Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Recipe: Pasta with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Adapted From:  The Oregonian

Tested: 11/2/2014

Servings:    8-10   Prep Time:  30-35 min

Notes: This is the first time I baked macaroni. Let's say, the end result is delicious, but it's kind of a lot of work. Boil the pasta, brown the onions, make the sauce, then bake everything. It was just as good without baking. That'll be the next lazy version. I doubled the sauce and froze half for easy prep next time.

Ingredients: 8 oz cooked penne/shell/macaroni pasta Sauce: 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk 1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin 5 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt Topping: 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes 1 clove garlic, minced pinch of salt

Instructions: 1. Heat oil over medium high heat and saute the onion until soft, Then add garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat. 2. In a blender, add milk, pumpkin, 5 tbsp nutritional yeast, cashews, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add more milk if necessary. 3. Stir the sauce into the pasta until pasta is well coated. Add salt to taste.  4. In a small bowl, add the topping ingredients and mix together.  5. Pour the pasta into an 8x8 pan and sprinkle the topping on. 6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 min or until casserole is lightly browned on top.