Whether you're making this for yourself or for friends, this vegan mac and cheese is a crowd-pleaser! It's easy, it's delicious, and it is SO creamy. It works as a main dish, a side dish, or just something to bring to a potluck or picnic.
A childhood classic dish, we've changed it up by making it from scratch and making it vegan. A traditional mac and cheese recipe is usually made with a ton of dairy so to lighten things up, we use raw cashews, water, and nutritional yeast to make the cheese sauce. Even better, nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamins and minerals so this mac and cheese is a healthier take.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Elbow macaroni — My go-to pasta is elbow macaroni but if you're out, mini shells would work too. You want something with nooks so it can hold onto the cheese sauce. Or you can go with tube noodles so they look like the classic boxed version.
- Raw cashews — To make the vegan cheese sauce, you'll need raw cashews. Do not use roasted cashews as you won't get the same results.
- Nutritional yeast — Packed with healthy goodness, nutritional yeast is also sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
- Dijon mustard — Dijon mustard adds a tangy and sharp flavor to the pasta. It also acts as an emulsifier to holds your creamy cheese sauce together and keeps it creamy.
How to Make Vegan Mac and Cheese
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté until the onion is translucent (approx. 5 min).
Step 3: Next, add the garlic, dijon mustard, salt and paprika. Stir for 1 minute.
Step 4: Add the cashews and water, and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes (until you can pierce the cashews easily with a fork)
Step 5: Pour the mixture into a blender and add the nutritional yeast. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Add more water and salt to taste if needed.
Step 6: Mix the sauce and pasta together and serve immediately.
Tips For This Recipe
- Using a high-power blender is best when making the cashew sauce. This will help the cashews break down and turn into a smooth cream.
- Vegan bacon would pair wonderfully with this dish.
- To make this gluten-free, you can swap for gluten-free pasta.
- To make this pasta a little smokier, you can swap the paprika for smoked paprika.
- For an additional nutty flavor, you can add in a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can! Try broccoli, peas, cauliflower, spinach, or whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can also add some tempeh or other plant-based product to bulk up your dish.
You can enjoy the pasta on its own or with these as a side dish: Sweet Potato and Kale Salad, Hearty Greek Quinoa Salad, Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce, and Gluten Free Baked Parmesan Asparagus Fries.
You can definitely freeze this homemade vegan macaroni and cheese. Once it's cooled to room temperature, you can freeze it in individual portions or as a whole. I like to freeze it in individual containers so I can pull it out as needed, especially for last minute lunches.
You can definitely bake this pasta. Simply add it to a greased casserole dish and top with panko or breadcrumbs and bake at 350ºF until the breadcrumbs are crispy.
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If you’ve tried this Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe then don’t forget to leave me a rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion approx. 1.5 cups
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- â…” cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- salt to taste
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the elbow macaroni and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté until the onion is translucent (approx. 5 min).
- Next, addd the garlic, dijon mustard, salt and paprika. Stir for 1 minute.
- Add the cashews and water, and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes (until you can pierce the cashews easily with a fork)
- Pour the mixture into a blender and add the nutritional yeast. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Add more water and salt to taste if needed.
- Mix the sauce and pasta together and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Using a high powered blender is best when making the cashew sauce. This will help the cashews break down and turn into a smooth cream.
- Vegan bacon would pair wonderfully to this dish.
- To make this gluten-free, you can swap for a gluten-free pasta.
- To make this pasta a little smokier, you can swap the paprika for smoked paprika.
- For an additional nutty flavor, you can add in a pinch of ground nutmeg.
This is one of my favorite recipes! Make it almost every week and it's so perfect and delicious with reduced guilt. Thanks.
Thanks so much for letting me know! I make it all the time too 🙂