4.3 from 66 votes
Vegan Mac and Cheese
This Vegan Mac and Cheese uses cooked elbow macaroni combined with a creamy sauce made from steamed potatoes, carrots, onions, soaked cashews, and nutritional yeast. The sauce blends into a smooth, slightly cheesy-flavored coating that envelops the pasta, recreated without dairy. Turmeric adds a subtle color boost. The sauce’s texture is creamy and rich, with lemon juice providing a slight tang. The dish is a plant-based alternative that can be reheated with added liquid to maintain sauce consistency.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Soak Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
8
Calories:
205 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni cooked (or any pasta of choice)
- 2 medium potato peeled and cubed (about 1 cup, yellow
- 2 medium carrot peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (about ½ cup
- 1 small yellow onion quartered
- 2 large garlic roughly chopped, cloves
- 1 cup non-dairy milk I used almond milk, unsweetened; of your choice
- ¾ cup cashew nuts soaked for 2-4 hours or overnight, raw
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste, sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder optional
- ½ cup water reserved pasta water
Instructions
- If you haven’t already soak your cashews for 2-4 hours. If you have a high powered blender like a Vitamix you can get away with soaking for only 30 minutes-1 hour.
- Fill a large pot with about 1 inch of water. Add potatoes, carrots and onion to a steamer basket or metal colander and steam for about 15 minutes or until soft.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Drain and transfer the pasta back to the pot.
- Place all the vegan cheese ingredients in a blender (including the cooked potatoes, carrots and onions) and blend until smooth.
- Pour the vegan cheese over cooked pasta, adding up to 1/2 cup pasta water to loosen the sauce, as necessary. Stir to fully combine.
- Season to taste and serve.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat it, add a little bit of milk or water to thin out the sauce. When reheating, stir often to avoid burning.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Serving
1/8 of recipe
Calories
205kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
8g
(16%)
Fat
6g
(9%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Sodium
320mg
(13%)
Potassium
120mg
(3%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 205
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/8 of recipe | |
| Calories | 205kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 320mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 120mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.