A tasty plant-based twist on the classic chili-pasta medley packed full of vegetables, pasta, beans, and flavor! Whole food plant based one pot cooking. Oil-free, dairy-free, and can be gluten-free.
In a large pan, sauté the onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, adding 1 Tbsp of broth or water to prevent from sticking. If using mince, sauté with the vegetables.***
Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro, cheez sauce, and cheese. If using vegan mince, use 3 cups of broth.***
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the TVP is fully reconstituted, the pasta is cooked, and the sauce has thickened, about 10-12 minutes.
Turn the stove off. Remove the lid and stir in the cilantro and Mighty Cheez Sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Top with vegan cheddar cheese shreds, if desired, and replace the lid until the cheese melts.
Garnish with cilantro or cheese, if desired. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Notes
* I use macaroni in this recipe because it is the traditional pasta used in Mac n Cheez; though you can use any type of pasta you have on hand, including bean/lentil and gluten-free. Brown rice macaroni is great in this! Healthy and gluten-free made easy.
** You can use just about any kind of bean you have on hand or prefer. I like using a mixture of beans used in traditional chili – pinto, black, kidney, etc. As an example, if you’re using canned beans, use one can of pinto beans and one can of kidney beans. If you’re soaking and cooking your beans, you’ll generally need 1¼ cups dry beans to yield 3 cups cooked.
*** I like using textured vegetable protein (TVP) because it has a great texture. Alternatively, you can use Plant-based Mince. Just brown it with the vegetables in step 1. If you prefer to substitute with vegan mince, reduce the broth to 3 cups.
Keyword beans, cheese, cheez, cheezy, chili, chili mac, dairy-free, easy, healthy, mac and cheese, macaroni, non-dairy, oil-free, plant-based, tvp, vegan, veggie