Love a traditional macaroni and cheese but can’t take (or choose not to) the dairy in the cheese?! Then your search is over! This dairy free cavatappi n’ cheese will hit the spot! Giving you all the creamy goodness of the classic you know and love, but without the dairy! If you want to make this a full meal, add in some sliced cooked sausage to complete the dish!
Ingredients
1 – box Cavatappi pasta (gluten free if you choose)
1 – block Violife Cheddar Cheese, Grated (Or 1 Package Follow Your Heart American Slices and 1 Package Follow Your Heart Gouda Slices)
2 Tbsp Dairy Free butter
½ - Cup flour
1 Cup Plant Based Milk of your choosing (I prefer almond as the taste is mellow enough to not affect the flavor)
½ Tbsp Salt
½ Tbsp Fresh Ground Pepper
For Topping: (optional)
2 Italian Sausage links, sliced (meatless or traditional depending on preference)
Red Pepper Flakes
Fennel
Italian Seasoning
Fresh Ground Pepper
Directions
Fill a pot with more than enough water for pasta and bring to a rolling boil. Let water boil while you begin your dish. Once you’ve finished “Step 3” below, add pasta to water and begin to cook.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the flour and mix together to form a “paste” like consistency. This will be the beginning of your roux.
Once your “paste” is achieved, add in your milk and mix thoroughly to incorporate. It might be slightly clumpy still once fully mixed, this will go away as the sauce begins to take shape. Bring this mixture to a low boil.
Now that your sauce is boiling it’s time to add in the cheese! If you’ve grated your cheese ahead of time, great! Just add it in slowly, as you stir, to fully incorporate it into the sauce as you go. If you haven’t grated your cheese, no worries! Simply grate your cheese directly over your sauce and stir it as you go (pause grating when you need to) to be sure the cheese is well incorporated in to your sauce. Stir this EXTREMELY well to ensure all cheese is mixed in thoroughly. (If you have an immersion blender now is a great time to use that to help create the “creaminess” you’re looking for, if you do not, just continue to mix to ensure its all incorporated!)
Now turn your sauce down to a simmer and let it continue to come together. Add salt and pepper to your sauce while it is thickening, and adjust seasoning to your taste. Your pasta should be almost finished cooking now, once it’s done, drain it, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking, and then add it to your sauce!
You can now turn the heat off on your sauce and fully incorporate the pasta and cheese together! If you choose to add sausage to your dish, now would be the time to do that as well.
Make your bowl, add the seasonings of your choosing, and Enjoy!
