"This delicious recipe comes from the incredible mind of my dad, who came up with the idea of combining mac + cheese and chili over a decade ago. He first smashed these two together at a tailgate for the Giants and nothing has been the same since then. The creaminess of the ‘cheese’ sauce mixed with the subtly spicy chili will shock everyone who takes a bite. They might even ask, “this is vegan?!”"
Vegan Chili Smash
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Prep time: 5mins
Cook time: 25mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
Chili Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 finely chopped medium red onion
- 1/2 cup peeled + grated carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked fish flakes paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 30 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 400 milliliter veggie broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Method
Chili Instructions
Step 1
In a large non-stick pot, sauté the garlic and onions in olive oil over medium/low heat. Once fragrant, add in the celery, carrots, and seasoning (paprika, chili, cumin, oregano, and pepper). Cook until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Once the veggies are tender, pour in the tomatoes, beans, and lentils. In a separate bowl, whisk together the veggie broth and tomato paste. Add this liquid to the big pot and simmer while you prepare the mac + 'cheese.' Remember to stir occasionally.
ingredients
Mac + 'Cheese' Ingredients
- 16 ounces shell pasta
- 2 cups cashews
- 5 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pasta water
Mac + 'Cheese' Instructions
Step 1
Soak the cashews overnight or for at least 1 hour in hot water.
Step 2
In a large pot, bring heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta to water and cook as instructed on the package.
Step 3
Combine all 'cheese' sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until creamy and smooth. Wait to add the pasta water until after it's done cooking.
Step 4
Combine the 'cheese' sauce with the pasta. Serve underneath the chili and topped with whatever you want.
ingredients
Optional Toppings
- fresh cilantro
- plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
Optional Toppings Instructions
Step 1
Finish your dish with these optional toppings. The dairy-free yogurt acts as a sour cream and adds a great contrast of flavors!