Vegan Mac and Cheese
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!
Servings 4
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
*June 23rd, 2018: This is an updated (improved) recipe version with the addition of 1 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour!
- 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 Facts
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
517
% Daily Value*
Fat
12
g
18
%
Carbohydrates
76
g
25
%
Fiber
13
g
52
%
Sugar
6
g
7
%
Protein
21
g
42
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.