Description
This Best Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe delivers a creamy, cheesy, and satisfying comfort dish without any dairy. Made with soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and a blend of spices, it creates the perfect vegan cheese sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups water (or less if not using vegan cheese)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 (7-oz) bag shredded vegan cheddar cheese, optional
- 12 ounces elbow pasta
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- If you plan to bake the mac and cheese with the breadcrumb topping, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Skip this step if preparing stovetop mac and cheese.
- Place the raw cashews in a large glass measuring cup and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak and soften for 5 minutes.
- Cook the elbow pasta according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
- Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soaking water. In a high-powered blender, combine the cashews, 2 cups fresh water, fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt, and the optional shredded vegan cheddar cheese. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the blended cheese sauce in a large pot on the stovetop or transfer to the prepared casserole dish if baking.
- In a small bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs, melted vegan butter, and smoked paprika until coated.
- Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the mac and cheese in the casserole dish. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden and crispy.
- Remove from oven or stovetop heat and serve immediately while hot and creamy.
Notes
- This dish is ideal for vegans and those seeking a delicious dairy-free alternative.
- You can enjoy it as a quick stovetop meal or bake it for extra texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop/Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 304
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg