Barbecue Mac and Cheese Skillet

Putting Barbecue sauce on Mac and Cheese is something that was introduced to me by Andrew and let me tell you guys, it was a complete game changer for me. So much so, that I felt it necessary to create an entire dish based around this one idea that Andrew has been doing since he was a little kid, BBQ Mac and Cheese Skillet.

My Barbecue sauce here is nothing new, you’ve seen it before and it’s fabulous, the cheese sauce on the other hand is something that we need to discuss. This cheese sauce recipe can be made into a powder and stored as make ahead mac and cheese (wayyyy better than the Kraft stuff I promise).

This recipe is tailored to give you one portion, but you can premix the dry ingredients a way to have quick make ahead cheese sauce at your disposal! I keep this in my cupboard now and I swear it’s a perfect late night snack to just toss on noodles. It’s also my favorite cheese sauce I’ve made yet, it’s thick and creamy and could fool almost anyone that it’s not real cheese.

This dish is also chockful of stir fried greens to give it that southern skillet feel. The combination of bitter greens with sweet and spicy barbecue sauce and creamy cheese sauce is something to be studied I swear. You can also very easily make this whole situation gluten free by using gluten free macaroni.

This recipe is a great weeknight comfort food meal without all the calories and side effects of that nasty processed cheese sauce! It’s a great example of how cooking real food, for yourself, can make all the difference.

Lots of Love,

Jackie

Barbecue Mac and Cheese Skillet

• Author: Jackie DeSana
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Cuisine: Vegetarian, Vegan, Southern, Barbecue

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Description

Sweet, tangy, rich and comforting, this Barbecue Mac and Cheese Skillet is the ultimate weeknight comfort food! Macaroni noodles tossed in a creamy vegan cheese sauce and topped with spicy, flavorful barbecue sauce.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 3 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbps maple syrup
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• Mac and Cheese
• 1 14 oz package extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp each salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp butter (or vegan butter)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups leafy dark greens (I used rainbow chard)
• 1 lb macaroni noodles
• 1 cup cashews
• 2 cups almond milk
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 2 tbsp brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven is preheating, make the BBQ Sauce by adding all the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until incorporated and blender. Transfer to a medium pan and bring to a simmer.
2. Line the tofu pieces across the baking sheet and toss in the olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes then brush with the heated BBQ Sauce. Bake for another 5 minutes.
3. While the tofu is baking, melt the butter in a large cast iron skillet or pan. Add the garlic and greens and cook for about 8 minutes until the greens are wilted. In a separate large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the macaroni noodles al dente.
4. Add the cashews, almond milk, potato starch, brown rice flour, nutritional yeast, sugar, onion powder, mustard powder, salt, cumin and smoked paprika to a blender or food processor and blend on high until creamy. Pour this cheese sauce into the pan with the greens and whisk for about 5-10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Add in the macaroni noodles and mix until coated.
5. Add in the baked tofu and mix into the mac and cheese. Cover the skillet with panko breadcrumbs and bake for 30 minutes until the top starts to brown. If it’s not browned after 30 minutes, broil for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately. To reheat, add more better and a splash of almond milk.

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Notes

*Make this gluten free by using gluten free macaroni!