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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“This is not only the best vegan mac out there, it’s also the easiest! I have made this recipe so many times as written and it is simply perfect…” – Audrey
If you’ve been disappointed with other dairy-free mac and cheese recipes, I hope you’ll give this one a try. It took me over 10 attempts to get it right, and thanks to reader feedback over the years, it has only gotten better.
What you’ll love about this vegan cheese sauce is that it’s not labor-intensive. While the pasta cooks, you’ll toss a few ingredients in a blender to make the sauce. When the pasta is done, the cheese sauce is, too! (No store-bought cheeses required.)
With hundreds of five-star reviews, I’m confident you’ll love it.
Vegan Mac n Cheese Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cashews. Use cashews that are not salted or roasted for the most neutral flavor. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, soak the ingredients in boiled water for 10 minutes before blending to help them break down more easily.
- Nutritional Yeast. Also called “nooch” in the vegan world, these flakes add a cheesy flavor to the sauce without using dairy. There is nothing else quite like this ingredient, but in a pinch, you could substitute it with a small amount of white miso, which also has a cheesy flavor.
- Spices. Garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder add flavor to the sauce, while a pinch of turmeric lends an orange hue. (But that’s optional!) While the sauce might taste salty at first, remember that it’s being poured over a pound of pasta, which will dilute the flavor.
- Lemon juice. This adds a tangy flavor to help boost the overall “cheesy” taste. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, rather than bottled, for the best flavor.
- Mustard. This adds another layer of tangy flavor and helps emulsify the cheese sauce.
- Pasta. Macaroni noodles cook faster than practically all other pasta shapes, making this a quick-cooking dish. Choose gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free recipe.
How to Make Vegan Mac and Cheese
Step 1:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package directions. (I usually add a teaspoon of sea salt to the pot of water.)
While the noodles are cooking, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, mustard, salt, nutritional yeast, and spices in a high-speed blender. Secure the lid and blend until the mixture is very smooth.
Detoxinista Tip
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, cover the cashews with 1 cup of boiled water and let them soak for 10 minutes. This should help to soften the cashews. Pour the soaked cashews (along with the warm soaking water) directly into the blender, then add the remaining ingredients to blend.
Step 2:
When the noodles are done cooking, drain and return the warm noodles to the large pot.
Pour the sauce into the pot, and stir over medium heat until the mac n’ cheese is warmed and the noodles are well coated. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding more salt or lemon juice as needed.
If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to help loosen the sauce and make it creamier.
Step 3:
Serve this vegan mac and cheese warm, accompanied by any additional toppings you love. It’s delicious with veggies added in, such as steamed broccoli or mushroom bacon. (Yum!)
Vegan Mac Storage Tips
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The sauce will thicken when chilled, but should thin out again when warmed.
Add a splash of water to the pasta when heating it on the stovetop for the creamiest results.
Note: If you need to make this ahead of time, I recommend making the sauce and storing it in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pasta is best cooked fresh, and then you can stir in the sauce and heat until warmed through.
Flavor Variations
- Baked Mac & Cheese: Add an extra 1/4 cup of water to this recipe to thin out the sauce (because it will thicken when baked), then pour the cooked pasta and sauce into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. For a crumb topping, stir together 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup of melted vegan butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, then sprinkle the mixture over the top of your mac and cheese. (Use gluten-free bread crumbs if you need to.) Bake the casserole in an oven preheated to 350ºF for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn on your oven’s broiler and let the breadcrumbs brown for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the topping looks golden brown. Watch closely so it won’t burn! For a gluten-free topping, try chopped almonds or other crushed nuts.
- Green Chile Mac and Cheese: Replace a 1/2 cup of water with a 4-ounce can of green chilies. You can also add in a few slices of jarred jalapenos for extra flavor and spice. (This is inspired by vegan nacho cheese, which is my favorite vegan cheese dip ever!)
- Miso Mac and Cheese. Did you know that white miso has a flavor profile similar to Parmesan cheese? If you don’t have nutritional yeast on hand, you can add a teaspoon of white miso to this recipe to help bring out all the cheesy flavors. It’s always a good idea to start small with miso, as it can overpower a recipe quickly. Start with just 1/2 teaspoon if you aren’t sure about the flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cashews (not roasted or salted)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon spicy brown mustard (optional)
- 16 ounces Elbow or shell pasta of choice (gluten-free, if needed)
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Add a teaspoon of salt to the cooking water to make the noodles well-seasoned.
- While the pasta is cooking, combine the cashews, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, water, salt, nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic, turmeric, cayenne (if using), and mustard in a high-speed blender. Secure the lid and blend until silky smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water and blend again. You can taste the sauce, but remember that pouring it over a pound of pasta will dilute the flavor significantly.
- Once the pasta is tender, drain and return it to the pot. Stir in the cheese sauce and adjust the seasoning to taste. Add another tablespoon of lemon juice to brighten the flavor if needed. Serve warm with any toppings or add-ins you like, such as steamed broccoli.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. The mac and cheese will thicken when chilled, so you may need to add a splash of water when reheating it on the stove top, plus an extra sprinkle of salt.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
I can’t have any nuts, cashews or seeds. My body just can’t digest them well at all so I get sick from them. So is there any Vegan and Gluten Free substitution that I can use instead of the cashews in the cheese sauce? Thanks
You might want to try this recipe instead: https://detoxinista.com/2011/10/sweet-potato-mac-n-cheeze/
Thank you so much! I will definitely try that! It looks really good!
I was blown away by how
Good this turned out ! I added brocoli mushroom Califlower and artichokes which I highly suggest you trying since you love them so much ! My boyfriend thinks we should trick our unhealthy eattin friends w this dish and pretend its real cheese. I also topped it w Cheddar Daiya at the end to give a extra cheesy vibe. I made your chocolate chip cookies for dessert ! Highly recommend doing that as well. I’m making the stuffed peppers and muffins tonight ! Love your site!
I’ve been waiting to get a Vitamix to make this recipe. Purchased one three days ago, and I made it today. Holy moly, this sauce is so good! I served it over shaved zucchini for a raw pasta dish. It was a very happy dinner 😀
Just made this for dinner, saw it today rushed out to get pasta the whole family loved it! SOO GOOOD!
Thank you! You are very creative!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Megan, this dish is WICKED.
Now, that statement is coming from a nutritionist and passionate cook with views/”beliefs” that are identical to yours 🙂 I will never say something is AMAZING if it’s not really perfect. This mac & cheese tastes so cheesey and cheddar-y, it’s unbelievable. I topped the casserole with some stale sourdough crackers that I made (ground in a coffee grinder) to please my crumb-topping-loving husband. And my 3 year old said, “Mommy, this is really yummy in my tummy”. She’s not picky at all, but that is not a statement she makes all the time!
I am so happy I found your blog, and I will definitely try more recipes from here. Especially since all ingredients are what I use anyway and our tastes seem to be really similar. Next up, I’m going for the macaroons!
Keep up the wonderful work!
Sarah (all the way on the other side of the globe in Israel)
Made the whole shebang with the broccoli & shitake shrooms. The pseudo cheese sauce was very impressive & thie overall taste was delicious. Great keeper for vegans. Thanks!
I’ve made this for my family three times already and we looooove it better than “regular” Mac n cheese! Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe!
This looks awesome! Does it taste like kraft? I hae been trying to find an alternative to Kraft that actually tastes like it 🙂 Is this spicy?
Thanks!!!
It is possible to spice it to your liking! Add some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes or even a jalapeño or two. Give it a try! Play around with the ingredients a bit if it doesn’t fit your taste.
Hi there! Had to comment on this, because I think this recipe has saved my life. I’m a paleo girl who is allergic to gluten, eggs, beef (sob!), almonds, and dairy (both lactose and casein, and both cow and goat), and I was despairing of having anything left to eat. I had a flip-out the other day and ate one of the frozen mac and cheese dinners left in my freezer from my pre-paleo days, and almost didn’t have enough antihistamine to prevent breathing difficulties. The next day I found this recipe, and gave it a try. No more frozen dinners for me, now whenever I get the food blues I have this to cheer me up! To add in some meat protein and fat I sauteed onions and nitrate-free ham and mixed them in with roasted broccoli and cauliflower as the base of the casserole (leaving out the noodles), poured the sauce on top, sprinkled extra nutritional yeast on top to make a breadcrumb-like topping, and baked as directed, and this was absolutely stunningly delicious. Thank you!
Made this for lunch and I thought it was soooo goood! My main concern was my children since they’re a little more picky than me. My most picky my 5 year old didn’t like it but my six year old, three year old, and one year old each had three helpings. When I asked my six year old if he liked it he said, “no, I LOVE it!” Now that is high praise indeed! Thanks so much for the recipe!!