Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe
This Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe is a game-changer, especially if you're looking for a lighter version of your favorite mac & cheese. Perfect for Thanksgiving, this decadent dish will fool all of your friends and family with its creamy, cheesy flavor.
t's totally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based, fitting everyone's dietary needs. The “cheese” sauce, made with a simple ingredient list, is the real deal, giving you that cheesy taste without any dairy. Whether you love mac and cheese or just simply exploring vegan recipes for the first time, this vegan mac n’ cheese will become a staple in your kitchen.
Why I Like This Recipe
Great for an allergen-friendly holiday: This recipe is perfect for holiday gatherings where you may have guests with dietary restrictions. It is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences.
Perfect for cooking for vegans or dairy-free friends: This mac and cheese recipe is a fantastic option if you have friends or family members who follow a vegan or dairy-free diet. It allows you to cater to their dietary needs without compromising on flavor or texture.
Easy to make: This recipe is simple and straightforward, making it an excellent choice for home cooks of all skill levels. With just a few steps and minimal ingredients, you can whip up a delicious mac and cheese in no time.
Just as easy as traditional mac and cheese: Despite being a vegan and gluten-free version, this mac and cheese recipe is just as easy to make as the traditional version. You don't have to worry about complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
Crowd-pleaser: This mac and cheese is sure to be a hit with everyone, regardless of their dietary preferences. The creamy cheese sauce, combined with the gluten-free pasta, creates a dish that is comforting, satisfying, and full of flavor.
Nutritious ingredients: This recipe uses wholesome ingredients like raw cashews, which provide healthy fats and protein. Turmeric adds antioxidant properties and a beautiful yellow color to the dish, while nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor and is packed with B vitamins. The addition of mustard and lemon adds a tangy brightness to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
What is Nutritional Yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a crucial ingredient in this vegan cheese sauce and many other plant-based recipes. It is a deactivated yeast that provides a cheesy flavor without any dairy, making it an essential component in vegan cooking. Nutritional yeast is not only valued for its ability to mimic the taste of cheese, but it's also packed with vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, protein, and fiber, which add a nutritional boost to your dishes.
You can find nutritional yeast at most grocery stores, particularly in the health food section. If you're new to it, you'll be pleased to discover how versatile and flavorful it can be. It’s a great way to enhance the taste of vegan dishes while also benefiting from its nutritional content.
Jazz's Recommended Products
1. Square Baking Dish
For perfectly baked mac and cheese, I recommend this high-quality square baking dish. It's durable and ideal for even baking. Check it out here!
2. Perfect Pot
The perfect pot for cooking your favorite dishes, this versatile pot is a kitchen essential. Discover it here!
3. Vitamix Blender
For making smooth, creamy sauces and smoothies, this high-speed blender is a must-have. Get it here!
About The Ingredients
Noodles: I love to use gluten-free pasta made with beans. This helps increase the protein of the dish, so you aren’t missing any of the meat!
Cashews: use the raw cashews! If you only have salt, that will work fine as well. Remember to hold the salt in other places if you use salted nuts.
Turmeric: This beautiful spice adds color and helps it turn into that gorgeous yellow cheesy color.
Nutritional yeast: this is an ingredient that is totally plant-based and packed with B vitamins. It gives it that cheesy flavor.
Mustard: another crucial ingredient to give it a slight yellow color and ups the color.
Lemon: adds a light brightness to the dish.
Starchy cooking water: this is the liquid we add to the recipe. It helps the ingredients of the sauce blend together. I love that it’s multi-used!
If you don’t want to add water, you can add milk to the pasta sauce instead.
How to Make Vegan Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
"Cheese" Sauce
1 cup raw cashews
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup starchy pasta cooking water
Breadcrumb Topping
1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Other Ingredients
8-10 oz gluten-free pasta (I used shells)
Directions
Prep the Cashews:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boil about 1 ½ cups of water.
Soak 1 cup of raw cashews in the boiling water for 5 minutes. This softens the cashews, making them blend into a smooth, creamy sauce.
Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water to season the pasta.
Once boiling, add 8-10 oz of gluten-free pasta.
Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions to achieve al dente texture. For example, if the box suggests 8 minutes, set your timer for 6 minutes.
Make the Vegan Cheese Sauce:
While the pasta cooks, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water in a mug or cup.
Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of mustard, the juice of half a lemon, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, and the reserved starchy pasta water to the blender.
Blend on medium/high speed for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth.
Combine Pasta and Sauce:
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Pour the blended vegan cheese sauce over the pasta.
Stir until the pasta is well-coated with the creamy sauce.
Bake the Mac and Cheese:
Transfer the pasta and sauce mixture into an oven-safe baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix 1 cup of gluten-free breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt until well combined.
Evenly distribute the breadcrumb mixture over the pasta.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Jazz's Tips and Tricks
Making It Even Creamier
For an even creamier sauce, try adding a small amount of plant milk, such as unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. Each type of plant milk offers a slightly different flavor and texture, so choose based on your preference. Just be sure to select a plant milk that complements the other flavors in the dish.
Pasta Cooking Tip
To avoid mushy pasta, cook it 2 minutes shy of the box directions. For example, if the package suggests 8 minutes, set your timer for 6 minutes, and then drain the pasta. There's no need to rinse it; the starchy cooking water helps the sauce cling to the pasta, ensuring a perfect comfort food experience.
FAQ
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Yes, you can make this recipe nut-free by substituting the cashews with sunflower seeds. They provide a similar creamy texture and are a good option for those with nut allergies.
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Whole Foods and other health food stores often carry high-quality vegan cheese. Brands like Daiya or Violife are popular for their good vegan mac options. Look for ones with a cheesy taste that closely resembles real cheese.
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Yes, you can use apple cider vinegar for a similar tangy flavor. Both lemon juice and apple cider vinegar add a little tang to the sauce, enhancing the overall flavor.
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Yes, you can use regular macaroni or elbow noodles if you’re not following a gluten-free diet. The recipe works well with any kind of pasta, though gluten-free pasta is used here for a healthier option.
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Sweet potatoes can be used to add a subtle sweetness and creamy texture. If you want to experiment, blend cooked sweet potatoes into the cheese sauce for a unique twist.
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You can thicken the sauce by adding a flour mixture or a small amount of potato starch. These ingredients help achieve the desired consistency without affecting the flavor.
This Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe is the perfect blend of creamy, cheesy, and delicious. It's the best recipe for satisfying your mac and cheese cravings in a healthier, plant-based way. Whether you're serving it as a side dish at a holiday meal or enjoying it as a main course, this vegan version is sure to impress. The next time you're looking for a comforting, dairy-free dish, give this recipe a try. Your taste buds will thank you!
Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup starchy pasta cooking water
- 8-10 oz of gluten free pasta, I used shells
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Soak raw cashews in boiling water for 5 mins. Then drain.
- Cook pasta according to package directions (subtract 2 minutes for al dente). While the pasta is cooking, use a mug to reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water. This will be used to add to the cheese sauce! Drain the water and put the cooked pasta back in the stockpot.
- To a blender, make the cheese sauce. Add the drained cashews, salt, garlic powder, turmeric, mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and starchy pasta cooking water. Blend the cheese sauce in a high powered blender.
- Once the sauce is smooth, add the sauce to the cooked pasta!
- In a bowl, make the breadcrumb topping by mixing together breadcrumbs, olive oil and salt.
- Transfer the pasta with cheese sauce into an oven safe baking dish, top with the breadcrumb topping evenly.
- Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are toasted and golden brown!
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before digging in.
- Enjoy!
Hey, I’m Jazz
I’m a nutritional therapist practitioner and spent 3 years as a personal chef to NBA athletes. Follow along for easy, attainable and healthy recipes in under 30 minutes!
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