Servings
Font
Back
4.9 from 324 votes

Vegan Mac and Cheese

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

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 3 to 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the vegan cheese sauce
  • ¾ cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potato
  • ¾ cup peeled and diced sweet potato
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup water
For the mac and cheese
  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • sea salt to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Make the vegan cheese: Place the Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 8 to 12 minutes.
  2. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a high-speed blender with the garlic, cashews, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, olive oil, and water. Blend until smooth.
  3. Make the mac and cheese: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
  4. Drain and transfer the pasta back to the pot. Stir in the vegan cheese sauce, adding up to ½ cup pasta water to loosen the sauce, as necessary. Season to taste and serve.