This easy vegan Mac and Cheese recipe is super simple to make, deliciously ‘cheesy,’ and filled with tons of healthy hidden veggies that add flavor and nutrition. Serve alongside the pasta of your choice or even zucchini noodles (zoodles) for a hearty, comforting dish!
The Best Vegan Mac And Cheese You’ll Have
I am a full believer in trying to enjoy all the flavors you want, regardless of your dietary needs. That means that you certainly won’t stop me from eating a creamy, ‘cheesy,’ yet dairy-free mac and cheese!
This dish is everything that I want in a creamy pasta dish – smooth, rich, moreish, and yet still surprisingly nutritious. In fact, I have a bit of a soft spot for saucy pasta dishes- like this Vegan Alfredo Sauce, Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, or Garlic Butter Pasta. This recipe remains one of my top favorites, though.
Obviously, if we compare a vegan and non-vegan version of a mac and cheese side by side, they won’t taste the same.
However, I think that’s okay – if anything, I like that vegan versions often manage to taste delicious but be far healthier.
Plus, with a special combination of ingredients, this vegan mac n cheese manages to mimic the stretchy quality of a dairy cheese sauce, while providing a ‘cheesy’ flavor too.
The Special Ingredients
This cashew cheese sauce is creamy from the blended nuts and packed with hidden veggies that add flavor and texture to the dish. Meanwhile, the combination of cashews, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice adds that hint of cheesiness to the sauce, but without any dairy.
And then there is the star of this vegan sauce recipe, tapioca flour. I know you’re probably wondering what makes this ingredient so special. Well, this starch is what gives the dairy-free mac and cheese sauce the same, stretchy, ‘ooey-gooey’ quality of a regular cheesy sauce- like magic!
Traditionally, this dish is served with tons of cheese, butter, and milk. However, this healthy vegan mac and cheese is dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free (depending on what pasta you use), paleo (if you use zoodles instead of pasta for a paleo mac and cheese), and filled with healthy fats! And all without compromising on flavor or texture.
Believe me, I know it’s hard to give up cheese. In fact, it’s one of the reasons that I stayed vegetarian for so many years (25!) before finally making the leap to Veganism in 2011. After making the ethical connection, I couldn’t imagine going back to eating dairy and other animal products.
Luckily, these days, with all the ingenious ingredient ‘hacks’ and ‘alternatives’ available, it’s becoming easier to eat an entirely plant-based diet without giving up your favorite dishes!
How To Make Vegan Mac And Cheese
This recipe is so easy to make, takes less than 30 minutes, and requires only a few steps. Plus, for a low-carb, paleo mac and cheese, simply swap out the pasta for spiralized zucchini. Check the step-by-step photos below for visual instructions.
Step 1: Soak the cashews in hot boiling water for at least 15 minutes until they are soft. This is the key to blending them into a creamy cashew cheese sauce.
Step 2: Prepare the vegetables by chopping the potato and carrot into 1-inch cubes and boiling in salted water for about 10-15 minutes, or until tender.
Step 3: Meanwhile, boil your favorite pasta as per the instructions on the packaging. If using zoodles, then spiralize your zucchinis.
Step 4: Add all the vegan Mac and Cheese ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth. You could also sauté the onion and garlic for a minute in oil before blending.
Step 5: Pour the cheeze sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow simmering for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 6: Combine the sauce with the pasta or zoodles and serve immediately. Optionally, you can sprinkle with some Vegan Parmesan Cheese and/or some fresh herbs of your choosing.
For the full ingredients list, measurements, and nutritional information (calories, etc.), read the recipe card below.
For Baked Vegan Mac N Cheese
There are two methods for transforming this vegan mac and cheese into a baked dish.
Method 1: Use an oven-proof large frying pan for steps 5 & 6 above. Then simply top with breadcrumbs and optionally some vegan butter and/or your favorite vegan cheese. Then, place this pan into the oven under the grill and broil for a few minutes until crispy on top.
Method 2: Transfer the vegan mac n cheese contents over to an oven-proof dish and top with the toppings mentioned above. Bake in the oven at 350° F for between 15-20 minutes. The breadcrumbs will turn golden, and the top will begin to bubble slightly.
How To Store:
This dairy-free mac and cheese can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. It is also freezer-friendly and can be stored for up to three months.
If freezing, it may be better to freeze in individual portions, and then reheat until piping hot before serving. You may need an extra splash of plant-based milk to bring the sauce back to its original creamy texture.
Another thing to note is that the tapioca starch may not retain the thickness and texture when thawed and reheated, unlike arrowroot flour.
This Sauce Is:
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free
- Dairy-free
- Paleo-friendly
- Plant-based
- Low-carb
- Flavorful
- Healthy
- Can be made nut-free
- Easy to make
Recipe Tips & Variations:
- Do you want a vegan cheese sauce without cashews? Try my Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe, which can be made in 3 minutes (perfect when you are busy).
- You could also use soaked sunflower seeds in place of the cashews for a nut-free version.
- For those that don’t own a high-speed blender, simply use ready-made cashew butter instead of the whole cashew nuts. You could also use almond butter or tahini if preferred – but this will affect the color and flavor of the sauce.
- You could use sweet potato instead of a regular potato, or even butternut squash or pumpkin. Just be aware these are relatively sweet, so may require more balancing with additional lemon juice/ apple cider vinegar.
- Lightly sauté the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes to enhance their flavor. Alternatively, you could allow them to sit in the lemon juice to help ‘mellow’ their flavors slightly.
- If using zucchini noodles instead of pasta, then it works best to use a spiralizer*. However, if you don’t have one, then you can use a regular peeler to make zucchini ribbons instead.
- Add some greens to make this healthy vegan mac and cheese recipe even healthier—for example, broccoli, spinach, kale, peas, zucchini, leeks, or asparagus.
More Tips:
- Add a teaspoon or so of white miso to the sauce for additional ‘umami’ flavor.
- The color of the cashew cheese sauce may vary. This can depend on the color of your carrots. Whether or not your nutritional yeast is fortified with B-vitamins, will also affect the color.
- If you want a ‘richer’ color, then you can add a dash of turmeric powder – just make sure to include freshly ground pepper too, so that you can take advantage of all the turmeric health benefits.
- Use whatever pasta you like – Just because it’s called macaroni and cheese doesn’t mean you need to use macaroni (…or cheese!) I used gluten-free pasta, with excellent results!
- If you don’t have tapioca flour available, then you can use cornstarch or arrowroot flour. Tapioca adds the lovely creamy, cheesy ‘stretchy’ texture (and arrowroot does to some extent). Unfortunately, you won’t get this from any other ingredient; however, cornstarch will thicken the sauce effectively.
If you give this vegan macaroni and cheese recipe a try, I’d love a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Healthy vegan mac and cheese ingredients:
- 1 large (200 g) potato peeled
- 1 small (100 g) carrot peeled
- 1/2 cup (75 g) cashews (see notes)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk of choice (I used canned coconut milk)
- 1/3-1/2 cup (100 ml) vegetable broth (or use more plant-based milk instead)
- 1/2 small onion (see notes)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (see notes)
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour (see notes)
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
- 1/2-3/4 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
- 1/3 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- crushed pepper flakes (optional)
Serve with:
- 12 oz (350 g) Pasta of choice (e.g. gluten-free) or zoodles (3-4 spiralized zucchinis)
Instructions
- Soak cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes until they are soft.
- Cut the potato and carrot into 1-inch cubes and cook in salted water for about 10-15 minutes or until tender (discard the water afterward).
- Boil your favorite pasta as per the instructions on the packaging or use a spiralizer to spiralize your zucchinis.
- Add all the vegan Mac and Cheese ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour over pasta or zoodles and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cashews: If you are allergic to nuts, try soaked sunflower seeds instead.
- Onion & garlic: You can fry the onion and garlic with a little oil in a skillet for a few minutes to enhance the flavor.
- Tapioca flour: You can use arrowroot flour instead of tapioca flour. Both make the Mac and Cheese a little thicker and "stretchy" similar to "real" cheese.
- Check the tips & variations, step-by-step photos, and the video in the blog post above.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving including pasta!
- Make sure to check out my other cheesy recipes like this sliceable Vegan Cheese or this Vegan Cheese Fondue.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
FANTASTIC! I have tried SEVERAL vegan Mac N Cheese recipes over the last 8 years. This is by far the BEST! I sauteed the onion and garlic like suggested and added a bit more soy milk that recipe called for to reach the consistency my family likes. I also added 1/4 tsp of turmeric for more color, used Better Than Bouillon No Chicken broth and added another small carrot.
Sounds awesome, Alice! I am glad you loved it. Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
I just tried this recipe today and it turned out delicious! I was really surprised by the taste, so cheesey and creamy. Thank you!
You are very welcome! I am glad you liked it. 🙂
Thank you for this recipe!
Been vegetarian for a few months and now thinking to go vegan. This recipe was delicious and I am not afraid of cutting cheese anymore. Thank you so much :)!
Good to hear, Sarah! You are very welcome. 🙂
Can this be baked? Like a casserole? Will the sauce alter if so?
Yes, that’s totally fine! I tried it before and it turned out great. 🙂
Hi Ela
Delicious recipe! It came out so flavorful:) thanks for your recipe!
I am glad it turned out flavorful and yummy! Thanks for your feedback, Roopa. 🙂
Hello Ella, I am a new vegan and feel so guilty that I didn’t become one before. I don’t miss meat at all. This recipe was pretty good but I would fry the onion and garlic next time for more flavour. It was a little bland for me but pretty amazing. Thanks for your recipe.
Thanks for your feedback, Carol! 🙂
Sorry I’m making This recipe soon and looking over the recipe and confused about what all goes into the cheese sauce, all of it?
That’s correct, Haylee. If you want an easier recipe with less ingredients, try my popular vegan cheese sauce: https://elavegan.com/easy-vegan-cheese-sauce-recipe/
OMG I love this dish!! This is my new comfort food!
So quick and easy. I placed the cashews and onion in with the potato and carrot in the last five minutes. Yum yum.
That’s awesome, Tarnya! I am glad you loved the recipe. 🙂
Hello! Could I use almonds, don’t have cashews, and also swap tapioca flour for regular flour or cornstarch? Thanks 🙂
Hi Isa, I wouldn’t recommend using almonds, as they won’t blend as nicely as cashews (except you have a really powerful blender like a Vitamix). Soaked sunflower seeds might work better. Cornstarch is fine. 🙂
Hi Ela ,
This looks so good. I am allergic to yeast , can you please suggest a replacement for Nutritional yeast?
Danke!
There actually isn’t really a good replacement for nutritional yeast. You could use miso paste instead but it won’t taste the same.
Hope this helps. 🙂
Is there something you can use instead of tapioca flour, I have white rice flour. I have everything else in my house and do not want to go to the store right now, it looks awesome and I want to make it!
Hi Lisa, you could use arrowroot flour instead. I wouldn’t recommend rice flour. Cornstarch could be used as well but the result won’t be as good.
Hope this helps. 🙂
Hello, I would like to know if I make this sauce, how many days does it last in the fridge?
You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 🙂
It was very good! I reccommend adding one clove of garlic at a time and checking because with two it came out a little too garlicy for me! Same with nutritional yeast!
Easy and delicious, Thank you!!
Thanks for your feedback, Abril! 🙂
This is so delicious! Thanks!
You are very welcome, Deborah! 🙂
Do you have a variation that could involve a crock pot by any chance?
Unfortunately, I never tried the recipe in a slow cooker, so I can’t tell you how it will turn out. 🙂
Would love to know how u got this color? Mine is pale. Not very taste either. Hard pass ????
Hey! The color depends on the carrot and also on the nutritional yeast. If your brand doesn’t contain B-vitamins, the powder isn’t yellow which results in a sauce that won’t be as yellow.
Do cashews in the healthy mac and cheese paleo recipe have to be raw or roasted?
Both work but I prefer them raw! 🙂
what can I use insteed of nuts?
If you can eat seeds, you could use soaked sunflower seeds instead of cashews. Adding plant-based heavy cream (e.g. 1/4 cup) might work as well.
I made this recipe exact except I didn’t have tapioca flour but mine did not turn out orange in colour and did not taste like a “Mac and cheese”.
It tasted good but definitely did not look like the picture.
The color depends on the carrot that you use and also on the nutritional yeast. If the brand you are using doesn’t contain B-vitamins, the powder isn’t yellow which results in a sauce that won’t be as yellow!
Do you know if the sauce can be frozen for future use?
To be honest, I never tried freezing it, however, I am pretty sure it will freeze without problems. 🙂
No offense meant here, but this was inedible. Not sure if I did something wrong, but I followed the instructions ????????♀️????
Not sure what you did wrong, however, this is one of my most popular recipes with lots of 5-star reviews, and raving reviews on Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/306596687131886260/) and Instagram. Maybe some ingredients that you used were old.
I am making this for my niece. She really likes baked macaroni and cheese. Can I bake this sauce?
Sure, that should be fine! 🙂