• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining, then set the pasta aside.
  340 g pasta
• In a large saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 1-2 minutes.
  30 g vegan butter, 2 garlic cloves
• In a blender, combine the canned pumpkin puree, white miso paste, tomato puree, unsweetened, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, 120 ml of water, tapioca starch, onion powder and salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth.
  265 g pumpkin puree, 2 tablespoon white miso paste, 2 tablespoon tomato puree, 240 ml plant-based milk, 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 120 ml water, 2 tablespoon tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon onion powder, Salt and pepper to taste
• Pour the blended sauce into the saucepan with the cooked garlic. Stir constantly over medium heat until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 3-5 minutes.
• Add the cooked pasta to the thickened sauce and toss until well coated. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water if needed.
• Top with finely chopped fresh sage and a pinch of chili flakes if desired.
  1 tablespoon fresh sage, Pinch chili flakes

Baked Variation:

• Mix together the melted vegan butter, panko breadcrumbs, flaky sea salt, and dried sage.
  2 tablespoon vegan butter, 75 g panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, 1 teaspoon dried sage
• Transfer the prepared mac and cheese to a baking dish, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly on top, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) until golden brown and bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.