- Drain the pasta.
- Put the sweet potato and cashews in a 2-quart saucepan with the remaining 4 cups water.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potato is fork-tender and the cashews are soft.
- Drain the sweet potato and cashews.
- Blend them with the oat milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt until completely smooth.
- Return the pasta to the pot over low heat.
- Add the sauce and reserved pasta water.
- Stir for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce coats the pasta and is hot throughout.
