Shells & Cheese with Arugula Pesto

Don’t even get me started on how amazing this little “experiment” turned out & I am so excited to share it!

This oddly fantastic concoction was born out of inspiration from this recipe. I follow a variety of blogs for a number of reasons, & I read this particular blog for its beautifully photographed food, but not necessarily the food itself. But a few days ago a recipe caught my eye & got my creative juices flowing. I love pesto, I love mac & cheese (who doesn’t?), combining the two for a super jazzed-up version of comforting bliss? I’ll take it.

I’ve been craving mac & cheese, like, forever. I’ve only made one attempt at a homegrown version of vegan mac. It was ok. I needed better than mediocre, I needed mind-blowing. I’ve collected nearly a dozen recipes from around the blog-o-sphere for vegan mac & cheese, & the one recipe that called to me the most was the non-vegan recipe. Go figure. As my weeknights are busy, I don’t get to play as much in the kitchen, so I love to have a few weekend cooking projects lined up so I can bust out my inner domestic goddess. This was my perfect, under-the-weather, stuck-in-the-house challenge: get to work on how to make a vegan version.

The pesto part was easy. I started with a recipe I had in my arsenal & omitted the cheese. I was also lucky to have a fresh bunch of local organic arugula from my recent CSA share. Here is my version, in a nutshell.

ARUGULA PESTO

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups organic arugula

• 2 garlic cloves

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup chopped raw almonds

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan ( I like FYH)

• sea salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor, combine garlic, arugula, almonds, vegan parm & lemon juice. Pulse until combined. Stream in olive oil a tablespoon at a time until the pesto becomes smooth. Taste & add sea salt if needed.

The biggest challenge was deciding on a cheese sauce that would mimic the mild white cheddar part of the recipe. After looking at countless sauces from the most simple to the most complex, I finally settled on the Quick & Easy Vegan Alfredo from Oh She Glows. This sauce was everything I needed it to be: creamy & mild, yet flavorful. I was a bit worried as Angela said it dried out upon reheating, & my dish called for baking, but as this was an experiment, I kept an open mind. For the pasta portion, I used Quinoa Harvest shells. While I am not trying to be gluten-free, I liked the idea of using something healthier than semolina. I’ve used this brand before & really like it as an alternative to whole wheat, which I usually buy. I’ve learned that I prefer this pasta cooked a bit longer than recommended. The package instructions advise not to over-cook, but I’ve found that even after 10 minutes it’s too chewy, so I let it go until 12. Even though I was baking this dish, I decided not to under-cook it. Once all components were ready to go, it was time to put it all together. I added the sauce & mixed in the pesto. Things appeared promising!

Sprinkled on a mixture of paprika, panko bread crumbs & chopped fresh Italian parsley & then popped it in the oven. I sat with a wish, prayer, fingers crossed & a growling tummy for 30 minutes while it baked away & then pulled it out of the oven, then hello crispy, bubbly, aromatic, & absolutely gorgeous vegan mac & cheese!

SHELLS & CHEESE WITH ARUGULA PESTO

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan

Recipe Type: Main Dish, Pasta

Cuisine: Vegan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 8oz. box of uncooked pasta shells

• 1 heaping cup of prepared vegan alfredo sauce

• 1/3 cup arugula pesto

• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley

• Sprinkle of paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring water to a boil & cook pasta according to directions.

2. While pasta is cooking, make the vegan alfredo sauce.

3. Add pasta to a baking dish & pour alfredo sauce over top. Stir to distribute sauce, then stir in pesto. Top with breadcrumb, parsley & paprika. Bake for 30-minutes, until the top is golden & bubbly.

OMG! This turned out better than I ever thought possible. The baking process did dry it out a bit, but left it with a texture reminiscent of my favorite homemade (dairy-based) mac & cheese my Mom used to make - & she made the best. This made me nostalgic & satisfied my mac & cheese craving with every bite.

Mind-blowing? Yes. The pesto is mild but gave the pasta just an extra bit of “oomph” that made the entire dish that much more special & satisfying. I loved it, friends loved it, & I think even the Pug would love it. I would also like to attempt a creamier, non-baked version of this, just to see how that turns out. Perhaps next weekend. Cheers to sweet, or savory in this case, success! Please make & enjoy!