In her quest to find the absolute best vegan mac and cheese recipe, former Epi editor Genevieve Yam tried many versions. After eliminating iterations made with chickpea or sweet potato purée, she landed on this creamy, comforting, and rich version—which also happened to be the easiest of all. This recipe re-creates the flavor and texture of the soul-warming childhood favorite many grew up eating but makes it suitable for anyone who avoids dairy or simply wants to enjoy more plant-based foods.
Unlike some vegan versions of the comfort food classic, this one doesn’t actually use any vegan cheese or vegan butter. Instead, you’ll make a dairy-free “cheese sauce” with cashews, miso paste, and nutritional yeast, flavored with Dijon mustard, turmeric, and garlic granules (which have more texture than garlic powder, though you could easily substitute one for the other). The combination, blended with a bit of water, makes a creamy, savory sauce that hits all the right notes with a genuinely cheesy flavor. (You don’t even need almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or any other milk substitute, since the cashews provide all the starch and fat needed to make a luscious sauce.) Because there’s no roux, it’s also easy to make this dish gluten-free simply by using our favorite gluten-free pasta.
This is cooked on the stovetop instead of in a baking dish, but if you like the texture that comes from baked mac and cheese with a breadcrumb topping, that’s easily solved. Just toast some panko breadcrumbs in a pan with olive oil until they’re crispy and golden brown, season and toss with some minced herbs, and sprinkle it over each serving. Serve this as a main dish with some steamed veggies or as a side dish at a cookout or potluck.
This recipe was excerpted from ‘One Pot: Three Ways’ by Rachel Ama. Buy the full book on Amazon.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
2 Servings
Ingredients
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Mac and Cheese
Preparation
Vegan Cheese Sauce
Step 1
Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender. Add 440ml (15 fl oz) water and blend until completely smooth. You should end up with about 600ml (20 fl oz) of sauce.)
Do Ahead: Sauce will keep in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Mac and Cheese
Step 2
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package directions until al dente. When ready, reserve a cupful of the cooking water, then drain the pasta as usual.
Step 3
Return the pasta to the pan and place over medium heat. Stir in the Vegan Cheese Sauce and heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add a splash of the reserved water if the sauce has thickened too much. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in October 2021. Head this way for more of our best vegan recipes →
Recipe notes
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