The only vegan macaroni and cheese recipe you'll ever need (2024)

RECIPE

A creamy and comforting bowl of pasta, ready in under an hour

By Ashlie D. Stevens

Food Editor

Published June 13, 2022 6:50PM (EDT)

The only vegan macaroni and cheese recipe you'll ever need (1)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese(Getty Images/TheCrimsonMonkey)

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Weekday Plants is a weekly recipe column from Salon Food that centers on easy-to-make and adaptable vegan meals.

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While I think there's a greater understanding than there used to be about the fact that a vegan diet isn't just composed of an endless string of undressed salads, one of the things that many folks still worry about when transitioning towards eatingless meat and dairy is that they won't be able to enjoy their favorite comfort foods anymore.

In my case, I knew that I'd have to find a way to crack the code for making a delicious dairy-free macaroni and cheese.

Related: slu*tty Vegan founder Pinky Cole on creating a Black-owned, plant-based empire

When done right, mac and cheese is the epitome of comfort food. It's creamy, cheesy and carb-heavy— a trifecta of deliciousness.

Without the traditional additions of actual cheese and cream, however, it may feel hard to hit the right notes. As such, I've spent the last several weeks testing different combinations, from straight vegan shreds melted down in dairy-free milk to more involved sauces built on coconut milk, nutritional yeast and a prayer.

This iteration combines all the best elements of the test versions — good vegan cheddar, dairy-free cream cheese, oat milk and nutritional yeast — for a velvety, smooth sauce. When mixed with basic elbow macaroni and a toasted Panko topping, the result is peak comfort food that fits your dietary needs.

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Recipe: The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

Yields

6servings

Cook Time

35minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni (or any short, tube-y pasta); reserve pasta water
  • 4 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons powdered mustard
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 2 cups oat milk (See Chef's Note)
  • 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
  • 12 ounces vegan cheddar, divided
  • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, melt the vegan butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour, powdered mustard, turmeric powder and paprika. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until the resulting paste — called a roux — looks slightly toasted. At this point, the flour won't taste like just "raw" flour.

  3. Add the oat milk to the pot and whisk pretty aggressively until no clumps or lumps of flour remain. Allow the mixture to come to a light simmer, whisking consistently, until the sauce thickens.

  4. To the sauce, add 1/2 cup of vegan cream cheese, the nutritional yeast and 6 ounces of vegan cheddar. Whisk, whisk, whisk! (Vegan cheddar sometimes gets a bad rap for not melting as effortlessly as its dairy counterpart, but there are a lot of good brands out there these days. I like Field Roast Chao's shreds.) Salt and pepper to taste.

  5. It's time to add the macaroni to the sauce. If it's a little too thick, use the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency. Once it's fully incorporated and creamy, set the pot aside and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  6. Meanwhile, add a glug of olive oil to a small pan and bring it up to medium heat. Add the Panko bread crumbs to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir over the heat until toasted.

  7. If you made the vegan macaroni and cheese in an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, leave it be. If not, transfer it to a baking dish. Top with the remaining 6 ounces of shredded cheddar and the breadcrumbs.

  8. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve.

Cook's Notes

You can swap out the oat milk with NotMilk, which is probably the closest analog I've found to whole dairy milk. Readmore about how the dairy-free alternative stacks up against the crowd here.

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More vegan recipes we love:

  • 21 very wonderful vegan dinners from WoonHeng Chia
  • From breakfast to dessert, here are the 22 essential vegan items at Trader Joe's
  • KFC's vegan nuggets are unremarkable, but here are 2 reasons why you should still try them

Salon Food writes about stuff we think you'll like. Salon has affiliate partnerships, so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.


By Ashlie D. Stevens

Ashlie D. Stevens is Salon's food editor. She is also an award-winning radio producer, editor and features writer — with a special emphasis on food, culture and subculture.Her writing has appeared in and on The Atlantic, National Geographic’s “The Plate,” Eater, VICE, Slate, Salon, The Bitter Southerner and Chicago Magazine, while her audio work has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered and Here & Now, as well as APM’s Marketplace. She is based in Chicago.

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The only vegan macaroni and cheese recipe you'll ever need (2024)

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What is vegan mac and cheese made of? ›

The BEST vegan mac and cheese recipe! Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and cashews blend into a luscious, creamy sauce with a crave-worthy cheesy flavor.

What happened to Annie's vegan mac and cheese cups? ›

Sadly, Annie's Vegan Microwave Mac & Cheese Cups have been discontinued. But they still make Annie's Vegan Mac n Cheese and Deluxe Mac n Cheese boxes.

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
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May 4, 2023

Does vegan mac and cheese taste the same? ›

Vegan mac and cheese is essentially the same thing as regular mac and cheese, so… pasta with a cheese sauce, duh. BUT it isn't made with cheese. That being said, it still tastes like macaroni and cheese AKA the ultimate comfort food.

What is a vegan substitute for milk in mac and cheese? ›

Almond milk is a popular plant-based milk that's a great substitute for regular cow's milk. It has a nutty flavor, which can add a subtle richness to your mac and cheese. As it's used as a common milk substitute, you can simply put the same amount of almond milk as you'd put regular milk.

What are the ingredients in Amy's vegan mac and cheese? ›

FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC RICE PASTA (ORGANIC RICE FLOUR, FILTERED WATER), ORGANIC VEGAN CHEDDAR-STYLE CHEEZE (FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC POTATO AND CORN STARCH, ORGANIC COCONUT OIL, SEA SALT, ORGANIC GROUND SUNFLOWER KERNELS, NATURAL FLAVOR, ORGANIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONCENTRATE [CARROT, PUMPKIN AND APPLE], ORGANIC ...

Does Trader Joe's have vegan mac and cheese? ›

Trader Joe's Vegan Mac and Cheese has sparked elation coupled with the tiniest bit of hesitation. Of course, we're thrilled the product exists, but we stopped short of lunging at the shelves when we eyed the saucy tub in the prepared foods section; the ever-so-slight greyish tint admittedly gave us pause.

What is in Daiya mac and cheese? ›

Brown Rice Pasta (Brown Rice, Rice Bran), Filtered Water, Tapioca Flour, Expeller Pressed Safflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Salt, Natural Flavors, Pea Protein, Tricalcium Phosphate, Cane Sugar, Lactic Acid, Yeast Extract, Xanthan Gum, Annatto Color, Onion.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

Cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Fontina, and Gouda cheese are good options.

What is the most perfect cheese to use on Mac & cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What vegan cheese actually tastes like cheese? ›

Parmela Shreds

Parmela nailed it (don't ask us how). These cashew-based shreds not only taste like cheese, but they also melt perfectly. Varieties include Mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Fiery Jack.

Will vegan cheese ever taste like real cheese? ›

Keep in mind that all brands are different, so if you try one brand you don't like, don't give up on the rest. Vegan cheesemakers are coming up with new processes all the time that are making these cheeses taste even more like the traditional stuff.

What makes vegan cheese taste like cheese? ›

Nuts, such as cashews or almonds, are often used as they contain a lot of natural fat that gives a creamy texture once blended. Many brands also use a vegan lactic acid to add the tang and umami that gives that quintessential cheese flavour.

What is vegan cheese made out of? ›

The ingredients used in vegan cheese vary depending on the type of cheese being made and the desired texture and flavor. The most commonly used ingredients include plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, agar agar, tapioca starch, coconut oil, cashews, and chickpea flour.

What makes vegan cheese cheese? ›

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

What the heck is vegan cheese? ›

Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

What is vegan butter made out of? ›

Vegan butter is a non-dairy butter substitute made from plant-based ingredients. It is typically made from a blend of vegetable oils such as coconut, palm, or soybean and other natural ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and even algae. This makes it a great alternative for those who: Follow a vegan diet.

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