Introduction & Inspiration

This Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe is a plant-based take on the ultimate comfort food classic. I grew up loving mac and cheese – its creamy, cheesy sauce and perfectly cooked pasta were always a highlight of my childhood meals. It is the best comfort food.

My inspiration for this vegan version came from a desire to recreate that classic mac and cheese experience without using any dairy or animal products. I wanted a recipe that would be just as creamy, cheesy, and satisfying as the traditional version, but made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients.

I envisioned a bowl filled with perfectly cooked pasta, coated in a luscious, velvety smooth cheese sauce that was both flavorful and incredibly comforting. It’s a dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, a potluck, or any time you’re craving a taste of childhood.

This recipe is the result of that vision, a simple yet flavorful Vegan Mac and Cheese that’s sure to become a new favorite. It’s a regular on my table, and it always gets rave reviews from vegans and non-vegans alike.

Nostalgic Appeal (with a Vegan Twist)

Mac and cheese is a universally beloved dish, evoking feelings of childhood, comfort food, and simple, satisfying meals. It’s a dish that transcends generations and cultures, with countless variations enjoyed around the world.

This recipe takes that classic comfort food and gives it a vegan makeover. Instead of relying on dairy cheese and milk, we’re creating a creamy, cheesy sauce using raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and plant-based milk.

The combination of tender pasta and a rich, flavorful cheese sauce is a timeless one, offering a familiar yet exciting culinary experience.

This Vegan Mac and Cheese provides a plant-based alternative to a beloved classic, making it accessible to everyone while retaining the comforting and satisfying qualities of the original.

Homemade Focus

This recipe is all about embracing the joy of homemade cooking. The emphasis is on creating a creamy, flavorful vegan cheese sauce from scratch, using wholesome ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices.

The process of soaking and blending the cashews, combining them with the other sauce ingredients, and cooking it until smooth and creamy is a hands-on experience.

Making your own vegan cheese sauce allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring freshness and avoiding any unwanted additives. You can adjust the seasonings to your liking.

This recipe is a reminder that even seemingly complex dishes like mac and cheese can be made from scratch with a little effort, resulting in a far superior flavor and texture compared to boxed or pre-made versions.

Flavor Goal

The primary objective of this recipe is to create a Vegan Mac and Cheese that’s incredibly creamy, cheesy, and flavorful, with a smooth, velvety sauce that perfectly coats the pasta.

The pasta provides a satisfyingly chewy base, the perfect vehicle for the rich and flavorful sauce.

The vegan cheese sauce, made with cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices, is the star of the show. It should be:

Creamy: The soaked and blended cashews provide a luxurious, dairy-free creaminess.
Cheesy: The nutritional yeast contributes a cheesy, savory, and umami flavor that mimics the taste of traditional cheese.
Flavorful: The lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika add depth and complexity to the sauce.
Slightly Tangy

Ultimately, I wanted a mac and cheese that was both comforting and flavorful, a vegan version that would be just as satisfying as the traditional dairy-based recipe.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients that make this Vegan Mac and Cheese so delicious:

Elbow Macaroni (or Your Favorite Pasta): This provides the base for the dish. Elbow macaroni is the classic choice for mac and cheese, but you can use any type of pasta you prefer, such as shells, rotini, or penne.
Raw Cashews (Soaked and Drained): These are the secret to the creamy, dairy-free cheese sauce. Soaking the cashews softens them, making them easier to blend into a smooth and velvety sauce. Raw cashews are essential for this recipe; roasted cashews will not work as well.
Unsweetened Almond Milk (or Other Plant-Based Milk): This is used as the liquid base for the cheese sauce. You can use any type of unsweetened plant-based milk you prefer, such as soy milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
Nutritional Yeast: This deactivated yeast has a cheesy, nutty, and savory flavor. It’s a popular ingredient in vegan cooking as a substitute for cheese, and it adds a boost of B vitamins.
Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the sauce, balancing the richness of the cashews.
Apple Cider Vinegar: A small amount of apple cider vinegar adds a subtle tanginess to the sauce, mimicking the flavor of traditional cheese.
Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: These spices add savory flavor to the sauce.
Smoked Paprika: This adds a smoky flavor and a beautiful reddish color to the sauce.
Turmeric (Optional): A small amount of turmeric adds a vibrant yellow color to the sauce, making it look even more like traditional cheese sauce. This is purely for aesthetics.
Salt and Pepper: These essential seasonings enhance the overall flavor of the sauce. Use freshly ground black pepper for the best taste.
Olive Oil: This is used to heat the sauce.
Water: If needed

Essential Equipment

You’ll need a few basic kitchen tools for this recipe:

Large Pot: This is for cooking the pasta.
Blender (High-Speed Recommended): This is for making the creamy vegan cheese sauce. A high-speed blender will create the smoothest, creamiest sauce, but a regular blender will also work (you may need to blend for a longer period).
Large Saucepan: This is for heating the cheese sauce.
Cutting Board and Knife: If making any additions.
Measuring Cups and Spoons

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s a precise list of the ingredients, along with their exact measurements:

8 ounces elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours in hot water (or boiled for 10 minutes), then drained
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make this creamy and delicious Vegan Mac and Cheese!

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until it’s al dente (firm to the bite).

Drain the pasta and set aside.

Step 2: Make the Vegan Cheese Sauce

While the pasta is cooking, make the cheese sauce. In a blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews, unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based milk), nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper.

Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. This may take a few minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add water, a little at a time (about 1/4 cup), until it reaches your desired consistency. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Step 3: Heat the Sauce

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Pour the blended cheese sauce into the saucepan.

Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is heated through and slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 4: Combine Pasta and Sauce

Add the cooked and drained pasta to the saucepan with the cheese sauce.

Stir well to coat the pasta evenly with the sauce.

Step 5: Serve

Serve the Vegan Mac and Cheese hot.

Troubleshooting

Here are a couple of potential issues and their solutions:

Problem: Sauce is too thick.

Solution: Add more plant-based milk or water, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

Problem: Sauce is too thin.

Solution: Continue to cook the sauce for a few more minutes, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate. You can also add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of cold water to thicken the sauce.

Problem: Sauce is not cheesy enough.

Solution: Add more nutritional yeast, a tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired level of cheesiness.

Problem: Sauce is bland.

Solution: add spices.

Tips and Variations

Here are some extra tips and variations to customize your Vegan Mac and Cheese:

Tip: For an even creamier sauce, use a high-speed blender.

Variation: Add other vegetables to the mac and cheese, such as steamed broccoli, peas, or roasted red peppers.

Variation: Add some heat to the sauce by including a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce.

Tip: For a richer flavor, add a tablespoon of vegan butter to the sauce.

Variation: Top the mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and bake it in the oven for a few minutes to create a crispy topping.

Variation: Add different spices to the sauce, such as smoked paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder.

Variation: Stir in some cooked vegan sausage or crumbled tempeh bacon for extra protein.

Variation: Add truffle oil.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

This Vegan Mac and Cheese is a versatile and satisfying meal. Here are some serving ideas:

As a Main Course: Serve it hot, as a comforting and flavorful meal.
As a Side Dish: It pairs well with a variety of dishes, such as grilled vegetables, salads, or vegan chili.
For Kids: It’s a kid-friendly dish that’s sure to be a hit.
For Potlucks and Gatherings: It’s a crowd-pleasing dish that’s easy to make in large quantities.

Pairing Suggestions:

Side Dishes: A simple green salad, steamed broccoli, or roasted vegetables would complement the mac and cheese beautifully.
Beverages: This dish pairs well with a variety of beverages, including water, iced tea, lemonade, or a light-bodied beer.

Nutritional Information

This Vegan Mac and Cheese is a relatively healthy and nutritious meal, providing a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and vitamins. Here’s a general overview of its nutritional benefits:

Good Source of Protein: The cashews and nutritional yeast provide plant-based protein.
Good Source of Fiber: The pasta (especially if using whole-wheat pasta) and optional added vegetables provide dietary fiber.
Vitamins and Minerals: Nutritional yeast is a good source of B vitamins.
Dairy-Free and Vegan: This recipe is entirely plant-based, making it suitable for those with dairy allergies or following a vegan diet.

The exact nutritional information will vary depending on the specific ingredients used and the serving size. A rough estimate per serving (assuming the recipe makes about 4 servings) is:

Calories: 400-500
Fat: 20-25g
Protein: 10-15g
Fiber: 5-7g

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Author: Alyssa

Ingredients

Scale

8 ounces elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta)
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours in hot water (or boiled for 10 minutes), then drained
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup water

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Instructions