Vegan Mac & Cheese with Jalapeños, Baked Beans & Chard

You’ll be surprised how quick and easy homemade vegan macaroni and cheese is. This mac and cheese is loaded with pickled jalapeños, baked beans and chard. Baked beans in mac and cheese is a complete game-changer. It’s seriously an amazing combination.

Take it a step further and drizzle a little bit of barbeque sauce on top. SO AMAZING.

If you want to simplify this recipe even more, feel free to used boxed mac and cheese (2 boxes should do it).

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

• 1 (1 lb) box Macaroni noodles

• 1 large bunch of red chard, stems removed and chopped into small pieces 

• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeño slices 

• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes

• 1 16oz can Bush’s vegetarian baked beans, slightly drained (It’s okay to keep some of the liquid)

For the cheese sauce:

• 3 tbsp olive oil (or vegan butter)

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp flour

• 1 1/2 cups oat milk

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper 

• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast 

• Barbeque sauce for drizzling on top (optional)

Directions

1. Cook your Macaroni according to package instructions. 

2. Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped chard, jalapeño slices and red chili flakes. Sauté for about three minutes until the chard becomes slightly wilted. Remove from heat and set aside. 

3. For the cheese sauce: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil (or vegan butter) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk for one minute. Whisk in the milk, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes until smooth. Add the nutritional yeast and stir until melted and smooth.

4. To the pot, add the cooked Macaroni, the chard and jalapeños, and the drained baked beans.

5. Mix until the Macaroni is completely coated and serve immediately. 

6. Serve and drizzle with barbeque sauce (optional but so good).

Recipe Notes:

• Instead of making your own mac and cheese, you can simply use boxed mac and cheese. Two boxes should do it.

• Top it off with a drizzle of Barbeque sauce for some added flavor.