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Even if you’re not vegan, I think you’re going to love this vegan mac and cheese recipe. It took me 10+ attempts to get the dairy-free cheese sauce just right, and thanks to reader feedback over the years, it has only gotten better.
What you’ll love about this mac and cheese recipe is that it’s just as fast to prepare as the boxed version from the store. 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 over 400 five-star reviews, I’m confident you’ll love it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 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
Vegan Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- Cashews. This recipe calls for unsalted, unroasted cashews 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 and chili powder add flavor, while a pinch of turmeric lends the sauce an orange hue. (But that’s optional!) While it might taste salty at first, remember that the sauce will be 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 Dairy-Free 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 water in the pot.)
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 smooth and creamy.
Step 2:
When the noodles are done cooking, drain and return the warm noodles to the large pot.
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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.
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!)
Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese Recipe Variations
- Baked Mac and 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, 1/4 cup of melted vegan butter, and 1/4 teaspoon of 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 a preheated oven at 350°F 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’re unsure about the flavor.
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 separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. The pasta is best cooked fresh, and then you can stir in the sauce and heat it until warmed through.
The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe
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 recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
This recipe is AMAZING. This may be the most delicious vegan cheese sauce ever. My baked mac and cheese just came out of the oven, and I have already nibbled at it, I just can’t help myself. Thank you for your wonderful recipe, you are a food goddess! I am so overjoyed I found your blog, and can’t wait to try more mouthwatering yumminess from your site.
So you don’t soak the cashews at all before blending? I do have a Vitamix, so it can handle it I’m sure. But I often see recipes where the cashews are soaked for 20 minutes or an hour or four hours.
I’m usually too lazy to soak the cashews, but it probably is better to soak and rinse them first.
We came across your site last week and I have made so many recipes already- and this is one of our favorites- (we add sauteed mushrooms and chopped kale) In fact my 12 year old son made it today by himself! I left the cashews soaking on the counter and when I came home from the store, he had already made the sauce! I have to admit it was even better when he made it! He accidentally used Chipotle chili powder instead of reg. chili powder! Thank you for sharing a healthy substitute for his guilty pleasure!
Wow, lucky you! Sounds like you’ve got a personal chef in the making. 😉
The men in the house, who are serious gourmet (used loosely here) Mac n cheese addicts gave the recipe 2 thumbs up. The layers of flavor were impressive. Thank you!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this, it looks amazing! I always have an issue reheating gluten-free pasta- it comes out hard and tasteless. Assuming there is any leftovers mac and cheese, how do you suggest storing and reheating? Thanks, Lisa
We don’t own a microwave anymore, so I re-heat using my oven. Depending on the portion size, it usually takes about 10-15 minutes at 350F to warm up, and I find adding a splash of water to the sauce (you can stir it up to incorporate), and keeping the dish covered keeps it moist!
Just made this. Wow so far all your recipes ive made come out great! I used my plain old blender, not anything fancy like a vita mix. I blended the cashews first into powder then added the rest. It came together really well and quickly. At first i found the sauce a bit sweet from the cashews so i added bit more chili powder and salt. Also once i mixed it with the noodles and baked it, it really came together. I am not vegan and my husband usually HATES when i try recipes like these b.c they don’t usually come out tasting good. This time around when he tasted it, he really liked it! Even said i can make it again! Thats a huge deal! He had a plate of this and also some noodles with the oil free walnut pesto. He loved both. I am really excited about this, if you can’t tell 🙂 Thanks so much and i really cant wait to try more recipes!
This looks awesome!! I see that you talk about Candida on your website. Is the nutritional yeast in this recipe ok to eat for those concerned about Candida? If not, is there a good substitute for the nutritional yeast?
you deserve a fucking award for this recipe. my mind is blown.
LMAOOOO!!! This is indeed my queue to make this dish!
This is hands down the very best vegan mac & cheese recipe available ever. THANK YOU.
Made this with grated zucchini tonight… strained it and got a lot of the moisture out. It was so good and authentic tasting, almost like angel hair pasta. It brought me right back to childhood… yum! Thanks Megan!