This vegan mac and cheese is SO good and doesn't use any nuts! Whip up this flavorful dish in no time with easy ingredients!
I know. It's a bold claim, but I stand by what I said: this is THE best tasting vegan mac and cheese. Even better? No fake cheese required and it is made without cashews!
As much as I claim to be a pasta connoisseur, I'm even more so a connoisseur of mac & cheese. I'll eat it in any shape or form, but I'm picky about what makes really really good mac.
For me, I like stovetop, not baked. I prefer it creamy, not crunchy or crispy, and I want it to be very saucy. To get this consistency, you'll need a handful of ingredients, and a high-powered blender!
This recipe is healthy with no weird ingredients. It is tasty, creamy, and, most of all, I wanted it to taste like the best ever mac & cheese, not just the best vegan mac and cheese.
Looking for an easier mac and cheese recipe? Make my Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese!
Why you'll love this recipe
- No Vegan Cheese - Good vegan cheese can be really hard to find, and the good ones are usually pretty pricey. This recipe doesn't require any!
- Free of Nuts - Many vegan recipes rely on cashews for the creamy sauce. However, this recipe is free of nuts so long as you use a non-nut based milk and yogurt!
- Flavorful - All of the ingredients, vegetables, and spices in this sauce create SUCH a flavorful final dish!
What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Elbow Pasta - Any short pasta shape is fine. For a GF or healthier alternative, replace the regular elbow noodles with a chickpea or lentil pasta!
- Carrots - Whole carrots, peeled and sliced into coins or even-sized chunks.
- Garlic - I recommend using fresh garlic, not the pre-minced jarred kind.
- Onion/Shallot - A shallot is my favorite type of onion. But, if all you have on hand is a white or sweet onion, that'll work too but only use half!
- Non-Dairy Milk - Almond, oat, soy, etc. Unsweetened and plain flavor.
- Vegetable Broth - Use homemade or pre-packaged!
- Nutritional Yeast - Can be omitted, but is a great source of B12 vitamin and cheesy flavor.
- Miso Paste - I think that miso paste is integral to this recipe. However, I also know that not every grocery store carries it. If you can't find it, I would recommend adding more salt to the recipe. You can also order it here!
- Spices - Paprika, onion powder, white pepper, mustard powder, curry powder, and salt.
- Vegan Yogurt - Non-dairy yogurt can be replaced with cashew cream & more non-dairy milk!
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Begin by bringing a very large pot of broth or salted water to a boil. Boil the box of pasta until all liquid is absorbed OR until cooked to al dente, then drain if needed.
Peel the cloves of garlic, but keep them whole.
Peel the carrots and slice them into thin coins or even-sized chunks.
Step 2: Roast vegetables
To an oiled sheet pan (or dry roasted is fine), place sliced carrots, diced onion, and garlic cloves with even spacing between each item.
Roast in the oven at 350º F for about 30 minutes, until the garlic cloves are soft.
Step 3: Make the sauce
Add the cooked carrots, onions, and garlic, along with all of the spices, miso paste, milk, yogurt, and nutritional yeast to a high powered blender.
Blend on the highest setting until smooth. Add more liquid if desired.
Pour the sauce onto the cooked pasta and combine gently.
Season well with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Expert Tips
- I don't recommend using a food processor, immersion blender, or low-intensity blender for this sauce, as it may not result in a smooth sauce texture.
- If desired, simmering or steaming the carrots, onion, and garlic can work as well.
- Please note that the sauce seasonings call for ⅛th of a teaspoon. Especially with the white pepper and mustard powder, do not go over that measurement, as they are quite strong. Start with ⅛th of a teaspoon for all of them, then increase if desired.
Recipe FAQs
This vegan cheese sauce is made of a mixture of carrots, onions, garlic, spices, vegan yogurt and more!
Yes! Whether you are making boxed macaroni and cheese or homemade, almond milk and other non-dairy milks work fine, as long as they are unsweetened.
To make vegan cheese taste cheesier, try adding more nutritional yeast, more salt or miso paste, and more mild spices like garlic or onion powder.
Whether you are making regular mac and cheese or vegan mac, you can often use olive oil, coconut milk, vegan butter, or even a scoop of mayonnaise to substitute for butter in mac and cheese.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Mac and Cheese (Without Cashews)
Equipment
- High Powered Blender
- Sheet Pan
- Sharp Knife
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup Carrots sliced into coins or rough chunks
- 4 Garlic cloves peeled and left whole or sliced in half
- 1 Shallot diced, or ½ a small white onion
- ⅔ cup Non-dairy milk (unsweetened)
- Vegetable broth or Water to cover pasta by 1 inch
- 16 oz Elbow macaroni or other pasta shape
- ⅛ teaspoon Paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon White pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Curry powder
- ⅛ tsp. Mustard powder
- 1 tbsp. Nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp. White miso paste
- ¼ cup Vegan yogurt
- Salt to taste (at least 1 tbsp)
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a very large pot of broth or salted water to a boil.
- Boil the box of pasta until all liquid is absorbed OR until cooked to al dente, then drain if needed.
- Peel the cloves of garlic, but keep them whole.
- Peel the carrots and slice them into thin coins or even-sized chunks.
- To an oiled sheet pan (or dry roasted is fine), place sliced carrots, diced onion, and garlic cloves with even spacing between each item.
- Roast in the oven at 350º F for about 30 minutes, until the garlic cloves are soft.
- Add the cooked carrots, onions, and garlic, along with all of the spices, miso paste, milk, yogurt, and nutritional yeast to a high powered blender.
- Blend on the highest setting until smooth. Add more liquid if desired.
- Pour the sauce onto the cooked pasta and combine gently.
- Season well with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- I don't recommend using a food processor, immersion blender, or low-intensity blender for this sauce, as it may not result in a smooth sauce texture.
- If desired, simmering or steaming the carrots, onion, and garlic can work as well.
- Please note that the sauce seasonings call for ⅛th of a teaspoon. Especially with the white pepper and mustard powder, do not go over that measurement, as they are quite strong. Start with ⅛th of a teaspoon for all of them, then increase if desired.
Bill Eggers says
Made this today. It actually is very good and creamy. (Not Kraft but what is). My color was not as “cheesy” looking but I suspect it was my carrots that did not liquify in my blender. I have very small chunks of carrot in the Mac and Cheese. I was worried until I remembered that I forgot the miso paste then it came out very good. I could eat the entire pot.
Emily says
Yay! I'm glad you liked it. The miso paste is key for the saltiness. That and the veggie broth! Maybe try to roast or boil the carrots for longer next time!