Spicy Mac and Cheese Fries

Spicy Mac and Cheese Fries

Okay, we're going to be honest, this one started as a bit of a joke and ended up becoming one of the most requested recipes we've ever made. Spicy mac and cheese fries. Yes, really. Crispy oven chips piled high with the creamiest, most indulgent vegan cheese sauce you've ever tasted, spiked with just enough heat to keep things interesting. The cashew cream base is the secret weapon here, giving the sauce this incredible richness that honestly rivals anything we've had at a loaded fries spot. Make these on a Friday night and you will not regret it.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Blender
  • Large baking tray
  • Large platter
  • Sieve

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp chilli powder - OR 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
  • 400g dried macaroni pasta - cooked, reserve some of the pasta water!
  • 450ml unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 50g plant-based butter
  • 50g plain flour
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 25g nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 100ml water
  • 150g cashew nuts
  • oven fries - enough for 4

Method

1

Cook the fries

  • Put the oven chips on a baking tray and cook them according to the guidelines on the packaging
2

Make the sauce

  • Put the cashews, lemon juice and water into a blender a whizz them up into a thick, smooth cashew cream and put the cream to one side
  • Put the dairy free butter in a pan, melt it down on a reasonably low heat until it's liquid
  • Sieve the plain flour into the pan and stir it into the plant-based butter to make a roux
  • Gradually whisk the plant based milk into the roux until you have a thick, creamy sauce
  • Add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder (or hot sauce) and salt and pepper into the pan and stir it round until it's well mixed into the sauce
  • Taste the sauce and add more chilli if you prefer it hotter
3

Add the cashew cream and macaroni

  • Pour the cashew cream into the pan and stir it into the sauce so everything is well mixed together
  • Pour the cooked macaroni into the pan and fold it into the sauce, making sure the pasta is well covered
  • Add 1-2tbsp of the starchy pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.
4

Serve & enjoy!

  • Take the fries out of the oven and spread them over a large platter
  • Carefully pour the mac and cheese over the fries
  • Garnish with spring onions, chilli flakes, salt and pepper

Tips & Variations

  • Make it extra spicy: We love adding a good spoonful of chipotle paste into the sauce for a smoky kick. Start small and build it up to your taste.
  • Upgrade the fries: Oven chips are totally fine here and honestly great for speed, but if you've got time, homemade thick-cut fries take this to another level entirely.
  • Add toppings: Henry always finishes his with sliced pickled jalapeños, a drizzle of hot sauce, and a handful of spring onions. Pile them on, don't be shy.

Why This Works

The trick here is the cashew cream. Blending soaked cashews with lemon juice and water before adding them to the roux gives you this silky, thick sauce that clings to every single chip. Most vegan cheese sauces can go a bit thin or grainy but this one stays lush and glossy all the way through. Trust us on this one, it's worth the extra blending step.