The Best Vegan Mac & Cheese

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons bob's ap flour
2 1/2 cups plain hemp milk
1 rounded tablespoon Athenos roasted garlic hummus
2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
A dash or two of Simply Organic Garlic Powder
A dash or two of Simply Organic Minced Onion
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons white wine
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for yellow, or paprika for orange color


cook the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat, and stir in the flour
(I like to use a whisk to do this). Cook and stir the flour for a minute or so, then
slowly add in the hemp milk, whisking to blend the flour paste (called a roux) and hemp milk.

Bring the mixture to a bubble (it will thicken as it heats) then reduce the heat to low.

Add the hummus, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, sea
salt, wine, a dash or two of Garlic Powder and Minced Onion, and nutmeg. Add turmeric or paprika for color, if desired. Mix well with a whisk.

Remove from heat and combine pasta and sauce.

GK's notes: I don't think this is the original recipe I found online, but I have more substitutions to suggest. I recommend Athenos brand hummus because it's our favorite, and it's what I've used in this recipe. You can use what you like, obviously. Originally, the recipe called for tahini, which we didn't like the first time I made this. I have made it since, when I was out of hummus and used tahini, and we thought it was better, sort of more sophisticated, if that makes any sense. Apparently eating allergen-free can be an acquired taste...
You can use whatever alternative milk you want. I like Tempt Hemp milk best, but rice milk works. Just don't use a flavored milk, lol! We wanted mac and cheese pretty badly one day and all I had on hand was vanilla rice milk. It was just edible. *sigh* Oddly sweet...not horrible, just not right.
Um, regarding the wine: I don't keep white wine on hand as a regular member of my kitchen, but I do keep Sherry. It is what I usually use. It works great.
Last one, I swear. The paprika/turmeric thing? I use both, because then it comes out a pleasant shade of orange not too terribly far from the beloved box mac and cheese of old. Don't get me wrong. This dish is nothing like that crap, I just like the color. Plus, I think they add a sort of pungency that is pleasant with these other flavors. *shrug* We like it.