This truly is the BEST Vegan Mac and Cheese and it’s easy to make! The stovetop version is ready in less than 20 minutes, or bake it for a few minutes with a buttery breadcrumb topping. Irresistibly cheesy and creamy without a hint of dairy!
My favorite thing about this recipe is how easy and quick it is to throw together. It’s ready in the same time it would take for you to make a box of regular mac and cheese!
When I’m craving comfort food, I turn to a big bowl of noodles, and this plant based mac and cheese hits the spot. The luscious sauce is oh-so-creamy, cheesy and mild with just a little tang. It’s sure to become a staple meal in your home!
I highly recommend pairing it with some sort of vegetable or salad. My favorite add-ins are: thawed frozen green peas, roasted brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower or broccoli, roasted asparagus or cooked kale.
Stovetop or baked macaroni and cheese
I’ve included both a simple stovetop version (ready in less than 20 minutes) and a baked version. If you have a few extra minutes, the baked version is out of this world amazing!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Raw cashews – This is what makes the sauce so delightfully creamy and cheesy at the same time. There isn’t a good substitute for this recipe, but if you need a nut free cheese sauce, try this Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce instead and pair it with noodles. I also created Dairy Free Mac and Cheese, which is nut free.
- Water
- Fresh lemon juice – From about 1 large lemon. Use fresh squeezed for the best flavor. I love my lemon juicer and use it daily.
- Nutritional yeast – If you really dislike it or don’t have it, you could leave it out. But it adds a lot of cheesy flavor.
- Turmeric – Mostly for color!
- Garlic powder – For flavor. A little bit of onion powder also works well here.
- Salt
- Vegan cheese – I added a bag of Follow Your Heart cheddar shreds. This is optional, but I loved the extra cheesiness and creaminess it added.
- Elbow noodles – Or your favorite pasta. Use gluten free if needed. But for classic mac and cheese, use white elbow noodles.
- Panko bread crumbs – Make sure they are vegan friendly. Optional for the baked version.
- Vegan butter – Also for the buttery crumb topping.
- Smoked paprika
How to make vegan mac and cheese
It’s so easy to prepare, you won’t believe it!
- Pour boiling hot water over the cashews in a bowl or measuring dish. I usually heat water in my tea kettle or a small pot, then pour it over the nuts. Get your pasta cooking as well.
- Let the nuts soak for about 5 minutes. If you don’t have a Vitamix, you may want to let them soak for an hour or even overnight so they will get smooth when you blend them. Drain the cashews and add them to a blender, along with the fresh water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and vegan cheese if using.
- Blend until very, very smooth! This will take a few minutes, perhaps a little longer if you are using a regular blender.
- If making the baked version, mix the breadcrumbs, butter and paprika in a small bowl until crumbly.
If making the stovetop version, simply drain the pasta, add it back to the pot and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir until it thickens somewhat, then serve immediately.
For the baked version, add the drained noodles to a casserole dish and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir so the noodles are coated.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over the top and bake for about 15 minutes. Do NOT over bake or it will dry out. I also broiled it just for a few minutes until the breadcrumbs turned a golden brown.
How to thin the sauce if it’s too thick
Serve the mac and cheese right away for the best texture and flavor. The sauce will thicken as it sits, even after 20 minutes. But I have a solution! Simply add some additional warm water (a few tablespoons at a time) and stir it in well. The sauce will thin perfectly – problem solved!
Do the same thing with leftovers. When reheating, add some more water and stir until you reach the desired consistency. This won’t work well with the baked version, but I found these leftovers saved better anyhow.
Tips for the best vegan mac and cheese
- Classic elbow noodles – While other pasta is totally fine to use, classic elbow noodles will give the dish that certain mac and cheese feel.
- High powered blender – This is probably the most important thing. It might work okay with a regular blender or food processor, but to really create a cheesy, perfectly smooth sauce out of cashews, you need a Vitamix or other high powered blender.
- Fresh lemon juice – The flavor will be much better with fresh squeezed lemon juice than if you use bottled.
- Add in some vegetables! I think this makes mac and cheese amazing. My favorite is stirring in some roasted vegetables, yum.
- Sprinkle some vegan bacon for extra flavor and protein – Try my tempeh bacon or tofu bacon.
Frequently asked questions
- Does it freeze well? The sauce itself freezes wonderfully, and is great for freezing, then taking out small portions for single meals or kids lunches. You could even freeze the sauce in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. I don’t recommend freezing the pasta + sauce, as it gets very thick and mushy.
- How to store and reheat leftovers – The dish will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. And like I said above, add more water to the leftover pasta so it’s not too thick. The baked version won’t need any additional water. Reheat in the microwave until warm and enjoy.
- Can you make vegan mac and cheese without nutritional yeast? You can, yes. If you leave it out, make sure to add the bag of vegan cheese. Nutritional yeast gives vegan cheese sauces a wonderful cheesiness, but some people don’t care for it.
More drool-worthy pasta recipes
- Vegan Baked Ziti
- The Best Vegan Lasagna
- Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Carbonara
- Vegan Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese
The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Mac and cheese
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups water or less if not using vegan cheese, see Notes
- 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
Optional breadcrumb topping
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prep – If planning on baking it with the breadcrumb topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a casserole dish (I used a 9×13 inch dish). Skip this step for stovetop mac and cheese.
- Soak the cashews – Soften your cashews by covering them in boiling water for 5 minutes. I do this by heating up water in my tea kettle, and then pouring the boiling water over the cashews in a large glass measuring cup.
- Cook pasta – Cook the pasta according to package instructions, but do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
- Blend cheese sauce – Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soaking water. Add the cashews, fresh water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and bag of shredded cheese (if using) to a high powered blender and blend until very smooth.
Stovetop version
- Simply return the pasta to the pot and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir until the sauce thickens and serve immediately.
Baked version (the best!)
- Make the breadcrumb topping by mixing the breadcrumbs, melted vegan butter and smoked paprika in a small bowl until crumbly and moist.
- Add the drained pasta to the prepared casserole dish, and pour in the cheese sauce. Stir to coat the noodles. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on the pasta and bake, uncovered for 15 minutes. I also broiled it for a few minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The bag of vegan cheddar cheese is optional. If you don’t want to use vegan cheese, reduce the water to 1 cup, especially if not baking it. This way, the sauce will be thicker and creamier.
- The cheese sauce freezes well, so feel free to make extra sauce and freeze some for a super quick meal or kid’s lunch option.
- Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. The sauce does thicken when it cools or sits out for awhile, but there is an easy fix. Simply add a little warm water and stir, noodles and all, while you reheat it. The sauce will thin and it will be perfect again.
- Gluten free – Use gluten free pasta, any variety you like.
- Nut free – Go make my Dairy Free Mac and Cheese, which is nut free.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted in August 2018 and has been updated November 2021 with new photos and better instructions. I also added an optional bag of vegan cheese and an optional topping for baking.
I made this for a dinner party and added diced pimentos for a souther flair. It was outstanding! Used Chao creamy shreds, added a little sautéed onions. No one knew it was vegan – win!
I have tried so many vegan mac and cheese recipes, and this one is the best. It blew me away. I followed the recipe with only a few changes: I used an 8×8 baking dish and it worked perfectly. For the store-bought vegan cheese shreds, I used what I had on hand: 3 oz of Follow Your Heart cheddar and 4oz of Trader Joe’s vegan mozzarella. I was out of panko, so I crushed by hand a couple cups of crispy, thin baked potato chips, which I did mix with the melted vegan butter, and also sprinkled a handful of FYH vegan parm over the top with the crushed chips. Came out so bubbly and browned, rich, tangy—it was everything. Next time I’ll make it with panko, excellent recipe!
Hi David. I loved reading about your recipe experience! Wow sounds delicious with crushed chips! Thank you for taking time to share your stellar review and comments! I’m thrilled that you loved the mac & cheese, and appreciate your support! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This is Soo good! Another delicious, pretty easy recipe. I’ve e made this a few times and even non vegans enjoy it and some have realized how much easier this is on their tummy. Also this time I substituted the water with canned coconut milk and added a little water from the pasta, took it to another level. Appreciate your creativity and all the recipes you share.
Thank you Nora💗
I love this recipe, I make it every holiday! I do add a bag of Daiya cheese shreds. Then, instead of 2 cups of water, I will do around 1.5 cups of water and 1/2 cup of Heineken, or even 1.75 cups of water and 1/4 cup of heineken for less strong taste. This gives it that great beer and breadcrumb restaurant mac and cheese taste. My non vegan family members are obsessed with it. It reheats really well and you can eat it for days. The worst part about this is my broiler runs too hot and will burn the breadcrumbs if I put it in there, so I can’t get that nice golden top. But, I oven bake it slightly longer and it helps. Great recipe!
Simple and tasty! I always come back to this recipe. I love how quick it is and how it uses pantry staples.
I mix half Violife cheddar and half Good Planet mozzarella, and it’s always delicious.
Made this last weekend for a dinner party — both vegans and non-vegans at the table were impressed. I went with the baked version and added roasted broccoli. The cashew-based sauce blends up incredibly smooth and has a real depth of flavor. Will definitely be making this on repeat.
Hi Jason. Great recipe choice for a crowd! I’m so glad that everyone enjoyed the mac & cheese. Roasted broccoli is a great addition! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience as well as your stellar review! Happy cooking!
Hello, I am going to make this for Easter tomorrow; mMy question is how much water do you add to the blender and also does it have to be warm or hot since I’m using vegan cheese and I want it to blend properly. My blender not that powerful.
Thanks in advance.
You use 2 cups of water (that’s listed in the ingredients list under the cashews) and I just use cold or tepid water, not warm or hot. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, I’d suggest soaking the cashews for a long time, perhaps a few hours or even overnight if you can so they can get as soft as possible. You still might not be able to get the super creamy sauce texture like you would with a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, but it will help.
This is great and we have made it a couple of times already with the breadcrumb topping and the vegan shredded cheese included. It makes great work leftovers, too. We’re not vegans but made it as written to accommodate lactose intolerance, and it’s the best substitute for the “real thing” out there. The last time we made it, I topped it with some quick-pickled daikon and that was a great addition – pickled red onion, shallots, or carrots would also be great.
Hi Sarah. I’m so thrilled that you and your family are loving the mac & cheese recipe! We have it often at our home as well! I appreciate your awesome review, and your serving ideas! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
My family loves this recipe! I have made it several times always using the topping and baking! I’ve never had a bag of shredded cheese…one time I threw some slices of vegan cheese in the blender and another time it was vegan cream cheese! Both tasted wonderful! Tonight I might use up some vegan sausage in the mix. We love this versatile recipe! Thank you!
You are welcome, Katie! Thank you for reaching out and sharing your recipe experience and variations! We have this often at our home as well! I’m thrilled that you and your family are loving the mac & cheese! I appreciate your terrific review, and wish you lots of happy cooking!
I did make this tonight. I would say don’t put bread crumbs on and bake unless you like eating breadcrumbs…and they make it grainy as well.
I scraped off as much of that as I could and added some more cheese and water and put in to bake again for a while.
The best vegan mac we have made to date!
We added broccoli and tofu ‘bacon’ bits.
Hi Mandi. I’m so glad you loved the Mac and cheese recipe! I love your add in ideas! Thanks for sharing your terrific review and recipe experience! Happy cooking!
This was surprisingly good. I have tried making vegan cheesy things before and not had much luck but this was nice and tasty. i am not totally vegan and put 2 turkey sausages in with spinach on top. I also froze half for another time. Thank you. This is a keeper.
Hi Nadine. I’m glad that you enjoyed my Mac and cheese recipe! We love this one around our house as well! Thank you for sharing your terrific review! Happy cooking!