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.
Patty says
This is fantastic! But I didn’t realize how much this recipe makes. Does this Mac and cheese freeze well?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Patty! So glad you liked it 🙂 You can freeze it all together once it’s cold or you can split it into portions. Also, you can also freeze the vegan cheese separately!
Marshley says
Thank you! I’m allergic to nuts so finding a cashew free mac and cheese recipe was very difficult. I only had one cup of potatoes so I used 1 cup of sweet potatoes to complete the recipe. It came out amazing!! Thank you again!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Marshley! So glad you liked our vegan mac and cheese 🙂 Have a nice day!
Layla Lewis says
Really want to try this recipe as it looks fantastic.
I cant find onion or garlic powder in the shops however I do have onion and garlic granules in my pantry - can I use those instead?
Thank you 🙂
Iosune Robles says
Hi Layla! Yes, feel free to use onion and garlic granules 🙂 Hope you like our mac and cheese!
Gigi says
I just made this recipe and it is great! I have tried cashew-based recipes, but I like this one better. I used a high speed blender to make it really creamy, added turmeric and black pepper, and poured over half pasta/half steamed cauliflower. Thanks for the recipe!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Gigi! So glad you liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
Mati says
Loved it! First time making a mac and cheese without cashews, and I much prefer this one. Creamy and flavoursome, it’s going to be eaten at home again and again. Thank you so much for all your recipes, I have made a few of them and they are all fantastic. Greetings and thanks from Valencia, Spain!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Mati! So glad you enjoyed our vegan mac and cheese 🙂 Thank you so much for writing us! Have a nice day!
katie says
tasted delicious! I added some vegan cheese to the top and baked it a bit so it would be crunchy. This is the best vegan mac n cheese recipe i've seen to date. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Katie! Thanks for your kind words 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Aideen Caruana says
I have been a vegan for over 10 years so I have tried out a few of mac and cheeses This is defiantly my fav.
I have never made one without nuts (which can be awkward as you have to remember to soak them the night before) and this was such a quick and easy dish.
Thank you so much, I cannot wait to try out other recipes on your blog!
Christel says
I absolutely love this recipe! I made it for my brother and my mother and my mother is not vegan and told me she'd rather have real mac and cheese, but I like this one better. I have lots of potatoes and carrots leftover, so I will surely have some mac and cheese for lunch soon! I made the recipe x0,5 but didn't have enough for 3 people and my brother doesn't even eat that much.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Christel! So glad you and your family liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
Kimmy says
I tried it and it was delicious. My daughter is not a big fan of mac and cheese and she enjoyed it very much. We will definitely make it again
Iosune Robles says
Hi Kimmy! So glad you and your daughter liked it 🙂 Have a nice day!
Cindy says
can I use sweet potato instead of white?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Cindy, I haven't tried it with sweet potato. But, feel free to do it and tell me if it works 🙂 Have a nice day!
Avice says
Made parmesan cheese recipe, excellent taste, so easy to make and no perservatives!
Will no longer buy.
Looking forward to trying other recipes!
Thanks you so much for sharing!
Also, on queso cheese recipe, have you ever used sweet potatoes instead of white?
Dann Hagstrom says
This was fantastic. I could not resist adding a touch of turmeric for color and my kids INHALED it because they thought it was that *kraftystuff*.
Iosune Robles says
I am glad your kids and you like this recipe 🙂
sylvia says
Oh Kara... I am sorry. My earlier comment appeared as a reply to your question. I didn't intend that, but since I'm here, I'll take a stab at your question! I assume veggie broth would work. I would use the broth that resulted from cooking the potatoes adn carrots.
Kara says
Hello, I don’t know if anyone else asked this, but do you think that veggie broth instead of plant milk would suffice? All I have is unsweetened coconut milk, and I’m worried it’ll make it taste coconut-y.
sylvia says
Delish... and so quick to make! I reduced the oil, and added smoked paprika as others suggested. Thank you for this very clever recipe!!
Hilary says
Hi there, I loved your vegan butter recipe so I was so excited to have a look through your other recipes. My husband is allergic to carrots. Is there a substitute I can make? This looks absolutely delicious.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Hilary!! You can use pumpkin instead! give it a try and let us know! hugs!
Hilary says
Hi! I ended up using some giant pink banana squash, but that is a heritage variety that tastes just like butternut. It was awesome! So creamy! Do you have a recommendation for the best potato variety to use?
Thanks so much for your awesome recipes!
Mirna says
Best vegan mac n cheese recipe I've tried so far! Really good, just needed to add a bit more salt. I added mustard powder to mine. Thank you for sharing!
Iosune says
Hi Mirna! So glad you liked it so much 🙂
Jade says
This is amaaaazing! added a little more salt and some smoked paprika and black pepper.... mmmmmm!!!!
Iosune says
Hi Jade! Sounds great 🙂
Aryanna says
The sauce is a tad tangy/bitter. Is there a way to make it a little sweeter?
Iosune says
Hi Aryanna! My sauce wasn't tangy, but you could add less lemon juice if you want and a little bit of sugar, or even more carrots 🙂
Margaret says
This is also a very good over steamed asparagus and rice (which is how I used the leftovers). The only change I made was reducing the olive oil to 1/4 cup. Thank you!
Iosune says
Hi Margret! Sounds great 🙂
Jeni says
Oh my goodness!! This is the best, so creamy and delicious!
I boiled up a pound of whole wheat elbow pasta but didn't use it all, not sure if I just like it cheesier or if it was because they were wheat but I could tell it would have been too many noodles, not sure if this happened to anyone else?
This recipe is replacing my old go to mac and cheese recipe. Thank you!!
Iosune says
Hi Jeni! Thank you so much 🙂 So glad you liked it!