Best Damn Vegan Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese literally gives me life—it’s the ultimate comfort food and always a total crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re serving this up for a quick weeknight family dinner or as a star side dish at Thanksgiving, you just know the pot will be scraped clean and everyone will be full and happy. It’s probably the food I’ve missed the most since going plant-based. Let’s be honest: I’m not going to sit here and tell you that vegan mac and cheese tastes exactly like the dairy-filled original, because it simply doesn’t. But I will say this recipe comes pretty damn close.

This easy-to-make dairy-free version is my absolute favorite for good reason. Instead of relying on store-bought shreds, it uses a brilliant, creamy base of raw cashews, wholesome russet potatoes, and carrots. Nutritional yeast and ground mustard step in to give it that sharp, cheesy tang you crave. Plus, the recipe is broken down into incredibly simple steps, guiding you through boiling the veggie base, blending up the luscious dairy-free cheese sauce, cooking your favorite pasta, and stirring it all together. This reimagined Southern staple will surely satisfy those serious mac-attack cravings.

Baked vs. Stovetop Vegan Mac and Cheese

When it comes to plant-based mac and cheese, it usually means different things to different people. There’s the quick stovetop version (like this recipe!) and the baked casserole-like version. Each has its die-hard fans.

• Stovetop: This recipe is a classic stovetop vegan macaroni and cheese, which means it tends to be ultra-creamy, velvety, and has a much higher sauce-to-pasta ratio than baked versions. It’s also much faster to get on the table!
• Baked: Baked vegan mac and cheese is great if you love a crunchy breadcrumb topping for textural contrast. However, baked versions can sometimes dry out if the cashew sauce thickens too much in the oven. (Pro-tip: If you really want that baked vibe with this recipe, you can definitely pour the coated pasta into a baking dish, top with some vegan breadcrumbs or extra paprika, and broil it for a few minutes until golden!)

And despite the recipe’s name, you don’t have to use macaroni for this dairy-free mac and cheese! Feel free to substitute any short, gluten-free pasta—shells or rotini work beautifully to hold all that creamy cashew cheese sauce.

Making Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese Ahead

You can easily prep this vegan mac and cheese ahead of time and reheat it, but my preferred make-ahead method is to prepare the cashew and vegetable cheese sauce completely and store it separately.

To do so, after blending the sauce until perfectly smooth, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (or freeze it for up to three months!). When you are ready to serve, simply boil your pasta fresh, warm the dairy-free sauce in a saucepan on the stove, and toss them together. If the chilled sauce has thickened up a bit too much, just whisk in a splash of dairy-free milk until it reaches your desired consistency. This guarantees the creamiest texture every single time!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups diced russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup dairy free milk
• 1/2 onion
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch paprika
• 16 oz dry pasta (preferably gluten free)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot add the russet potatoes, diced carrots, and cashews. Cover with water and bring to a boil stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
2. Drain vegetable mixture and add to a food processor with all remaining ingredients except for the pasta. Purée until smooth.
3. Cook pasta according to directions.
4. Cover pasta with vegetable purée mixture and mix until pasta is evenly coated. Top with paprika if desired when serving.