Are you looking for a way to sneak more vegetables into your kids' list of "approved meals"? Look no further than this Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese recipe. Packed with nutrients and creamy texture, this dish is sure to become a family favorite. Pair it with some frozen nuggets for an easy weeknight meal, or our Balsamic Boomers recipe for extra umami!
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Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: approx. 4-6 (depending how saucy you like your mac)
Materials: Steaming basket, large pasta pot, medium sauce pan, blender.
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Ingredients
- 2 Large Sweet Potatoes, skin on (Approx 1.5 Cups)
- 1 Cup uncooked lentils
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 2 Tbsp flour (can use chickpea flour for gluten free)
- 1.5 Cup Milk (can use alternative milk for dairy free/vegan)
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ Cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
- ½ Cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Approx. 375g box of macaroni or fusilli pasta
Instructions
- Steam or roast* sweet potatoes with the skin on, for 20-30 minutes (until the centre is soft when pierced with a fork). Remove skins and set aside to cool.
- Rinse and strain lentils until water runs clear. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water and 1 cup rinsed and drained lentils to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until soft. Strain off any excess liquid, and allow to cool slightly.
- Add cooled lentils and sweet potatoes to a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook the pasta to the box directions. Ensure to reserve ½ cup of pasta water to incorporate / rehydrate if required.
- As pasta is cooking, make a bechamel sauce. In a medium pot, heat the 2 Tbsp oil on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the flour, and keep stirring, allow to cook for about 2 minutes, until you see some bubbles form (do not let it burn). Starting with approx 2 Tbsp at a time, whisk in the milk, until it is incorporated with no lumps. Reduce heat and add the seasonings (thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, soy sauce), and continue stirring on medium heat until the mixture thickens. If using shredded cheese for an extra cheesy flavour, incorporate it now.
- Stir the blended sweet potato and lentil mixture to the bechamel sauce until incorporated, then add it to the cooked pasta until the pasta is well-covered. Use a few splashes of pasta water to thin the sauce, if needed, and cook for 1 additional minute on low.
- Serve immediately. Pairs well with steamed broccoli florets, kale chips, or Balsamic Boomers. Reserve any unused sauce in the fridge for up to 1 week, or the freezer for 3 months.
*Roasting the sweet potatoes allows for a richer flavour, but... it also creates more dishes. So, to roast - pre-heat oven to 425F, and pierce the cleaned and dry sweet potatoes with a fork (to allow steam to escape), then roast in pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes. If steaming, you can re-use the steaming pot for cooking the pasta!