This is the best vegan mac and cheese. It's so flavorful, creamy, and made with simple ingredients. Make it on the stovetop or baked, both versions are out of this world.
The vegan cheese is made without cashews, I've used potatoes and carrots instead, among other healthy and easy-to-get ingredients.
Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food recipe, but this version is also super healthy, so you can enjoy it daily, and the vegan cheese sauce tastes like real cheese!
It's also perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion, and pairs really well with any vegetable side dish, like this sautéed Brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, or roasted cauliflower.
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🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is
- Ready in just 30 minutes if you make the stovetop version.
- Made with only 10 simple and easy-to-get ingredients if you make it on the stovetop, or 12 if you make it baked.
- Healthier than the classic recipe and also than other vegan alternatives.
- Inexpensive as it's basically made with potatoes and carrots, and no store-bought cheese is required!
- So comforting, delicious, satisfying, and perfect for the Holidays!
🧾 Ingredients
- Dried pasta: I used elbow macaroni, but any type will do.
- Potatoes: I like Yukon gold, but please use any type you have on hand.
- Carrots.
- Extra virgin olive oil: this is my favorite oil for this recipe, but pretty much any oil will work.
- Unsweetened non-dairy: soy milk is my favorite choice, but any type is okay as long as it's unsweetened.
- Nutritional yeast: this gives this dish a cheesy flavor.
- Lemon juice: I prefer to use freshly made lemon juice, but store-bought is also a good alternative.
- Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do.
- Garlic powder.
- Onion powder.
- Panko breadcrumbs: this ingredient is not necessary if you're going to make it on the stovetop.
- Vegan butter: same as above.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots in a large pot for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Step 3: Place all the vegan cheese ingredients in a blender (including the cooked potatoes and carrots) and blend until smooth.
Step 4 (stovetop version): Mix the cooked pasta and the vegan cheese in the pot. Reheat the mixture for 1 or 2 minutes if needed and serve immediately.
Step 5 (baked version): Preheat the oven to 400ºF or 200ºC and lightly grease a 9x13-inch (about 23x33 cm) baking dish. Add the drained pasta, pour in the vegan cheese, and stir until well combined.
Step 6 (baked version): To make the breadcrumb topping just mix the breadcrumbs and melted vegan butter in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Step 7 (baked version): Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping onto the pasta.
Step 8 (baked version): Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
📋 Substitutions & variations
- If you can't find the nutritional yeast, you could use brewer's yeast instead. If you can't find it either, use ¼ cup of beer and ¼ cup of milk.
- Panko breadcrumbs are the best choice, but any type of breadcrumbs will do.
- Use vegan butter if you can, but it can be replaced with oil (extra virgin olive oil is my favorite one).
- Use gluten-free pasta and breadcrumbs if needed.
- If you're soy-free, use any other unsweetened non-dairy milk. I would use milk with a higher content of fat, like cashew or almond milk, but anyone will work.
- For an oil-free version of this recipe, add vegetable stock instead of oil, or even more milk. Also, omit the vegan butter and I would go for the stovetop version in that case.
- Feel free to add other spices like ground black pepper, paprika, or cayenne flakes.
- You can also add other ingredients like tempeh bacon, jalapeño peppers, or fresh or dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, etc.).
🍽 Equipment
To make this recipe you need a high-speed blender to make the vegan cheese, but also a pot to cook the potatoes and carrots, and another one to cook the pasta.
You also need a strainer to drain the veggies and the pasta, a 9x13-inch (about 23x33 cm) baking dish, and a wooden spoon to mix the sauce with the pasta.
In addition to the measuring tablespoons, and the measuring cups or the scale you need to weigh your ingredients, but also a cutting board, a knife, and a peeler to chop and peel the veggies.
❄️ Storage
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container (ideally before adding the breadcrumb topping and also before baking) in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Freezer: store in an airtight container (ideally before adding the breadcrumb topping and also before baking) in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- Defrost: thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little water, or unsweetened non-dairy milk if needed.
💭 Expert tips
- Peel the potatoes and the carrots if you like your vegan cheese with a smoother texture.
- Don't over bake or it will dry out. You can also broil it for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown.
- You really need to use a high-speed blender to get a really smooth vegan cheese sauce, you could also use an immersion blender if it's all you have on hand, but it won't be the same.
- Cook the pasta al dente. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to cook in the oven so make sure it’s a little bit underdone to prevent it from getting mushy.
- Bulk up this dish by adding some steamed or roasted veggies, or some plant-based protein foods like tofu, tempeh, or seitan.
❓Recipe FAQs
Of course! Just cook the vegan cheese sauce and the pasta up to 2 days before, then mix until well combined and transfer to a 9x13-inch (about 23x33 cm) baking dish. Cover with foil and keep refrigerated.
Add the breadcrumb topping just before baking and bake for an extra 5 minutes, since it's going into the oven cold from the refrigerator.
Any non-dairy milk with a higher content of fat will be best for this recipe as it will be more similar to cow's milk.
I think soy milk is the best choice, but any non-dairy milk made of nuts or seeds is also a good choice.
I find coconut milk has a strong coconut flavor that can ruin the taste of this recipe, but if you like it, go for it!
But in the end, use what you have on hand, pretty much any type will do, as long as it's unsweetened.
Yes, you can. However, pasta water will be a better choice (instead of plain water), which is the leftover water that you drain off the pasta after boiling it.
Using pasta water, you'll get a creamier texture, but non-dairy milk is always the best choice if you want your mac and cheese to be super creamy and cheesy.
Classic macaroni and cheese should be made with macaroni.
The two main types of macaroni, straight or elbow, are great options thanks to their cylindrical shape that is perfect for holding the creamy, cheesy sauce.
However, any type of pasta is okay, so use what you like or have on hand. Short pasta is more convenient, though, because its size is ideal for each bite.
Yes, you can, but your sauce will be a little bit sweeter. I prefer to use white potatoes, though. However, you can use sweet potatoes instead of carrots, it works great, but carrots are my favorite choice.
🍝 More vegan pasta recipes
⭐️ Did you like this vegan mac and cheese? Please consider giving it a 5-star rating and comment below!
📖 Recipe
BEST Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried pasta of choice
For the vegan cheese:
- 2 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I used soy milk
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
For the breadcrumb topping (optional):
- 1 and ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots in a large pot for about 20 minutes or until soft.
- In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Place all the vegan cheese ingredients in a blender (including the cooked potatoes and carrots) and blend until smooth.
Stovetop version:
- Mix the cooked pasta and the vegan cheese in the pot. Reheat the mixture for 1 or 2 minutes if needed and serve immediately.
Baked version:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF or 200ºC and lightly grease a 9x13-inch (about 23x33 cm) baking dish. Set aside.
- To make the breadcrumb topping just mix the breadcrumbs and melted vegan butter in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Transfer the drained pasta to the prepared casserole dish, and pour in the vegan cheese. Stir until well combined.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping onto the pasta and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you can't find the nutritional yeast, you could use brewer's yeast instead. If you can't find it either, use ¼ cup of beer and ¼ cup of milk.
- Panko breadcrumbs are the best choice, but any type of breadcrumbs will do.
- Use vegan butter if you can, but it can be replaced with oil (extra virgin olive oil is my favorite one).
- Use gluten-free pasta and breadcrumbs if needed.
- If you're soy-free, use any other unsweetened non-dairy milk. I would use milk with a higher content of fat, like cashew or almond milk, but anyone will work.
- For an oil-free version of this recipe, add vegetable stock instead of oil, or even more milk. Also, omit the vegan butter and I would go for the stovetop version in that case.
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container (ideally before adding the breadcrumb topping and also before baking) in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Freezer: store in an airtight container (ideally before adding the breadcrumb topping and also before baking) in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- Defrost: thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: it can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add a little water, or unsweetened non-dairy milk if needed.
Michaela says
best vegan mac and cheese recipe I have ever tried and I have been vegan for almost a decade.
Iosune says
Hi Michaela! Wow, thank you so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Jocelynn Richard says
Is it possible to use stock instead of plant milk?
Adriana @ Simple Vegan Blog says
Hi Jocelynn! I haven't tried it myself, but I think it could work well 🙂
Linda says
Can you suggest a healthy pasta to use in this recipe?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Linda! I don't use any specific brand, sorry!
Melissa says
Wow! I really do not enjoy cooking. But I very much enjoy eating Mac and Cheese 😀 So I thought I'd give this recipe a go. This recipe definitely needs to be renamed. I suggest Super Yummy Mac and Cheese for the Kitchen Challenged 😀 It was so easy to make and tasted delicious. Next up, meatloaf! Thank you!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Melissa! So glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment!
Brigitte says
Good starter recipe , I added 1/2 onion with the potatoes , I did half sweet half white , reduced the oil and the nutritional yeast ….after all those alteration it was still blend I added sriracha and what truly made a huge difference is 1 to 2 tsp to your taste liquid smoke that was it ! It tasted like smoked Gouda ..yum I added brocoli and it was very satisfying.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Brigitte! Sounds so good 🙂
Hannah says
I also added sriracha and it does take it to the next level!
Cheryl Dunn says
Love this recipe! Thank you, my family can finally enjoy a dairy free Mac and cheese
I added lobster to one and it was delicious…
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I encourage you to make it vegan next time 🙂
Nicole says
This turned out great, I substituted in a bit of pumpkin cause I didn’t have enough potatoes. I also added half a teaspoon of ground mustard seeds. My five year old nephew said it’s half good and half bad - from him that’s a compliment. I’ll definitely make this again.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Nicole! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I'm glad you liked it!
Brooke Ashley says
SO good! Baby and adult approved.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you all liked it 🙂
Rene Serball says
So far I have tried general tsos tofu and this. I am beyond shocked at how good these are. I just started eating cleaner and of course my biggest issue is learned new recipes. Thank you so very much!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Rene! Thanks for writing to us 🙂 I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Gratia Taft says
I don't normally leave recipe comments, but for this I just had to. We've made it 3 times so far...in about a 2 week time span. I'm obsessed with this recipe. The first time we followed the recipe to a T and it was delicious but my boyfriend and I weren't sure if we like nutritional yeast or not. The next time we made it we omitted the yeast and used Worcestershire sauce instead (NOT vegan fyi, for anyone interested in trying our substitutions) but that didn't hit the spot (tasted like Chef Boyardee). So on our third time we added a little less nutritional yeast and a splash of soy sauce instead and that hit the spot! We also roasted our veggies and left the skins on. I love how easy and cost effective this recipe is, we're still on our first bags of potatoes and carrots, and how guilt free it is. I'm not vegan but just trying to make healthier choices and with this recipe I know I'll be eating a lot less mac and cheese.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I'm so glad you both liked it!
Rene Serball says
Thank you for this! I like the nutritional yeast, but may have to cut back here. I am going to try the Worcester and soy sauce. Appreciate the idea!
Riley says
Phenomenal! Much quicker, easier, and tastier than cashew-based cheese sauces! We added some diced jalapeños and tomatoes to our leftover sauce for a nacho cheese dip the next day — I recommend that as well!
Tyler says
Hello, I had some leftovers so I put it in the fridge, can you please give me directions for warming it up? I worry it will be dry if I put it in the microwave. Thank you.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! You only need to heat them in the microwave 🙂 If you see them dry, feel free to add a dash of olive oil!
Mardi Find says
We love this recipe. We tweak it a bit each time. Sometimes our potato and carrot ratio is heavier on the carrot just because that is what we had. We have doubled and tripled the recipe with great results. Sometimes I cut back on the oil and yeast flakes, sometimes we add horseradish or jalapeños. It freezes well. I cut the oil in half if I plan to freeze it and then add some oil when I thaw and remix. Thank you for sharing.
Iosune Robles says
Sounds so good Mardi 🙂 Have a nice day!
Tina says
Love this recipe!!! It’s quick, easy and tastes great. I substituted unsweetened apple sauce for the oil and omitted the salt and it’s still delicious! Even my skeptical hubby was amazed at how cheesy it is considering there is no cheese in it!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Tina 🙂 I'm so glad you liked our vegan mac and cheese recipe!
Gail says
So so good. But definitely add mustard to the sauce. I used some of the cooking liquid too. 1/2 cooking water 1/2 soy milk.
Iosune Robles says
Sounds good 🙂 I'm glad you liked it!
Anne says
Hooray! Mac and cheese without cashews! So simple and delicious. Thank you. PS In case anyone is wondering, it's still delicious without the oil.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Anne! So glad you liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
Yolanda Giddens says
Made this yesterday and it's a hit! Love it! Added more spices for my own liking but what a nice surprise!! Thank you!!
Iosune Robles says
So glad you enjoyed it Yolanda! Have a nice day 🙂
Eddie says
We want to make this
Iosune Robles says
Hope you liked it!! Have a nice day Eddie 🙂