Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe (2024)

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This vegan mac and cheese recipe from scratch is the absolute best rendition of the classic comfort food but also good for you. It’s so creamy, cheesy and flavorful served with a crispy golden brown panko bread crumb topping for the perfect bite everyone is sure to love.

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Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

Made with the creamiest dairy free cheese sauce from cashews, nutritional yeast, lots of aromatics and spices. It’s easy to whip up on a weekday but it tastes so good that you’ll want to also serve this at all the holiday dinners; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s and any chance you get! You simply can’t get this goodness out of a box.

Using easy to find whole food ingredients, this veggie vegan mac and cheese recipe is irresistibly creamy, cheesy and super delicious! Outstanding when topped with your choice of golden panko bread crumbs, smoky tempeh bits or crispy fried onions. This is definitely that one recipe that is sure to become an instant favorite and a family tradition.

About the Ingredients

Macaroni – A traditional elbow shaped pasta will work just fine here; I opted for cavatappi or corkscrews for their beautiful ridges that hold way more sauce than elbows ever could. Ultimately the pasta you choose is your choice, you can use a comforting durum wheat semolina, go for healthy whole grains or choose a gluten free pasta you love.
The Cheese Sauce – It’s the silkiest cashew based sauce from scratch, no store bought processed cheese needed. The first layer of flavor comes from deeply sauteed onions and garlic that are then blended together with raw cashews, dry spices (onion, garlic, smoked paprika), cheesy nutritional yeast balanced out by a squeeze of lemon and a kiss of dijon mustard. It’s exquisite and simply the best!
Crispy Topping – This is totally optional but recommended. I toasted panko bread crumbs in some olive oil on the stove top until golden brown. It’s really nice to start with some fennel seeds if you fancy them, otherwise the bread crumbs and a pinch of sea salt flakes is just lovely.
Garnish – Any fresh herbs like Italian parsley, dill, onion chives or thinly sliced scallions will compliment the macaroni. Pan seared smoked tempeh bits are a favorite of ours and boosts the protein content of the dish.

Recipe Tips + FAQ

Make Ahead – The cheese sauce can be prepared a couple of days in advance and brought to a bubble while your pasta is cooking. It’s best to boil the macaroni right before serving.
Storage – Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months.
Can I make it without nutritional yeast? – technically you can make a cheesy sauce without it but it is an important ingredient in this recipe. It adds tons of savory cheesy flavor and vitamins but if you must omit it I suggest adding 1 tablespoon of white miso paste instead to make up for that umami flavor.
Make it Smoky – The recipe calls for a symbolic amount of smoked paprika, just enough to add a little depth of flavor. If a smokier flavor is desired you can double and even triple the paprika, or better yet add in about a teaspoon or two of liquid smoke.
The Topping – I prefer to make my crispy topping in a skillet on the stove top but you could choose to place everything in a 9×13 inch casserole, top with the breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes or so until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively pop the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.

Serving Suggestions

vegan chicken cutlets or crispy nuggets
roasted broccoli
tofu nuggets
meatless ribs
sesame tofu
vegan steaks
roasted carrots
vegan gyros
+ these fried oyster mushrooms.

how to make vegan mac and cheese

Best Vegan Mac and Cheese

This veggie vegan mac and cheese recipe from scratch is the absolute best rendition of the classic comfort food but also good for you. It's so creamy, cheesy and flavorful served with a crispy golden brown panko bread crumb topping for the perfect bite everyone is sure to love.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Total Time:25 minutes mins

Ingredients

3/4 lb macaroni (elbow, cavatappi, rigatoni)

The Cheese Sauce

1 medium onion diced
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
2.5 cups raw cashew pieces
2.75 cups water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 lemon juiced
1 Tbsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dijon mustard
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1.5 tsp sea salt or to taste

Topping

1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp olive oil or as needed
1 tbsp fennel seeds optional

Garnish

onion chives, scallions, smoky tempeh bits, chili flakes, crispy fried onions etc

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

If not using a Vitamix or other powerful blender, make sure to soak the cashews in hot water for a couple of hours.
2.5 cups raw cashew pieces
Preheat a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat with a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, a pinch of salt and saute until softened and you start seeing some color. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds or so, just until the garlic is fragrant taking care not to burn it.
1 medium onion, 4 garlic cloves
Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the blender together with the cashews (drain if you soaked them), water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion and garlic powders, paprika, mustard and salt. Process on the smoothie setting until completely smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large skillet and bring to a bubble. Simmer for a couple of minutes constantly sitting until the sauce starts to thicken.
1 medium onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2.5 cups raw cashew pieces, 2.75 cups water, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 1/2 lemon, 1 Tbsp onion powder, 3/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp sea salt
Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a heavy sprinkling of salt and cook the macaroni until al dente, following the instructions on the package. Drain well then add the cooked macaroni to the skillet with the cheese sauce and toss until combined.
3/4 lb macaroni

Crispy Bread Crumb Topping

Preheat a skillet over medium high heat, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and stir in the fennel seeds. Toast until fragrant then add the panko bread crumbs. Toss to coat well and allow to toast for a few minutes until golden brown to your liking but stirring often. Season with a pinch of sea salt flakes and spoon over the macaroni and cheese before serving. Garish with thinly sliced scallions, onion chives. chili flakes or black pepper.
1 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp fennel seeds

WFPB + Plantricious

To make the recipe Plantricious compliant make sure to saute in water or veggie stock instead of oil, omit the panko bread crumb topping and use whole grain macaroni of your choosing.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead - The cheese sauce can be prepared a couple of days in advance and brought to a bubble while your pasta is cooking. It's best to boil the macaroni
Storage - Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months.
Can I make it without nutritional yeast? - technically you can make a cheesy sauce without it but it is an important ingredient in this recipe. It adds tons of flavor and vitamins but if you must omit it I suggest adding 1 tablespoon of white miso instead and a cooked carrot or boiled potato.
Make it Smoky - The recipe calls for a symbolic amount of smoked paprika, just enough to add a little depth of flavor. If a smokier flavor is desired you can double and even triple the paprika or better yet add in about a teaspoon of liquid smoke.
The Topping - I prefer to make my crispy topping in a skillet on the stove top but you could choose to place everything in a 9x13 inch casserole, top with the breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes or so until golden brown and crispy.

Nutrition

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vegan Mac and Cheese, veggie mac and cheese

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 937kcal

Author: Florentina

Pasta Recipes:

FAQs

What's the best milk to use in mac and cheese? ›

Any milk is fine. I usually use whole milk, then add some cream, sometimes, just to make it richer. Then you add the cheese of your choice, and melt that, then put the cooked macaroni in. If you are used to using evaporated milk, it's because it makes the sauce a little creamier/richer.

What can I add to my mac and cheese to make it better? ›

8 Ways to Elevate Your Macaroni and Cheese Dinners

Add extra cheese to your dish.
Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
Add spices and fresh herbs to your dish.

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May 21, 2022

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What is a vegan substitute for milk in mac and cheese? ›

Almond milk is a popular plant-based milk that's a great substitute for regular cow's milk. It has a nutty flavor, which can add a subtle richness to your mac and cheese. As it's used as a common milk substitute, you can simply put the same amount of almond milk as you'd put regular milk.

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Does vegan mac and cheese taste the same? ›

Vegan mac and cheese is essentially the same thing as regular mac and cheese, so… pasta with a cheese sauce, duh. BUT it isn't made with cheese. That being said, it still tastes like macaroni and cheese AKA the ultimate comfort food.

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Is heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk better for mac and cheese? ›

It is better to use heavy cream for Mac and Cheese instead of milk, or better yet, use evaporated milk which has the thickness of heavy cream without all of the fat! Furthermore, it is more stable than heavy cream so your Macaroni and Cheese is less likely to curdle or separate.

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What milk products can you use for mac and cheese? ›

To make mac and cheese without milk, the best choice is to find something that has a similar texture and a milk flavor. Things like heavy cream, almond milk, oat milk, yogurt, cream cheese, and even pasta water all work very well in boxed mac and cheese.

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Is heavy cream or whole milk better for mac and cheese? ›

Use heavy cream but don't add the butter. Heavy cream has fat so use it instead of noth the milk and butter. If you are talking about homemade mac and cheese using heavy cream will make it very rich. You can use heavy cream instead of milk, but I would use a touch of water.

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Is condensed and evaporated milk the same thing for mac and cheese? ›

Just make sure you're working with evaporated milk and not condensed milk. While both of these canned, shelf-stable milks are made by the same process, condensed milk — also called sweetened condensed milk — has added sugar, which has absolutely no place in a pot of mac and cheese.

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