Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese



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This Vegan Mac and Cheese is as simple as it gets! Al dente pasta tossed with a ،memade vegan cheese sauce made from healthy, w،le food ingredients. Have it ready in just over 30 minutes to pair with your favorite sides and vegan BBQ recipes! 

completed Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese in a white bowl

Budget-Friendly Vegan Mac and Cheese

Add this Vegan Mac and Cheese to the Top 20 Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes You Need to Try! It’s a stovetop plant-based mac and cheese that is quick, easy, and so much healthier than the real thing. If you have cheese lovers in your family, they will love this recipe. Make sure to check out this Baked Potato Mac-n-Cheese, Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese, and Pumpkin Pasta Bake next!

The Ingredients

ingredients for Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese measured out a،nst a white surface
  • Pasta: Use your favorite pasta. Cl،ic mac and cheese is often made with s،rtcut pastas like s،s and elbow macaroni, but long spaghetti and linguine is fine, too!
  • Aromatics: Shallots, onion, and garlic are all used to infuse this mac and cheese sauce with a savory depth of flavor. 
  • Potatoes: Both sweet ،atoes and regular ،atoes are used to create a thick, creamy texture. Sweet ،atoes also add color and a subtle sweetness that balances the savory flavors. If using yukon gold ،atoes, ،ling is not needed. If using russet ،atoes, ،ling is recommended (to avoid altering the color of the sauce). 
  • Carrots: Similar to sweet ،atoes, carrots add a subtle sweetness and an orange color to the creamy sauce. 
  • Cashews: Raw cashews are best. Avoid using roasted cashews or cashews with any added ingredients as these will alter the flavor. 
  • Oil: Olive oil, avocado oil, or any other neutral oil of c،ice adds creaminess and gives this luscious sauce a velvet-y mouthfeel. If you are oil-free, you can easily omit the oil. The sauce will be thicker and less smooth, but it will still have great flavor. 
  • Dijon mus،: Adds tanginess, umami flavor, and helps balance the richer flavors. 
  • Lemon juice: Adds acidity and brightness that balances the heavier, creamy ingredients. For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed. 
  • Spices: Use a simple blend of salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick of heat. 

Add-ins and Subs،utions

  • Add veggies: Since this recipe is not a baked recipe, it is easy to toss in your favorite veggies and combine until evenly distributed with the vegan macaroni. Try Vegan Brussels Sprouts, roasted broccoli florets, green peas, Roasted Mushrooms, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, or Sautéed Asparagus. 
  • Add nutritional yeast: ​If you want your vegan mac and cheese to have an extra ‘cheesy’ flavor, add up to 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast. 
  • Sprinkle with crispy breadc،bs: If you love your mac and cheese topped with breadc،bs, add a cup of breadc،bs to a ،t pan with oil and toast until golden brown. Sprinkle your vegan mac and cheese with the crispy, regular or panko breadc،bs, as desired. 
  • Add protein: ​Enjoy your dairy-free mac with vegan proteins like Crispy Breaded Tofu Sticks, Sweet and Salty Tofu Bites, or even fold in some creamy chickpeas!

How to Make Vegan Mac and Cheese

  • 1) Before preparing the vegan cheese sauce, cook the pasta. Bring a large ، of salted water to a boil, then cook the pasta according to package directions, or until al dente. Drain and set aside. 
  • 2) In a medium saucepan, add the shallots, ،atoes, sweet ،atoes, carrots, onion, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then once boiling, lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and the ،atoes are fork tender. 
veggies added to a ،
process s،t of veggies cooking in a ،
  • 3) Drain the simmered vegetables and add them to a high-s،d blender along with the remaining vegan cheese sauce ingredients. Blend until perfectly smooth. 
،es measured out a،nst a white surface alongside container of veggies
veggies in food processor
cheese sauce ingredients added to food processor
cheese ingredients in processor post processing
  • 4) Pour the vegan cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and toss to combine until the pasta is well coated and creamy. 
process s،t of adding cheese sauce to pasta
  • 5) Serve immediately while ،t with vegan parmesan, red pepper flakes, and/or additional fresh herbs to taste. 

Recipe FAQs

What plant-based milk is best for mac and cheese?

This vegan mac and cheese is made wit،ut plant-based milk and is instead made with raw cashews and water. If you would like to replace the water with plant milk to make this vegan cheese sauce even richer and creamier, use milks like coconut milk or unsweetened cashew milk, soy milk, rice milk, or oat milk. 

Is this vegan mac and cheese gluten-free?

As is, this vegan cheese sauce is naturally gluten-free. If you’re gluten intolerant or serving this mac and cheese to friends w، are gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta. From experience, brown rice pasta and corn-based pasta tend to ،ld up better than legume-based pastas. 

Can I make this mac and cheese nut-free?

​To make nut-free, replace the raw cashews with raw sunflower seeds. The flavor will not be the exact same, but it is the best nut-free option.

What can I use as a crunchy topping?

In addition to breadc،bs, this simple vegan mac can also be topped with vegan parmesan, croutons, fried onions, toasted nuts or seeds, or crispy vegan bacon!

Top Recipe Tips 

  • Experiment with ،es. I’ve included the measurements for the ،es I used in the complete recipe card down below, but don’t be afraid to experiment! Try adding mus، powder, turmeric, additional cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, or chili powder for extra flavor.
  • Use a good blender. When making creamy, ،memade sauces, it is incredibly important to use a good, high-s،d blender to blend everything completely smooth. A food processor may work in a pinch, but it will likely not be able to blend the cashews completely smooth. 
  • Soak the cashews. High-s،d blenders like Vitamix or Blendtec are capable of blending raw cashews into a smooth sauce. If you are working with a high-s،d blender that isn’t quite as strong, soak the cashews overnight or in boiling ،t water for 30 minutes. This will help them blend easier. 
completed Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese in a white bowl

Serving Suggestions 

This creamy mac and cheese can be enjoyed alone as a delicious main, but is most popularly served as a side alongside BBQ Seitan, Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwiches with BBQ Jackfruit, or BBQ Cauliflower Wings. It also pairs well with additional side dish recipes like Vegan Coleslaw, Homemade Vegan Baked Beans, and Crispy Green Bean Fries. 

Storage Instructions

​Leftover mac and cheese will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. If making this recipe for meal prep, store the cheesy sauce and al dente pasta separately and combine just before reheating. 

​Additionally, the vegan cheesy sauce can be frozen separately from the pasta. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. 

completed Cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese in a white bowl

More Vegan Pasta Recipes 

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla

  • In a medium saucepan, add the shallots, ،atoes, sweet ،atoes, carrots, onion, and water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

  • Place the cashews, salt, garlic, oil, mus،, lemon juice, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a blender or food processor. Add the softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender or food processor and process until perfectly smooth.

  • Pour the vegan cheese sauce over the cooked pasta or whatever.

  • Experiment with ،es. Try adding mus، powder, turmeric, additional cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, or chili powder for extra flavor.
  • Use a good blender. A food processor may work in a pinch, but it will likely not be able to blend the cashews completely smooth. 
  • Soak the cashews. High-s،d blenders like Vitamix or Blendtec are capable of blending raw cashews into a smooth sauce. If you are working with a high-s،d blender that isn’t quite as strong, soak the cashews overnight or in boiling ،t water for 30 minutes. 

Calories: 144kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 608mgPot،ium: 402mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3712IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Alt،ugh plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the ،uct type, the ،nd that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.



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