Baked Macaroni & Cheese

The American dish known as macaroni and cheeze was created by Thomas Jefferson and became popularized during the 19th century. This cheeseless version has captured the rich taste and tang of traditional macaroni and cheese, yet it’s totally dairy-free.

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mist an 8-inch x 8-inch x 2-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set it aside.

 

  1. Cook the macaroni m boiling water until it is al dente. Drain it well and return it to the saucepan. Cover and set aside.

 

  1. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 2-quart sauce pan, and heat over medium-high. Stir in the flour, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute , stirring constantly. Gradually stir in the heated milk, a little at a time, whisking constantly. (It will take about 5 to 7 minutes to add the milk. The sauce should continue to bubble as you add the milk; if it doesn’t , you are adding the milk too quickly.)

 

  1. If necessary, cook the sauce until it is the consistency of thick cream, about 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast flakes. Season with the salt and black pepper, to taste. Pour the sauce over the cooked macaroni, add the parsley, if using, and mix well.

 

  1. Transfer the macaroni to the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

 

The Cook’s Secrets:

To make fresh bread crumbs, whirl torn pieces of bread in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until they are finely crumbed.

Nutritional information

  • Serving size: 
  • Calories: 309
  • Fat: 7 gm
  • Carbohydrates: 48 gm
  • Protein: 14 gm
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Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups dry elbow macaroni
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 ¾ cups low-fat, nondairy milk, heated
  • ½ cup Red Star® Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (optional)
  • ½ cup fresh, whole grain bread crumbs, packed (see The Cook’s Secrets below)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil (optional)