Easy Vegan Mac & Cheese 🌱 Comfort food made even better with your favorite pasta covered in a delicious and nutritious creamy homemade plant-based cheddar cheese sauce.
This vegan mac & cheese is about to become your new obsession, guaranteed to make even the most dairy-loving skeptics do a double take. Trust me, your taste buds are in for a treat!
Being vegan does not mean you have to give up the foods you love, including cheese. By using the right plant-based ingredients to replace animal products, not only can you still enjoy your favorite dishes, you can make them better than ever, like a classic cheese fondue or everyone's favorite mac & cheese made with this healthy & delish vegan cheese sauce!
The secret to making this scrumptious dish is this fantastic plant-based cheddary cheese sauce. It has the tangy taste of sharp cheddar cheese with the smoothest creamiest texture. The combination of cashews, fresh lemon, carrots and potato blend together to make the richest cheesiest flavor.
It's fun to get creative with macaroni & cheese. I baked this in the oven for a few minutes, topped with breadcrumbs and homemade easy vegan parmesan. The breadcrumbs and parm added a great toasty crispy crunch.
Simple vegan mac & cheese sprinkled with paprika for a bit of color & spice! It's perfect paired with veggie burgers or a fresh green salad.
My favorite way to enjoy mac & cheese . . . with broccoli & toasted vegan parmesan! It's a meal in itself!
How to make vegan cheese sauce
With just a few basic ingredients, you can whip up the most luscious and tastiest vegan cheese sauce. This recipe makes a generous batch of cheese sauce, which is a good thing! Just think . . . tomorrow night - nachos! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
🛒 Ingredient Notes
🥕 NOTE: Use the link below to see the complete recipe for everything you need to know to prepare this easy vegan cheese sauce.
Cheese Sauce
- Raw cashews - presoaked before using
- Non-dairy milk - we use rice, almond, or cashew milk
- Potato
- Carrots
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Black pepper
Macaroni
- Pasta - your choice: elbow, small shells, farfalle, mini penne, any small variety.
- Add-ins - broccoli, tomatoes, onions, carrots, peas, vegan burger crumbles, sweet peppers, green beans, jalapeños, red pepper flakes, breadcrumbs, vegan parmesan
🥣 Equipment:
- High speed blender
- A colander or strainer
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Veggie peeler
- Citrus juicer
- Kitchen knife
- Cutting board
How to Make Easy Vegan Mac & Cheese
While you're making the cheese sauce, it's the perfect time to prepare your macaroni or pasta, which brings up the question - what's the difference between macaroni and pasta? The answer . . . macaroni is pasta. The difference is the shape. Macaroni is a tubular elbow-shaped pasta - typically made with durum wheat - which is what I used in this recipe post. Often times, I'll use whatever I have on hand in the pantry, like bowtie pasta or small shells. Want gluten-free vegan mac and cheese? Be sure to select gluten-free pasta.
Prepare your pasta according to the package directions. Be sure to drain it really well once it's done cooking. Pour as much or as little cheese sauce as you like over your pasta and toss with a large spoon to thoroughly coat. Transfer to a large serving bowl or eat it right out of the pan. That's the beauty of mac & cheese. This is casual fare!
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Easy Vegan Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- High speed blender or food processor
- 5 - 6qt stove top pot
- 4 qt stove top pot
- A colander or strainer
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Pre-prepared - see recipe
Pasta
- 16 oz package macaroni of your choice
Instructions
Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Prepare cheese sauce. See the recipe here.
Pasta
- Prepare pasta (macaroni) according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly.
- Place pasta in a large mixing or serving bowl. Pour cheese sauce over pasta, a small amount at a time, and stir until thoroughly coated. Add more if desired.
- Serve hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Elsie Zanni says
Do you have any suggestions for replacing the cashews with something else?
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
Hi Elsie, I haven’t tried this recipe myself, but it might be worth a look if you want a plant-based cheese sauce without nuts as an ingredient: https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-cheese-sauce/
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
OMG - that cheese sauce! It's a delish & nutrish guilt-free pleasure!🧡