Mac and Cheesy
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Ingredients
- 12oz Bentilia's green lentil macaroni or Zimmunity
- 6 slices bacon plus 1 TBSP reserve bacon grease (or vegan option coconut oil)
- uncooked macaroni
- 1/2 cup butter 9 (or vegan butter if desired)
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 cup of almond milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese (or dairy-free options)
- 1 cup mozarella cheese ( or dairy-free options)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chopped thyme leaves (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place bacon slices on foil and bake at 400°F on the second top rack of your oven for about 8-10 minutes, just until crispy to your liking.
- Meanwhile, when the bacon is in the oven you can cook pasta according to package directions and begin making the sauce.
- Add butter to a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Once butter is mostly melted, add the garlic and sauté just a minute or two until softened.
- Sprinkle flour and whisk into the garlic butter mixture, then whisk in almond milk.
- The bacon should be done about now, so remove from the oven and add about a tablespoon of the bacon grease to the butter garlic mixture. Stir to combine and set aside bacon to cool at room temperature.
- NOTE: you can also add the bacon grease later on if it's not yet done cooking at this stage. Add after the cheese has melted and before you add spices.
- Add your cheddar shreds, whisk until some of it melts, then add mozzarella shreds and whisk until smooth. Add in the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and paprika, and whisk all together until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Drain pasta, then slowly add the pasta and combine until pasta is coated in the cheesy mixture.
- Chop cooked bacon into small crumbly pieces. Top mac and cheese. Sprinkle optional chopped thyme if you like. Serve immediately.