Vegan mac and cheese, made from scratch with super healthy and easy-to-get ingredients. It’s so flavorful, cheesy, creamy and ready in just 30 minutes!
vegan mac and cheese
vegan mac and cheeseWho doesn’t love mac and cheese? It’s a classic comfort food recipe, but this version is also super healthy, so you can enjoy it on a daily basis, yay!
Just in case you didn’t notice, I have a thing with mac and cheese (this is the third vegan mac and cheese recipe I share on the blog). I didn’t eat it growing up, as it’s not a popular dish in my country, but since I tried it for the first time, it became one of my favorite pasta dishes and I make it quite often.
This version is made from scratch with just dried pasta and our vegan cheese (I omitted the cayenne powder and used plant milk instead of water this time), and ready in less than 30 minutes!
The classic recipe is made with lots of dairy products (butter, milk, several types of cheese) and really high in fat. Our vegan mac and cheese is much lighter, and you can also use plant milk or water instead of the oil to make an oil-free and low-fat recipe.
I didn’t bake my mac and cheese because I like it this way, I save time and money, and this version is also healthier and lighter. However, if you want to bake it, just read our tips to make vegan mac and cheese.
vegan mac and cheese ingredients
- Dried pasta – Any type of short pasta is okay, but elbow macaroni is the most popular kind. Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Potatoes – Any kind of potatoes is okay. I prefer to peel them, but it’s up to you.
- Carrots – I always peel the carrots when I make this recipe, to get a smoother texture, but it’s also up to you.
- Extra virgin olive oil – I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil is okay. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier. If you don’t eat oil, just use some water or milk instead. As oil is thicker, you’ll probably need to add a little bit less liquid.
- Unsweetened plant milk – Any type of unsweetened plant-based milk is okay. However, soy milk is my favorite one.
- Nutritional yeast – If you can’t find it, you could also use brewer’s yeast or even some beer instead of the milk.
- Lemon juice – Fresh juice is better. Store-bought is also okay if it’s made with simple ingredients.
- Salt – I always use Himalayan pink salt. Any type of salt is okay though.
- Garlic and onion powder – I haven’t made this recipe using fresh garlic and onion, but I think it’s not the same. The vegan cheese tastes better when you use both garlic and onion powder. However, you could use only one of them if you want.
tips to make vegan mac and cheese
- Feel free to add other spices like ground black pepper, paprika or cayenne flakes. And also other ingredients like tempeh bacon, breadcrumbs, jalapeño peppers, fresh of dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, etc.), or our vegan Parmesan cheese.
- You can also add the mac and cheese to a baking dish, top with store-bought vegan cheese and bake until golden brown. I prefer this version though, as it’s simpler and healthier, but super delicious.
looking for more pasta recipes?
- Butternut Squash Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Fat-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Penne alla Vodka
- Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)
- Vegan Mushroom Pasta
did you make this vegan mac and cheese recipe?
Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it or tag a picture @simpleveganblog on Instagram and hashtag it #simpleveganblog. We’d love to see what you cook!
Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Vegan mac and cheese, made from scratch with super healthy and easy-to-get ingredients. It’s so flavorful, cheesy, creamy and ready in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pasta (450 g), gluten-free if needed, I used elbow macaroni
For the vegan cheese:
- 2 cups potatoes (360 g), peeled and chopped
- 1 cup carrots (135 g), peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (85 ml)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk of your choice (125 ml), I used soy milk
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (8 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Instructions
- Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots in a large pot for about 20 minutes or until soft.
- In the meanwhile, cook the pasta according to 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.
- Mix the cooked pasta and the vegan cheese in the pot and if they’re both hot, serve immediately. If they’re not, reheat the mixture for 1 or 2 minutes and serve immediately.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat it, add a little bit of milk if the sauce is too thick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 316 mg
- Fat: 10.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 53.9 g
- Fiber: 7.6 g
- Protein: 11.7 g
The holy grail. I’m lactose intolerant but mac and cheese was my fave. After loads of “meh” attempts with vegan cheese, I tried making this recipe. It’s SO GOOD. I know this sounds cliché but it genuinely tastes creamy and cheesy. If you’re vegan or not able to eat dairy, definitely give this one a shot.
★★★★★
Hi Amaranth! So glad you liked it so much 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
I just made this tonight for dinner! I’m blown away at how similar it looks like to Mac and cheese , and it’s just as delicious thank you angel!!🙏🏼☺️
★★★★★
Hi Andrea! You’re so welcome 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it so much!
SO CREAMY! New to the vegan cheese thing, but tried another blog’s recipe that did not hold up. It was edible but not very good. This one is so very smooth, creamy and just utterly delicious!
*do you think the sauce alone would freeze well? I made the sauce separately and haven’t mixed it all in pasta. Just checking. Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★
Hi Jen! So glad you liked it 🙂 I’ve never frozen it myself, but some readers did and it worked for them…
I like it. I added some mustard powder to it and used white sweet potato. Next time I will add a bit of paprika.
Thanks for this recipe.
★★★★
Hi Elisha! Sounds great 🙂 You’re so welcome!
I used this recipe because I didn’t have cashews on hand for my favorite Mac and cheese recipe. My husband I both were able to finish but had trouble getting it down the potatoes made for a really heavy starchy consistency to the sauce. I would not make it again.
★★
Hi Rachel! I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work for you. However, this recipe is so popular on the blog. If you could tell me more, I could help you… Have a nice day!
Unfortunately the cheese is not cheesy. It LOOKS convincing but tastes more like veggie broth than dairy. I like this recipe as its own thing, though. Add roasted carrots, some green bell pepper, some hot sauce. It easily transforms into a kickass meal, but I have to highlight the veggies and not think of it as mac and cheese at all. A Tbsp of tahini stirred in makes it truly creamy.
★★★
Hi Mckay! As you can read in the comments this recipe works and tastes like real cheese. Did you use the same ingredients and follow all the steps?
This is delicious. I’m gluten free and dairy free and this is heavenly. Now I’m going to plot other uses for this “cheese” sauce.
Hi Nancy! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
can u use regular milk too if u don’t mind it not vegan
Hi! Any type of milk will do, but you should give plant-milk a try. It’s healthier and better for the planet and the animals 🙂
We all loved this recipe. My girls had third helpings. I omitted oil and used the vegetable water instead.
★★★★★
Hi Karrie! I’m so glad you and your girls enjoyed it 🙂
Hi,
Long time i’m searching a vegan mac&cheese and today, finally I found today. I made for my lunch today and was amazing. The color of the cream is like non vegan cream m&c and the flavor as well. Congratulations for your recipe.
Hi Leda! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
This was my first vegan Mac n cheese I made from scratch and it was so simple and delicious. I was surprised how creamy it was. My whole family loved it. Thank you! 🙂😁
★★★★★
Hi Shalay! So glad you liked it 🙂 You’re so welcome!
I made this tonight and it’s one of the best simple vegan recipes I’ve found! So delicious, we finished the whole lot!
Hi Tan! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it so much!
Amazing! This is a delicious vegan cheese.
★★★★★
Hi Katie! Thanks a lot 🙂