Roasted Italian Veggie Macaroni and Cheese

Instructions

1. For the veggie macaroni: Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a large baking pan with olive oil.
2. Dice tomatoes and onions. Cut bell peppers and zucchini into bite-sized chunks. Leave garlic cloves in skins.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use more than one baking sheet if needed to give the veggies plenty of room.
4. Place cut veggies on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss veggies to coat in oil and spices.
5. Spread veggies out in a single layer. Place the garlic cloves together on the sheet so they are easy to find when they are done roasting. Place in oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, stirring once, until veggies are tender and browning on the edges. Remove from oven and set the garlic cloves aside to cool.
6. While veggies are roasting, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain pasta and return to pot to keep warm while you make the cheese sauce.
7. For the cheese sauce: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add almond milk and stir continuously until mixture has thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Add mozzarella and cheese, a handful at a time. Stir to melt and fully incorporate cheese before adding more. Once all cheese has been added, whisk until completely smooth and blended.
9. When garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Mash with a fork and then add to cheese sauce. Whisk the smashed garlic into the sauce until smooth.
10. Add remaining veggies to pasta along with the cheese sauce. Stir to combine. Turn macaroni and cheese into prepared baking dish.
11. For the topping: In a small bowl, mix parmesan cheese with breadcrumbs. Top macaroni and cheese with cheese/breadcrumb mixture.
12. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes until golden brown on top. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn. Serve immediately.