This is the best Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe I’ve ever tasted. Tender macaroni pasta is tossed in a creamy cashew “cheese” sauce, creating a remarkably similar taste and texture to the original. Everyone who tries this vegan Mac n’ Cheese loves it– even if they’re NOT vegan!
Preheat oven to 350. Cook macaroni until just al dente or a little under al dente. Drain pasta and set aside. In a large bowl, add milk, heavy cream & cheeses. The BEST Stovetop Mac and Cheese This truly is the BEST stovetop mac and cheese recipe! It only requires one pot (no extra pot to cook the pasta), it’s ready to.
What I love about this vegan Mac and Cheese recipe is that it’s just as fast to prepare as the version that comes in a box with neon-orange food coloring.
While your pasta is cooking, you simply blend the creamy vegan cashew sauce in a blender until smooth. When the pasta is done, stir in the sauce and serve! It doesn’t get much easier or faster than that. If you have an Instant Pot and would prefer to use that, you should also try my Instant Pot Vegan Mac n’ Cheese.
This sauce gets its signature “cheesy” flavor from a combination of nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Nutritional yeast, also sometimes called “nooch,” is a deactivated yeast, so it’s thought to be safe for those following a candida diet. I use it in my cashew Parmesan and popular vegan queso, too!
Just one tablespoon of nutrition yeast can contain up to 38 mg of niacin, which is involved in your body’s metabolism and enzyme function. (source)
The nutritional yeast contributes a “cheesy” flavor to this sauce, so I recommend using it if you can for the most authentic taste. However, the sauce will still be creamy and flavorful without it! It just won’t have as much of a “cheesy” flavor without it.
I like to add turmeric to this sauce for it’s almost neon-orange hue, and it also contains naturally anti-inflammatory compounds. When you add just a little, you can’t taste it at all, but this ingredient is totally optional if you don’t have it on hand. (For another way to enjoy turmeric, try my easy homemade Golden Milk!)
It’s important to check the label on the package of your macaroni noodles, but most pasta that I’ve come across is naturally vegan. (With the exception of egg noodles.) Whole wheat pasta, lentil & bean based pasta, and brown rice pasta is usually vegan in my experience.
Since the cheese sauce is gluten-free, this dish is naturally gluten-free when you choose a gluten-free pasta to serve it with. For the dish pictured above, I used Banza Chickpea pasta, which turned out pretty well!
If you follow food combining, serve this cheesy cashew sauce over steamed cauliflower florets, spaghetti squash, or zucchini “noodles” instead of a grain-based pasta for a properly combined meal.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain the cashews if you soaked them. (This makes them easier to blend.)
While the pasta is cooking, combine the cashews, lemon juice, water, salt, nutritional yeast, chili powder, garlic, turmeric, cayenne (if using), and mustard in a high speed blender and blend until silky smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 2-4 more tablespoons of water and blend again.
Once the pasta is tender, drain and rinse it, then return the pasta to the pot and stir in the cheese sauce. Season to taste and serve warm!
As always, if you make a modification to this recipe please leave a comment below letting us know what worked for you. We can all benefit from your experience!
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