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–+ servings

Tofu Mac & Cheese

Thee Burger Dude
4.83 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Pasta & Pizza
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz Dried Elbow Pasta
  • 11 oz Extra Firm Silken Tofu (See Notes)
  • 1 cup Plant Milk (Unsweetened)
  • 1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Veggie Bouillon
  • 1 Tbsp Vinegar
  • 1 - 3 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp Sazon (or MSG or Salt to taste, SEE NOTES)
  • 1 Tbsp Tapioca Starch

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • While water boils and pasta cooks, add the Tofu to a food processor and blend until smooth, then add all the rest of the ingredients except the Tapioca Starch.
    Dijon Mustard Note - I recommend adding 1 tsp of Dijon, and more as you go since not all Dijons have the same level of acidity.
    Sazon Note - Sazon will give this a more vivid orange / yellow hue. The kind of Nutritional Yeast will also color it differently.
  • Add that mixture to a pot and heat on medium low. Once pasta has been cooked to your liking, add it to the pot with the tofu cheese sauce. Reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water. I like to use a slotted spider spoon to transfer the pasta to the tofu cheese sauce.
  • Stir to combine, it will be very loose, and a bit watery. This is ok! Add 1 Tbsp of tapioca starch and stir to combine. Heat over medium low, the tapioca starch will thicken the sauce. If you want it thicker, add 1 tsp of Tapioca Starch at a time until it's at your desired thickness.
  • Now pour in about 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Stir to combine, the sauce should get creamier. Continue adding splashes of pasta water until it's at your desired thickness.
  • Season to taste adding anything you like and enjoy!

Notes

I highly recommend using Extra Firm Silken Tofu. It's shelf stable (though some stores have it in the refrigerated section next to the produce).
This is different than regular silken tofu that comes packed in water. The texture is much thicker and less watery. In fact, it's what I use for my Tofu Mayo!
You can find more info by my friend Kelly Bone on Serious Eats. Suffice to say, if you can't find this kind of tofu, you can try using regular Silken or Soft Tofu, but you may want to use less plant milk. Your mileage may vary!
Sazon - This is something I like to add for color and flavor! Sazon typically has MSG in it as well as Annatto which is a common ingredient in boxed mac n' cheese to add a nice vivid color. If you can't find it, just use some MSG or Salt instead, and keep in mind, the sauce won't be as yellow as it is in the photos!
Keyword Mac and Cheese, Tofu
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