Description
This Best Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe offers a creamy, flavorful dairy-free alternative made with cashews, nutritional yeast, and optional vegan cheddar cheese. It can be quickly prepared on the stovetop for a comforting meal in under 20 minutes or baked with a crispy buttery breadcrumb topping for added texture and warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups water (or less if not using vegan cheese, see Notes)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 (7-oz) bag shredded vegan cheddar cheese, optional
Pasta
- 12 ounces elbow pasta
Breadcrumb Topping (Optional)
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep: If baking the mac and cheese with the breadcrumb topping, preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Skip this step if preparing stovetop mac and cheese.
- Soak the cashews: Pour boiling water over the raw cashews in a large glass container and let them soak for 5 minutes to soften. This ensures a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Cook pasta: Cook the elbow pasta according to package instructions, making sure not to overcook. Once done, drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Blend cheese sauce: Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soaking water. Add the cashews, fresh water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt, and shredded vegan cheddar cheese (if using) into a high-powered blender. Blend until the sauce is very smooth and creamy.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Mix the cooked pasta with the blended vegan cheese sauce until fully coated.
- Optional baked topping: If desired, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted vegan butter and smoked paprika, then sprinkle evenly over the mac and cheese in the prepared casserole dish.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy. Serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe is easy to make and yields a rich, creamy vegan mac and cheese that can be enjoyed quickly stovetop or baked with a crunchy topping.
- The stovetop version is ready in less than 20 minutes, while baking adds a few extra minutes for a crisp breadcrumb crust.
- If you skip the shredded vegan cheddar cheese, reduce the added water for a thicker sauce consistency.
- Soaking cashews in boiling water helps achieve a smooth sauce without needing long soak times.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 304 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 443 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
