This recipe is my Ode to Soy Curls. Butler Soy Curls are one of my favorite products. I remember the first time someone told me about them – she warned me they were addicting. Well, I have been hooked for years.
TRUDY APPROVED!
Soy curls are one of the most versatile products out there. You can make so many different things with them. To date, I have made dozens of recipes and many of those are here on the blog including my Jamaican Jerk Soy Curls, Buffalo Soy Curls, Vegan Orange Soy Curl Chicken, Jamaican (Ital) Soy Curls Curry with Broccoleaf, Jamaican Soy Curls in Curried Tomato Cream Sauce, Vegan Soy Curl Caesar Salad, Skillet Cheesy Enchilada Stew, Vegan Chicken Paprika with Wide Noodles and Kale, Homemade Calzones, Vegan “Pollo” Escabeche, and Yum-O Stoup.
You get the idea and I have so many more not up here yet. Sometimes Tom and I joke that our idea of the perfect meal is “soy curls with a side of soy curls topped with soy curls.” We joke but there’s a hint of truth in it which is proven by this recipe.
If you have ever ordered a case of Butler Soy Curls (and you should), at the bottom of the mound of soy curls (24 bags worth) there are a lot of crumbs. When I saw all those crumbs, I wondered what to do with them. I didn’t want to throw them out or waste them. The crumbs are fine like bread crumbs and then it hit me…use them like bread crumbs!
I asked Tom, “How would you like me to make mac and cheese?” That’s one of his favorites. Then I added, “How about a soy curl mac and cheese?” Even better. “How about a Buffalo soy curl mac and cheese?” It couldn’t get any better than that or could it? “How about,” I asked, “using the soy curl crumbs as the crumble topping instead of bread crumbs?” It was genius!
By using the soy curl crumbs as a topping, not only do I not waste the crumbs but I get a gluten-free, high-protein, lower carb topping! I cooked up my crumbs in the skillet like I did the soy curls but they could just as well be spread out on a baking sheet and toasted to use less oil.
So I cooked up the pasta – I chose shells because their shape allows them to scoop up lots of cheesy sauce and soy curl crumble goodness. The soy curls got cooked in seasoning and then with onion and celery and tossed with hot sauce.
I made a cheese sauce using Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread and Daiya Cheddar Shreds. I added hot sauce to make it a Buffalo sauce and some Tofutti Better than Sour Cream to cool it down but that part is totally optional. If you don’t want it too hot, you can make either the cheese sauce OR the soy curls Buffalo-flavored rather than both, or not at all but it’s really good.
Then it all got tossed together into a mac and cheese yumminess that we could have eaten just like that but I wanted to bake it. So it went into a baking dish. The soy curl crumbs were tossed with melted Earth Balance and fresh parsley, then sprinkled over the mac and cheese.
When it came out of the oven, bubbling with ooey-gooey goodness, it was really hard to wait the 15 minutes to let it set. Then we got to eat it. OMG! Spicy, creamy, crunchy and oh, so good! The shells really picked up the sauce and the crumbles. There were moans and groans everywhere.
We had the mac and cheese with some quickly sauteed green beans. Yum!
Later that night, around midnight, Tom walked into the room with the tray that held the leftover mac and cheese. “Want some?” he asked. I was still full so he got to enjoy it all by himself until it was gone.
Yup, soy curls topped with soy curls was a great idea. Now I’m planning to use the rest of the crumbs other ways such as using them for the binder in burgers rather than bread crumbs or flour. We’ll see how that goes.
If you love Butler Soy Curls as much as I do, you NEED to make this recipe. If you’ve yet to experience the glory of soy curls, now is a great time. You will love this Buffalo Soy Curls Mac & Cheese with Soy Curl Crumble. Enjoy!
Buffalo Soy Curls Mac & Cheese with Soy Curls Crumble
GF
For the Soy Curls
1 bag Butler Soy Curls
1 cup Butler Soy Curl crumbs
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
½ onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
¼ cup hot sauce
For the Cheese Sauce
2 Tbs. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
2 Tbs. gluten-free flour
2 tsp. mustard powder
2 cups non-dairy milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 Tbs. hot sauce
1 ½ cups Daiya Cheddar Shreds
¼ cup Tofutti Better than Sour Cream
Kosher salt to taste
For the Mac and Cheese
1-lb. gluten-free pasta
Kosher salt
2 Tbs. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread, melted
2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley
Empty the bag of soy curls and the soy curl crumbs into separate bowls and cover each with hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes until the soy curls are softened. Drain each separately and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Pat dry and toss to coat the soy curls and the crumbs with the seasoning.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the soy curls until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add in the onion and celery and cook for 4 minutes until the veggies are softened. Add in the hot sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the soy curls to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, heat more oil and cook the soy curl crumbs until browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the pasta to the pot. Stir and let cook until shy of al dente, about 12 minutes depending on the pasta. Keep ¼ cup of the starchy cooking liquid just in case. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot.
In a medium saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder until it has formed a roux. Let cook for one minute. Slowly add in the milk and whisk until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with garlic powder, turmeric and hot sauce. Melt in the cheese and then turn off the heat. Whisk in the sour cream. Adjust for taste – if it’s too spicy, add more sour cream.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the Buffalo soy curls to the pot with the pasta and toss to mix. Pour in the cheese sauce and toss to coat the pasta and soy curls. Transfer the mix to an oiled baking dish.
Pour the melted butter into the soy curl crumbs and add the parsley. With your fingers, squeeze the crumbs incorporating the butter. Sprinkle the top of the baking dish with the soy curl crumble. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.
Print Buffalo Soy Curls Mac & Cheese with Soy Curls Crumble Author: Rhea Parsons Recipe type: Entree; Pasta Ingredients- For the Soy Curls
- 1 bag Butler Soy Curls
- 1 cup Butler Soy Curl crumbs
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- For the Cheese Sauce
- 2 Tbs. vegan butter
- 2 Tbs. gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp. mustard powder
- 2 cups non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 Tbs. hot sauce
- 1 ½ cups Daiya Cheddar Shreds
- ¼ cup Tofutti Better than Sour Cream
- Kosher salt to taste
- For the Mac and Cheese
- 1-lb. gluten-free pasta
- Kosher salt
- 2 Tbs. vegan butter, melted
- 2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley
- Empty the bag of soy curls and the soy curl crumbs into separate bowls and cover each with hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes until the soy curls are softened. Drain each separately and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Pat dry and toss to coat the soy curls and the crumbs with the seasoning.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the soy curls until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add in the onion and celery and cook for 4 minutes until the veggies are softened. Add in the hot sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the soy curls to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, heat more oil and cook the soy curl crumbs until browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the pasta to the pot. Stir and let cook until shy of al dente, about 12 minutes depending on the pasta. Keep ¼ cup of the starchy cooking liquid just in case. Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder until it has formed a roux. Let cook for one minute. Slowly add in the milk and whisk until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with garlic powder and hot sauce. Melt in the cheese and then turn off the heat. Whisk in the sour cream. Adjust for taste – if it’s too spicy, add more sour cream.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the Buffalo soy curls to the pot with the pasta and toss to mix. Pour in the cheese sauce and toss to coat the pasta and soy curls. Transfer the mix to an oiled baking dish.
- Pour the melted butter into the soy curl crumbs and add the parsley. With your fingers, squeeze the crumbs incorporating the butter. Sprinkle the top of the baking dish with the soy curl crumble. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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