Vegan Mac and Cheese

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.

Ingredients

  • peeled and diced yukon gold potato
    ¾ c
  • peeled and diced sweet potato
    ¾ c
  • garlic cloves
    2
  • raw cashews
    ¼ c
  • apple cider vinegar
    1 tbsp
  • nutritional yeast
    2 tbsp
  • onion powder
    ½ tsp
  • sea salt
    ½ tsp
  • extra-virgin olive oil
    ¼ c
  • water
    ¼ c
  • elbow macaroni
    12 oz
  • sea salt
    to taste

Directions

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Vegan Mac and Cheese

4.9(111)

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Ratings & Reviews

0.0/ 5
Exceptional

Based on 111 ratings

loveandlemons.com
4.9(111 reviews)
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Rating Breakdown

About this Recipe

Craving that comforting, cheesy goodness of mac and cheese, but looking for a delicious plant-based option? This recipe delivers the best vegan mac and cheese you'll ever taste, transforming simple ingredients into a truly crave-worthy main course.

Why This Vegan Mac and Cheese Works

The secret to this luscious vegan mac and cheese lies in its brilliant blend of whole food ingredients. Sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, and raw cashews are pureed to create an incredibly smooth, thick, and rich sauce that rivals any dairy-based version. The addition of nutritional yeast provides that essential umami and crave-worthy cheesy flavor without needing any actual cheese.

What to Expect

Prepare for a truly indulgent experience. You'll be delighted by the velvety, creamy texture of the sauce, which perfectly coats every piece of elbow macaroni. The flavor profile is deeply savory, with a delightful tang from the apple cider vinegar that brightens the richness. It’s a comforting, satisfying dish that will please both vegans and dairy-lovers alike, proving that a vegan mac and cheese recipe can be every bit as delicious as the classic.

Customization & Variations

This robust sauce base is quite adaptable. While elbow macaroni is a classic choice, feel free to experiment with other pasta shapes like shells or cavatappi to hold even more of that creamy sauce. You can also vary the type of potato, trying different starchy varieties to see how they subtly shift the sauce's texture and flavor.

Serving & Context

This vegan mac and cheese makes for a fantastic main course on a cozy night in or a crowd-pleasing dish to share at any potluck. Serve it alongside a fresh green salad to balance the richness, and watch it disappear!

Frequently Asked Questions