Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Winner, Winnerā¦ Vegan Mac and Cheese Dinner baked to perfection with a golden, crispy topping, and tender, creamy macaroni underneath. This dairy-free, mac and cheese recipe is healthy, delicious and SO easy to make. Itās a family favorite and Iām sure it will become yours too!
Why We Love This Recipe!
Itās all about the ācheeseā! The vegan ācheeseā is non-dairy and made with cashews, water, nutritional yeast, miso or dijon, lemon, and a few spices. It blends up in minutes using a high-speed food processor or blender. The result is a quick and easy, creamy sauce perfect for any pasta. There is no need for any flour, oil, or butter ā just wholesome cashews and a few flavorful add-ins!
Itās kid-approved! This recipe is kid-tested and a top hit with my 12-year-old daughter, who usually turns her nose up at almost everything I make. Now had I added veggies, it would not have passed (we are so opposite). This is just a simple recipe, but feel free to add in veggies like broccoli, kale, peas, etc., whatever you may usually add to your favorite mac and cheese!
As for myself, I seriously could have sat and eaten the whole thing myself. The crunchy topping adds a wonderful texture and is especially delicious!
More dairy-free mac and cheese options:
- If youād like a cashew-free version of vegan mac and cheese, try this stovetopĀ Easy Spicy Mac n CheeseĀ or Creamy Broccoli & Pasta for a change.
- For another cashew version, this Vegan Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese and Mac and Cheese with PeasĀ is amazing!
Ingredient Notes
Pasta: Use any pasta you like. Iāve used both penne and shell pasta, as well as the elbow macaroni, shown here. Make this gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta made with rice, quinoa, beans, or lentils.
Cashews: Cashews should be raw and unsalted, whole or in pieces. For best results soak your cashews in water before using them. They only need to soak for 2 ā 3 hours in cold water or 5 minutes in hot water (not boiling). Drain cashews before using. Soaking cashews aids in digestion and softens the cashews so they easily blend into ultra-creamy deliciousness!
Cheese Sauce: For the cheese sauce flavoring, nutritional yeast will add a ācheesyā flavor and nutrition, and miso (also healthy) will add umami flavor. If you donāt have miso on hand 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard (or 1 teaspoon dried mustard) will be great too. Turmeric is used to add a nice light golden hue, but if you donāt have turmeric on hand, no worries, youāll end up with a white ācheeseā sauce instead.
How To Make Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Making classic baked vegan mac and cheese canāt be any easier!
Here is a quick overview (the full printable recipe card is below):
- Start with soaking the cashews to soften them up for blending.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.
- Make the cheese sauce by adding the cashews, garlic, miso, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, and water sauce to the cup of a high-speed blender/food processor (above right). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Add the pasta to a baking dish, and pour the cheese sauce over the top (above left), give a good mix. You can eat it as is or continue to the next step and bake.
- Sprinkle the mac and cheese with bread crumbs (above right) and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Tip: If the top browns too much, place foil over the top. If it doesnāt brown enough for your liking, put it under the broiler for a few minutes, keeping an eye on it so it doesnāt burn.
Now your work is done.
Enjoy friends! xo
Can I Make Vegan Mac + Cheese Ahead?
Yes, you can prepare vegan mac and cheese one or two days ahead, but keep the cooked pasta and cheese sauce separate until ready to bake. If you assemble it and store, the sauce might get soaked up from the pasta and make for a very dry mac + cheese. When ready to bake, combine the pasta and sauce, and cook according to the directions given.
Can I make This Recipe Without Baking?
Yes! Instead of baking the mac and cheese, make a stovetop version by simply combining the cheese sauce with the pasta and gently warming it on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through.
What Type of Baking Dish Can I Use?
Mac and cheese can be baked in just about any type of oven-safe dish such as an 8Ć8 square with about 3-inch sides, 9Ć13 rectangular, cast iron skillet (pref 12ā³ if using 1 lb of pasta), round or oval 3qt baker. Need help deciding if you have the right dish? Just ask in the comments!
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 5 ā 6 days. This method is also great for meal prep!
- Freezer: To store longer, mac and cheese will keep in the freezer for 2 ā 3 months and stored in multi-use freezer-safe containers (affiliate link) or freezer-friendly baggies.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop, adding a splash of unsweetened plain non-dairy milk or water, until warmed through. Or microwave, adding a splash of unsweetened plain plant milk, using 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until warmed through.
What To Serve With Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is a side dish that is loved by just about everyone! Here are a few of our favorite pairings on TSV that go well with this creamy pasta dish.
- Blackened Tofu
- The Ulitmate Vegetable Lentil Loaf
- Vegan Collard Greens
- Savory Sauteed Kale
- Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
If you make this easy pasta recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintBAKED VEGAN MAC & CHEESE (+ STOVETOP)
Kid-approved, this cashew-based mac, and cheese is 100% vegan and so easy to put together in under 1 hour! Itās ultra-creamy and saucy with a delicious crispy topping that is a ātried and trueā family favorite recipe!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 ā 8 1x
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Method: blend, bake
- Cuisine: American, Vegan
Ingredients
- 16 oz. package pasta of choice (works with an 12oz package too)
- paprika, garnish (optional)
For the crumb topping
- two pieces of bread or 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- generous pinch of salt
Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked (see notes *)
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 ā 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- juice of 1/2 large lemon or 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 clove garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon white miso or 2 teaspoons dijon or 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot (will help keep it creamy), optional
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- dash of cayenne, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook your noodles and set aside.
Bread Crumbs: While waiting for the water to boil, start with your bread topping first. I toasted two pieces of bread we had on hand really well and processed them in the food processor until crumbly, a high speed blender will work too. Place the crumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a twist or two of the salt grinder, mix well and set aside. Quickly rinse the processor/blender bowl and move on to the cheese sauce.
Cheese sauce: In food processor/blender, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients and blend until creamy. Add more water, a tablespoon or so at a time, and blend again. Taste for flavor adding anything extra to taste ā salt, nutritional yeast, garlic.
Assemble: Once pasta is cooked and drained. Add pasta back to the pot it was cooked in, add the cheese sauce and combine well (you can also mix it together in the baking dish). In baking dish, pour mac & cheese and top with bread crumbs.
Bake: Place in oven for 20 ā 25 minutes, check after 15 minutes if crumbs are darkening too much for your liking, cover with foil. If your oven doesnāt brown the top very much (like mine didnāt), you can put it under the broiler for 5 minutes or so. Just keep an on it so the top doesnāt burn.
When done, let cool for about 10 minutes and serve. The sauce will thicken upon standing.
Serves 8
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 ā 6 days.
Notes
*Two ways to soak cashews (aids digestion and helps soften them): Soak in cool water for 2 ā 3 hours OR soak in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain cashews and rinse before using.
If you use a smaller baking dish or use ramekins, lessen the cooking time to 10 ā 20 minutes depending on the size of dish you use.
To make this gluten free use gluten-free pasta.
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Hi!I made this tonight for dinner and added a chipotle seasoning to the cheese sauce and to the breadcrumbs. I omitted the olive oil, added 2 cloves of garlic, no onion powder (cause I didn't have it), and a little more nooch. I posted a picture on Instagram (@theveganchemist). This was SOOOO good! Thanks for sharing!! :)
I love your additions! The chipotle, extra garlic and nooch sounds perfect. Glad you liked this and love hearing your take on it. I will try some chipotle next time. Thank you for stopping to share. :)
P.S. I tried looking at your Instagram profile but it's private.
I LOVED this recipe. I am new to the whole vegan world and I made this tonight. It was DELISH! I also had to blog about it giving you all the credit of course!!! Thank you so much for posting this! Making vegans all over the world VERY happy.
Thank you so much Elizabeth, and your very welcome! Thank you for the shout out. :)
SO glad I found this site! Making this deliciousness this weekend. My Mother and stepdad are Vegans and I'm supposed to be a young hipster in the throes of my risky youth of my early 40s and I'm JUST catching on! My husband is convinced that pasta is the devil, so I wonder how this would be converted to a vegan scalloped potato or cheesy risotto garnished with some coconut bacon and a garden salad with your creamy lemon & herb dressing! I have shared your site with my Mother and I'm so glad I found you! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you so much! I love the great feedback..it truly let's me know that others are really getting some use out of my recipes I test and share. I'm truly grateful!!
As for the sauce, it would great in scalloped potatoes or a risotto! And pasta, there's a lot of new ones on the market that are not the old school pasta. I've been lucky to find quinoa pasta that is pretty amazing, it's full of protein and fiber while acting the same as the pasta I used to eat growing up. The side salad and creamy lemon herb dressing sounds perfect! I hope you like this however you make it.
Welcome to the wonderful world of plant based/vegan eating, and thank you for sharing the love. :)
Thanks so much for the response. I am loving your site and am so excited to try your recipes. I just bough Veganomicon as well and own a few other books. I am blown away by all the recipes and delicious looking foods that are available. I don't know how old you are but back in the 70s, the only available Vegan foods were like, bean cakes, soybeans, brewers yeast, popcorn, maple syrup and lentils. There ya go, come up with as many combinations as you can! I have to pick out which recipe I'm making for us for dinner tonight! I will let you know which one I choose and how it goes over :-)-Monica
Enjoy all your vegan exploring, it's really come a long way! :)
Thank you so much! I've tried another mac and cheese recipe with nutritional yeast before – but it just wasn't that great. This was amazing. I made it gluten-free by using rice pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs. I'll definitely be making this again!!
Thank you, and your welcome! I have tried a few and this was the best of all 'so far'. So glad it worked for you too. And your gluten free additions are perfect. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! :)
Thanks so much for sharing. I'm taking baby Vegan steps at the tender age of 59 – what better time? I really appreciate all the delicious-looking recipes posted, and this weekend or next, I'll try the "White Bean & Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce," which looks superb!!!
Wonderful Carla! Baby steps are fine…it's a process of changing almost everything we have become accustomed to. I'm so glad your embracing this and giving it a try. Hope you love everything and I would love to know what you think. Cheers to new things. :)
This looks amazing! Do you know how I can add you to my blog list?
Thank you so much Marsha! Sorry for the long delayed response. Are you talking about adding me to your blog roll on your site. Here is a good tutorial on how to add a blog roll to your blogspot. Hope that helps. Cheers :)
Made this for dinner last night and I must say, probably the best mac n cheese I've ever had. I'm new to the vegan lifestyle and this helps with the transition. Thank you!
Great to hear on both accounts. I love this version of mac & cheese and it's so easy to put together. Welcome to the world of vegan! Cheers :)
I made this the other night and it turned out great! It was a lot easier to make than I expected. It made so much that I think I'll only do half the recipe next time. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you liked it! It does make quite a bit, enough for four generously so halving will be great if you don't want leftovers. Enjoy your time :)
I really want to try vegan mac and cheese with cashews! It looks like yours came out very good. I will have to try it! I just made a butternut squash vegan mac & cheese recipe that was great!
This recipe sounds amazing! I never made some vegan mac-n-cheese. I don't know why i've been waiting! I will try it
You've been waiting for the right one, and this is it! You can half this recipe also if you need. Enjoy, it's really good :)