I don’t know about you, but broccoli and Velveeta Shells was a staple in my house when I was a wee one. I loved that sh#$@it! This is my rendition of MUCH healthier broccoli and cheese shells! These vegan broccoli and cheese shells are to die for. They have a sauce made of hidden veggies, are super easy, and insanely delicious!
This cheese sauce is made from carrots and sweet potatoes! Super healthy, yet tastes super indulgent! The cheesy element comes from nutritional yeast. Then garlic, veggie broth and lemon juice give the sauce a perfect flavor! Even my kid loves this stuff and I feel really great about feeding it to her!
This is really simple to make, and hard to mess up! You can just roast the sweet potatoes and carrots at the same time. Then, cook your broccoli and pasta at the same time. Place the veggies in a blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients, and boom! The most delicious damn cheesy shells ever!
I added a lot of garlic and lemon juice to the sauce to brighten it up and cut through some of the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. I think every sauce needs acid. It balances everything! Lemon juice is just the thing for the carrots and sweet potatoes.
I think you will love these vegan broccoli and cheese shells! They are so so good! Super healthy, super easy and can very easily be made gluten free by just using your favorite gluten free shells or pasta of choice. This is a perfect meal in every way!
Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Shells
Ingredients
Vegan Cheddar Sauce
- 1 1/2 C. Carrots(about 2 large carrots or 3 smaller ones)
- 2 C. Sweet Potatoes(about 3 large potatoes or 5 small ones)
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 1 2/3 C. Vegetable broth
- 1/4 C. Nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbsp. Lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Garlic powder
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Pasta
- 1 Box Shells
- 2 C. Broccoli, cut into florets
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If the sweet potatoes or carrots are large, cut in half. Toss the carrots and sweet potatoes in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast on a baking sheet for 30-35 minutes or until the carrots and sweet potatoes are soft and mashable.
- While the veggies are roasting, start boiling the water for the pasta. Once the water is boiling, blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for about 2 minutes or so until bright green and a little softer. Remove from boiling water and set aside.
- Now add the pasta shells to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
- Once the veggies are done, let them cool for a few minutes until you can handle them. Add the carrots to a blender, then peel off the sweet potato skin and add that along with the veggie broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend, scraping down the sides when needed until totally smooth. It may take a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- When the pasta is ready, drain and return to pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta and add the broccoli. Taste and adjust seasoning again. Serve immediately.
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