Cooking pasta in a pressure cooker to make a vegan version of the famous “Macaroni and Cheese” works well as long as a large enough pot is used. I have made pasta on numerous occasions in the pressure cooker, such as this one. I cook 1 cup of raw pasta in a 7 litre pressure cooker pot. Blending the sauce on the side makes this a quick recipe that works well with gluten-free pasta. The only tips are to use plenty of water and a dash of oil to prevent the pressure pan lid vent from clogging. Using tofu to make the cheese sauce adds protein and makes this a filling dish. The dish really tastes awesome the next day when the flavours blend and seep into the pasta. This sauce is a rough adaptation of Chef Chloe’s cheese sauce.
We need,
- Penne / Macaroni – 1 cup
- Mixed Vegetables (Fresh/ Frozen), chopped – 1 cup
- Rice Bran Oil – 1 tablespoon
- Warm Water – 4 + 1 cups
- Garlic Cloves, peeled – 3 to 4
- Tomato Paste – 2 tablespoons
- Turmeric Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Silken Tofu – 1 cup
- Nutritional Yeast – 4 tablespoons
- Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – 2 tablespoons
- Salt, to taste
- Oregano + Sage + Rosemary, chopped finely – 1 tablespoon
- Black Pepper, freshly ground for garnishing
Directions for the Mac n Cheese,
- Heat oil in the pressure cooker pan.
- Add the vegetables and cook lightly until soft on a slow flame.
- In the mean while, take the garlic cloves, turmeric, tomato paste, tofu, nutritional yeast, ACV and 1 cup of warm water and blend to a smooth sauce. Season with salt.
- After the vegetables have wilted and the sauce is ready, add the pasta to the pressure pan.
- Pour in the pasta sauce and mix well.
- Season with salt and, add the other 4 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil and clip the lid.
- Cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes and take off the heat.
- Cool the pan naturally (about 15 minutes) before opening the lid.
- Check consistency of sauce and add water or, cook on an open flame for a thicker sauce. We prefer ours a slurpy consistency!
Ladle the steaming hot pasta into bowls and grind black pepper on top. Garnish with a teaspoon of the herb mixture and serve. Happy cooking 😊
