Crispy Vegan Asparagus Mac & Cheese

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g British asparagus

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 tbsp vegan red pesto

  • 1 tbsp grated vegan Parmesan cheese

  • 350g short rigatoni (or another chunky pasta shape like penne)

  • 4 tbsp Flora plant butter

  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

  • 4 tbsp plain flour

  • 700 – 950ml unsweetened soya milk

  • 5 tbsp nutritional yeast

  • 75g vegan Parmesan cheese

Method

  • Wash and trim the asparagus and blanch it briefly in boiling water and then refresh in cold water. Set to one side.

  •  In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, olive oil, breadcrumbs, red pesto and vegan Parmesan and mix together. Set to one side.

  •  Put the pasta on to cook in a large pan of salted, boiling water.

  •  In a separate pan on a medium heat, melt the Flora plant butter and add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the flour and cook for one more minute, stirring as you go.

  •  Now slowly whisk in the soya milk, start with 700ml and see how much your sauce thickens – you want it to be about the consistency of a thick bechamel, so add more soya milk if necessary. Now take off the heat and mix in the nutritional yeast, vegan parmesan and plenty of salt and pepper to taste.

  • Preheat your grill on medium-high, then mix the pasta with the sauce and the blanched asparagus and transfer to a large oven proof dish. Crumble over the breadcrumb mix. Put under the grill for around 5 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Hannah WhiteComment