Tasha's Artisan Foods

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

October 27, 2015

Cheesy, creamy, and cozy, this pumpkin mac and cheese is comfort food at its best! It's quick to make, full of flavor, and so satisfying. Perfect for a busy weeknight or a chilly evening, this dish always hits the spot!

Pumpkin macaroni cheese in a white pot with a wooden spoon on the side.

Oh, how I love sneaking pumpkin into my recipes, from pumpkin bread rolls to pumpkin muffins. But pumpkin in mac and cheese? Who would have thought! But, trust me, it’s amazing!

The caramelized roasted pumpkin makes the sauce so silky and gives a little sweetness that pairs beautifully with the smoky paprika and strong, robust thyme! Soft, tender pasta in a clingy, velvety "cheesy" sauce...totally irresistible!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

✨ With simple steps like roasting, blending, and stirring, this meal comes together quickly, making weeknight dinners easy and delicious!

✨ It’s such a fun twist on the classic and ever-popular macaroni and cheese. Garlic, smoked paprika, and thyme add a ton of flavor, making this cozy and special.

✨ It’s a recipe kids and adults will love. It’s cheesy enough to be comfort food, but the pumpkin sneaks in a veggie boost.

✨ Great for meal prep! You can make this sauce ahead of time, refrigerate it, or freeze it. To serve, just heat and stir in the pasta!

✨ There are so many ways you can customize this pumpkin mac n cheese. Try it with different cheeses, crunchy breadcrumbs or bacon topping, or a drizzle of chili oil for a kick! You can even bake it for a golden bubbly finish!

Recipe Ingredients

labelled ingredients for making pumpkin mac and cheese.

Pumpkin is the star of the dish. It gives the sauce a naturally creamy texture without making it pumpkin-y. You can use any variety of fresh pumpkin. I used a butternut squash. If you’re short on time, look for pure canned pumpkin purée or use a homemade one. A total lifesaver. I love keeping pumpkin puree on hand, whether for pumpkin bread or pumpkin basque cheesecake.

Pasta: Any small pasta shape would do here. I used the classic macaroni, but any small pasta will do - shells, penne, cavatelli, ziti. As long as the pasta has some nooks to hold the pumpkin cheese sauce, it will work beautifully.

Olive oil to roast the pumpkin. It imparts a fruity flavor, and I highly recommend it. But avocado oil or any vegetable oil you prefer will work like a charm.

Spices: Garlic and onion for a savory taste, black pepper, and red chili flakes for a little heat and spice. Dried thyme and smoked paprika for an earthy and smoky flavor.

Coconut milk is rich and creamy, which is why I love it in vegan pumpkin mac and cheese. It makes the sauce silky-smooth and luscious, while keeping it lighter than cream. You can use any regular milk you prefer, or cashew milk or almond milk.

Nutritional yeast brings in that nutty, umami flavor. It’s a great trick to make any sauce “cheesy” even if you’re using real cheese. Don’t have it? Feel free to skip it. Or add parmesan!

Please see the recipe card below for full information about ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Bake it: Sprinkle some shredded cheese and breadcrumbs on top and bake till golden and bubbly.

Extra veggies: Stir in roasted broccoli, spinach, kale, or even peas for a veggie-packed version.

Spice it up: Love heat? Add more chili flakes, a pinch of cayenne, or drizzle some chili oil on top!

How To Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Cubed pumpkin, garlic, and onions on a baking tray.

Step 1: Toss the pumpkin, onions, garlic, red chili flakes,salt, pepper, and dried thyme with olive oil. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet.

Roasted pumpkin, onion, and garlic on a baking tray.

Step 2: Roast for about 25 minutes till the pumpkin is soft and cooked through.

Step 3: In the meantime, cook the macaroni till al dente in plenty of salted water. Drain well. Save a cup of pasta water for later use.

Pumpkin, onion, garlic, coconut milk in a blender jar.

Step 4: Add the roasted veggies to a blender jar along with nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and coconut milk.

Step 5: Blend everything until smooth.

Step 6: Pour out the sauce in a stock pot and bring it to a gentle boil. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Cooked pasta on top of pumpkin sauce in a white stock pot.

Step 7: Add the cooked pasta and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of that pasta water you'd saved. Taste again and adjust for seasoning.

Step 8: Serve warm, top with grated parmesan if you wish!

A wooden serving spoon with pasta on top of a pot full of pasta.

Top Tips

Don't overcook the pasta. We want it cooked al dente, as it will continue cooking in the sauce as well. I find that cooking pasta for 1 or 2 minutes less than what's mentioned on the packet instructions works the best for me.
Save that pasta water! This starchy water will help loosen the sauce and make it creamy.
Balance the seasonings carefully. Season the veggies well, and taste as you go along. The butternut squash's natural sweetness goes well with savory thyme and smoked paprika.
This recipe is great for meal prep. You can make the sauce ahead of time. It will stay well in an air-tight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator or for upto 1 month in the freezer. Heat well on a stove-top, then stir in the pasta and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

A plate of pasta with a fork with ingredients around.

How To Serve

I love serving pumpkin mac and cheese straight out of the pot while it’s still creamy and warm. Pile it into bowls and top with grated Parmesan, chili flakes, or fresh herbs!

You can also pair it with grilled chicken, buttery garlic prawns, sauteed vegetables, oven-roasted carrots, spicy millet-stuffed tomatoes, or even cheesy bubble bread or pesto swirl rolls. A quick and easy Greek salad with avocado also goes well with this macaroni and cheese!

A plateful of pumpkin mac n cheese with a fork and ingredients around.

Recipe FAQs

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast is different from the yeast we use for baking bread. This deactivated yeast looks like yellow flakes or powder and has a nutty and slightly savory flavor. It’s super popular in vegan and dairy-free cooking because it gives a naturally “cheesy” taste without any actual cheese.

Can I use canned pumpkin for this vegan mac n cheese recipe?

Absolutely. While I love making my own sauce, canned pumpkin is super convenient and works just as well. Just make sure it’s plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.

How do I store leftovers?

Pumpkin macaroni and cheese is great as a next-day lunch! Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Just like my vegan gnocchi, it reheats beautifully. Add a splash of milk to get the sauce to the right consistency.

Easy Recipes With Pumpkin

Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this pumpkin mac and cheese as much as we do!

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Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

July 13, 2015

For those seeking a simple nut milk recipe, this homemade almond milk recipe is a great place to start! With just 2 ingredients, you have creamy, healthy & delicious vegan milk ready in no time.

almond milk in a glass pitcher with almonds in the background.

Like many others, I grew up drinking milk every day. Summers meant tall glasses of cold coffee, fruit smoothies, and milkshakes. Winter evenings always featured a big cosy mug of hot chocolate or milky chai. My love for milk continued unabated for many years to come...till I discovered I'm lactose intolerant. Thank goodness for dairy-free alternatives which have allowed me to continue with my favourite foods!

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Why Make Homemade Almond Milk?

Almond milk is delicious on its own, creamy, and slightly nutty in flavor. You can add a sweetener to it if you like a sweeter version. It's a fabulous addition to your smoothies and shakes. And yes, very healthy. Since it's lactose-free, it's also easy on the digestive system.

The fact that this plant-based milk is great tasting, versatile, and nutritionally dense is appealing to many people not just the ones following a vegan diet!

almond milk in a glass pitcher with almonds scattered around.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

While store-bought almond milk is convenient, it is laden with preservatives, artificial flavors, and unnecessary additives. But homemade almond milk has just 2 ingredients- almonds and fresh water—nothing more!
This nut milk recipe allows for a richer, creamier texture with a naturally nutty taste. And you can customize the consistency and sweetness to your preference!
Making almond milk at home is more economical and helps reduce waste by avoiding unnecessary packaging.
Making homemade nut milk couldn't be easier! The 3-step recipe is super effortless!
It’s perfect for making smoothies, coffee, oatmeal, or even dairy-free desserts—endless delicious possibilities!

How To Make Almond Milk

It's surprisingly easy to make nut milk at home. We are talking about soaking almonds overnight and grinding them with water the next day, then strain and drink.

Grinding and straining takes a few minutes, but that's about all the work you'll have to do.

Unprocessed, wholesome, and economical almond milk in 10 minutes tops!

Step 1: Start with soaking the almonds overnight for 8 - 12 hours.

Step 2: Blend them with water for 3-4 minutes at high speed.

Step 3: Strain through a cheesecloth.

Almond milk getting strained in a glass bowl.

Step 4: Store in the refrigerator in a pitcher or bottle for up to 4 days.

Recipe Notes

You can peel the soaked almonds after rinsing them well and then grind with the water. You won't need to strain the mixture.
Save the leftover almond meal. Spread it out in a pan and roast in a 180C oven for about 20 minutes till dry and golden. Sprinkle on top of your smoothies, and cereal; add in your baking, or curries or even in place of breadcrumbs. No food waste!!

Flavor Variations For Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Sweet almond milk - add 5-6 dates or 4 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Chocolate almond milk - add 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder to sweet almond milk. Add additional sweetener if required.
Mango almond milk - add half a mango to a cup of almond milk. Blitz and enjoy.

flavored almond milk in glass bottles w/ lids and colorful paper straws in the background.

How To Use

Almond milk is super versatile. You can drink it as-is or add various flavors as mentioned above.

It's great for adding to your coffee, tea, and smoothies such as my pear blueberry smoothie!

I love using it for my baking as well! I have countless recipes on the blog with almond milk. For starters, you can try my eggless brioche recipe, vegan cinnamon rolls, baked cinnamon donuts, carrot cake baked oatmeal, and lemon poppyseed cupcakes!

More Plant-Based Recipes:

Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That is why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead and drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love the homemade almond milk as much as we do!

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Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Natasha Minocha

For those seeking a simple vegan milk recipe, this homemade almond milk is a great place to start! With just 2 ingredients, you have creamy, healthy & delicious vegan milk ready in no time.

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Prep Time 8 10

Total Time 8 10

Course Drinks

Cuisine World

Servings Cups

Calories 280 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup Almonds
▢ 3 cups Water

Instructions

Put the almonds in a bowl, pour over enough water to cover them. Soak them overnight ( 8 – 10 hrs)
Drain and rinse them well. Place them in a blender with the water.
Blend at high-speed for 3-4 minutes.
Place a cheese cloth over a large bowl and carefully pour the blended mixture over it.
Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to extract the last bit of milk.
You can blend the leftover almond meal with some more water and strain it again.
Pour the milk in a glass jar/ jug. It should keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

You can peel the soaked almonds after rinsing them well, then grind them with water. No straining is required!
Save the leftover almond meal. Spread it out in a pan and roast in a 180C oven for about 20 minutes till dry and golden. Sprinkle on top of your smoothies, and cereal; add in your baking, or curries or even in place of breadcrumbs. No food waste!!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 CupCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 10gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 354mgFiber: 6gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 0.5IUCalcium: 137mgIron: 2mg

Feta and Spinach Muffins

June 27, 2015

Savory, satisfying, and packed-with-flavor feta and spinach muffins make busy mornings a breeze. They are simple to make and are great for meal prep!

A basket of spinach muffins with one muffin cut in half.

These spinach feta muffins are lip-smacking good. And a wonderful, quick breakfast option. Cheesy, nourishing, and tasty, you’ll want to eat them straight from the pan!

They’re also perfect for lunch boxes, picnic baskets, or after-school snacks. I love to have them with roasted carrot lentil soup for a light lunch.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

The muffins have simple, wholesome ingredients. Nothing fancy. Just good stuff that tastes amazing when baked up golden and fluffy.

Need an easy snack? Want to get more veggies into your day? Looking for things for kids’ lunches? These healthy spinach and feta muffins are it! The savory muffins have enough cheese to keep kids interested.

It’s also the perfect recipe for something quick and easy (like a jar of tiramisu overnight oats). You just have to reach into the fridge and warm the muffins up!

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for making feta spinach muffins.

Flour: All-purpose flour is light, simple, and perfect for holding everything together. I’ve made them with whole wheat flour before. You can also do half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour.

Spinach: I used fresh baby spinach. Frozen works here! Thaw it completely and squeeze out the excess water. Chop it small so it mixes in easily.

Feta: Tangy feta cheese is delicious here. It pairs beautifully with spinach. Use block feta, cut into small pieces. Crumbled feta will just melt and disappear into the muffin. You want the cheese to hold its shape, texture, and of course, its great salty flavor.

Cheddar cheese: I use shredded cheddar cheese. This adds a wonderful umami flavor and makes these muffins just a bit more cheesier!

Milk: I used regular cow’s milk, but feel free to substitute in a plant-based option like oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk if needed.

Olive oil keeps the muffins moist and adds a lovely fruity flavor that goes so well with feta and spinach. Any vegetable oil of your choice will also work.

Egg: It helps bind everything together and gives these muffins structure.

Add-ins: Sun-dried tomatoes and olives are fantastic in this easy spinach and feta muffin recipe. They add so much zing to the muffins. I always choose sun-dried tomatoes preserved in oil over plain ones as they are softer and have a better flavor. Both are optional, but they add so much zing to the muffins.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

While I love the flavor of cheddar cheese in these spinach muffins, parmesan also works very well here. Remember to grate the cheese at home, the pre-shredded ones have too many additives added to them.

Feeling adventurous? Toss in some chopped walnuts or buttery pine nuts for crunch. Bell peppers (roasted or raw) or a few slices of jalapeño bring a fun kick.

Make it spicy - adding cayenne, smoked paprika, or cracked black pepper will definitely wake things up!

How To Make Feta and Spinach Muffins

Preheat oven to 200 c / 400 f. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tray.

Dry ingredients for the muffins in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, chopped spinach, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. Mix well.

Mixture of egg, milk, oil in a measuring cup.

Step 2: In another bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and oil.

Wet ingredients poured on top of dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture. Stir well. Don't overmix the batter.

Cubed feta cheese on top of the muffin batter.

Step 4: Fold in the feta cheese.

Muffin batter topped with shredded cheese in a muffin tray.

Step 5: Scoop the batter into the muffin tin. Sprinkle some more shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Baked feat spinach muffins in a baking tray.

Step 7: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning them out on a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pro Tips

A kitchen scale is your best friend! Use it to measure the ingredients for the best baking results.
You must grease and flour the muffin cavities well. Trust me, I learned the hard way.....It's no fun trying to take out muffins stuck in a pan!
Use a knife to loosen the edges before turning them out. As the bottom of these muffins can be a bit soft, place them upside down on the cooling rack.
The batter for these muffins is thick, so avoid adding more liquid. The spinach releases enough water during the baking process to make perfectly soft and moist muffins.
If using frozen spinach, please thaw it and squeeze out the extra water before using it.

How To Store

Spinach and feta egg muffins are great for meal prep. Make a batch at the start of the week, and you’ve got breakfast or snacks ready to go for up to 5 days. They keep really well in the fridge!

You can even pop them in the freezer in an airtight container or a freezer bag for 2 months. Just thaw them in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven or air fryer until warm and toasty.

A feta spinach muffin cut into half on a small plate.

How To Serve Spinach Feta Muffins

They also make a great grab-and-go breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea. Hosting a brunch? Set out a basket of these muffins alongside a veggie casserole, air fryer pumpkin, roasted sweet potato salad, or shakshuka. They shine on a brunch table.

Eat these spinach and feta muffins straight out of the oven, and they’re delicious. Cut in half and slather some butter. I love pairing them with a bowl of creamy pea soup or a fresh green Greek salad for a light lunch.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes

📖 Recipe

Cherry Frozen Yogurt

May 30, 2015

Celebrating the irresistible goodness of fresh cherries with this Cherry Frozen Yogurt. Is there anything as lovely as glistening sweet-tart cherries? When they're in season, I buy them by the cartload.

Making frozen treats does not have to be complicated at all. Keep the ingredients simple, play around with the recipe a bit till you get what you enjoy. An ice cream maker is a great appliance to have for making ice creams and frozen yogurts. But not to worry, if you don't have one, use a blender or good ol' elbow grease!

Cherry Frozen Yogurt summer treat healthy delicious fresh

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Why We Love Frozen Cherry Yogurt

Frozen yogurts are so fabulous. Creamy and sweet, they make for a perfect low-calorie, healthy dessert. Let the delicious, in-season fruit do all the talking. Add more fruit to intensify the flavor, and add more yogurt to enhance the smoothness. They are easier to make than ice creams, but taste just as sensational!

How To Make

This is really one easy peasy lovely light dessert for those hot summer days. Tangy thick yogurt, sweet fat juicy cherries, and some honey to sweeten the deal. That's all you need here. The chocolate chips are optional, but they add a touch of indulgence, that we all love. Cherries and chocolate make a beautiful combination, a classic. You could add any nuts of your choice here too, for that extra crunch.

Put the yogurt, cherries, and honey in a blender. Whiz until smooth. Taste, and adjust for sweetness.
Chill the mixture well and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Add the cherries and chocolate chips ( if using) to the churning mixture in about ten minutes. Continue with the ice cream maker's instructions.
Once the frozen yogurt is ready, you can serve it immediately or turn it out in a pan and freeze it for 6- 8 hours to get a slightly harder/ scoopable consistency.

This recipe is a keeper, trust me. Make this once, and you'll keep going back to it!

Enjoy your summer folks! Our wonderful summer fruit bounty is what makes this scorching heat bearable.

More Easy Frozen Desserts

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Cherry Frozen Yogurt

Natasha Minocha

Bringing my summer special Cherry Frozen Yogurt with chocolate chips! So refreshing with the burst of cherries in every bite and its super easy to make!

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Prep Time 25

Chilling Time 8

Total Time 8 25

Course Dessert, Ice cream

Cuisine World

Servings Servings

Calories 194 kcal