Gluten-Free Vegan Jalapeño Mac & Cheese
Updated Apr 17, 2023, Published Apr 10, 2021
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Ready for a spicy Saturday?! Let kick things up in the kitchen with some jalapeños. This delicious Gluten-Free Vegan Jalapeño Mac & Cheese is easy to make and is full of flavor with a nice crunchy topping for texture, made from crunchy crushed croutons (say that 3 times fast!).
To make this recipe vegan, you’re going to want to use vegan cheese (I used vegan queso from Loca – it’s fantastic stuff) and be sure to use vegan croutons (you can make your own or use a brand such as Crounons from Carrington Farms). Use your favorite gluten-free macaroni pasta – I prefer a rice and corn combo, as I think it cooks well and holds its texture better than all-rice pastas.
What are your favorite gluten-free spicy recipes?
Gluten-Free Vegan Jalapeño Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- Kosher or fine sea salt
- 12 ounces gluten-free macaroni
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, , diced
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 3 jalapeño peppers, , minced – remove seeds and veins to lower the heat level
- 1 (12-ounce) jar Loca Foods Mild Queso
- 1 cup gluten-free vegan croutons, (such as Crounons), crushed
- Jalapeño slices for garnish, , if desired
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain, saving about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the queso and macaroni and stir well. If the sauce seems a little dry, add some of the pasta cooking water. Cook for about 3 minutes or until everything is hot and the sauce is thick.
- Preheat the broiler to high. Pour the mixture into a greased 9x12-ich (or similar) baking dish, top with the crushed croutons and place until the broiler, about 6 inches from the heat source, for 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully so the croutons don’t burn.
- Top with jalapeño slices, if desired, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
