All the mac, none of the cheese

It’s a sweet potato casserole—kinda

Welcome back to Cool Beans and another love letter to the real stars of the holiday-eating show: sides. Over the past couple weeks, we’ve dressed up sprouts with mushroom “bacon” and stuffed squash instead of a bird, but every table needs something comforting and creamy. Enter mac and cheese. My totally dairy-free take is just as luxurious as a classic bechamel-based version, is easy to throw together, and also requires no specialty ingredients like plant-based milk, butter, or cheese. 

Return of the mac

Credit :Gabriella Vigoreaux

You could easily argue that sweet potatoes are the patron starch of Thanksgiving, either turned into dessert or casseroled and topped with marshmallows in a side dish that tastes like dessert. Today, though, I’m tapping them as the basis for a mac ’n’ “cheese” sauce. This dish gets all the creaminess it needs from water, sweet potatoes, and cashews, the softest nuts, which provide a much-needed shot of fat. The cheesy flavor comes from nutritional yeast and spices like onion powder and smoked paprika, which deliver all the familiar savory notes. Even the color is nostalgic, with the bright orange sweet potato conjuring up memories of boxed mac.

This dish comes together on the stovetop and in a blender, but I like to finish it in the oven so it can bake to ooey-gooey, crunchy-topped perfection. Rather than breadcrumbs, my preferred medium for achieving a more flavorful topping is crushed potato chips, but you can also use seasoned breadcrumbs or pulverize your favorite cracker. Ritz, which are surprisingly vegan, would be a great choice here. You’re going to want to bookmark this one for beyond the holidays: It has serious weeknight dinner energy, and with the added veggie bonus, you can feel good about eating it on the regular. 

Sweet Potato Mac

Yield: 6 to 8 servings