Craving comfort food without the dairy? This creamy, delicious vegan mac and cheese is made with wholesome plant-based ingredients and comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or indulgent side dish.
There are a lot of ways to make dairy-free macaroni and cheese, but I think this is the best vegan mac and cheese! I’ve perfected this recipe by using a cheese sauce base that is not just cashews or just potatoes, it’s both. The best of both worlds!
Potatoes make this pasta recipe low in fat and add thickness to the sauce, while cashews add creaminess while adding a perfect amount of healthy fats.
Vegan Mac and Cheese Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe is a healthy vegan mac and cheese using whole foods and is made without oil. For this recipe you will need:
- Russet potatoes – Can substitute with gold potatoes.
- Carrots – Can use sweet potato or butternut squash instead.
- Raw cashews – Make this tree nut free vegan mac and cheese by using hemp seeds. For very low fat cheese sauce, this ingredient can be omitted from the recipe.
- Unsweetened non-dairy milk such as soy milk or oat milk.
- Nutritional yeast – essential for the cheesy flavor in this dairy free mac and cheese.
- White miso paste – Alternatively you can add an additional 1/2 tsp salt and 1 extra teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Dijon mustard – Can be substituted with regular yellow mustard.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Salt
- Pasta of choice, gluten free if preferred. I like to use chickpea pasta for a fiber and protein boost in this recipe.
How to make plant based cheese sauce
Making the vegan cheese sauce for this recipe is easier than you think! All you need to do is steam the veggies and blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots.
- Steam the potatoes and carrots in a steam pot until soft, which should take about 10 minutes.
- Blend the steamed veggies and remaining ingredients in a high-speed blender. Alternatively, you can use a food processor but the sauce may not get very smooth.
- Pour the cheesy sauce over cooked pasta and enjoy!
Vegan Mac and Cheese serving suggestions
Even though the cheese sauce has hidden veggies, this vegan pasta is great with the addition of cooked spinach, peas, and broccoli. You can also add some chopped vegan sausage or meatless crumbles. Learn how to make your own vegan sausage in this recipe video.
Plant based mac and cheese is a healthy meal on its own, but also makes a creamy side dish. Try out this healthy pasta dish as a side to these healthy vegan main dishes:
Storage Tips
This recipe makes enough cheese sauce for an entire box of pasta. If you and your family have leftovers, the mac and cheese will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Mac and cheese makes a simple vegan meal prep recipe too. Since it is ready in just 30 minutes, you can prep for weekly vegan lunches in no time! Save even more time by portioning out your prepped meals into multiple meal prep containers.
If you have extra sauce, it can be used for more vegan mac later, or for other meals such as nachos or quesadillas. The sauce is freezer-friendly and can be defrosted for a quick pasta sauce in a pinch! I like to store the cheese sauce in mason jars for easy reheating.
This vegan mac and cheese is oil-free, gluten-free, and incredibly creamy—made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients for a healthy comfort food favorite. Perfect for anyone craving a dairy-free mac and cheese recipe that’s both allergy-friendly and delicious. Give this recipe a try for your next weeknight meal or as a vegan meal prep recipe.
Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
This creamy vegan mac and cheese is a delicious, dairy-free twist on the classic comfort food – made with wholesome plant-based ingredients for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 3 medium russet potatoes (1.25 lbs)
- 2 large carrots
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
- 1 cup plain non-dairy milk, such as soy milk or oat milk
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 16 oz. uncooked pasta, gluten-free if preferred
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and carrots and chop into 1-inch pieces.
- Prepare a steam pot or stockpot with a steaming basket with couple inches of water, and bring to a boil. Add the peeled and chopped potatoes and carrots to the pot, cover, and steam for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.
- Transfer the steamed vegetables to a blender and add the remaining ingredients, except the pasta. Blend until very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Boil the pasta according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the water and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir until the pasta is well coated with sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Store the mac and cheese in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Extra cheese sauce can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- See above for serving suggestions
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
