Vegan Mac N Cheese

Vegan Mac N Cheese

This is my go to Vegan Mac N Cheese almost every week. My whole family loves it and you can prepare this Mac N Cheese in under 30 minutes.  Homemade mac n cheese was one of my favorite meals as a kid and as an adult. To be able to have a vegan version that taste delicious, and is easy to make, is awesome.

Cheese was one of those foods that I thought I’d have a hard time giving up. This cashew cheese sauce solved that problem and I don’t have to live without it.

Vegan Mac N Cheese… Oil Free

What I like about this Mac N Cheese:

1. It’s Vegan, Plant Based and Believe it or not… it’s oil free!
2. Clean up is easy. Back in the day you would have the oil and the cheese stuck on the dish or the pan. This cleans up quick.
3. Taste delicious and easy to make and my family loves it.
4. Healthy ingredients like turmeric, which is anti- inflammatory. It also helps gives a nice yellow color to the mac n cheese.
5. Cashews are rich in healthy fat and protein, vitamin E, copper, zinc and potassium. Cashews make for a creamy texture you expect with mac n cheese.
6. You can use any type of pasta you like. I like to mix it up between macaroni noodles or penne.
7. You add in different veggies and greens to make it a complete filling meal.

What is the secret behind this Cheese Sauce?

The cashews are the secret!. Cashews have a mild flavor and when they soften and added to the blender they create a nice base for the cheese sauce. You can add in the spices and the nutritional yeast to create the cheese sauce.

Cashew Cheese Sauce

How to make different meals with Mac N Cheese ?

• Plain Mac N Cheese
• Mac N Cheese mixed with spinach mixed into the dish
• Mac N Cheese mixed with sautéed kale and tomatoes
• Add in some black beans and a little sauce to the mac n cheese
• Mix the Mac N Cheese with some sliced cooked vegan Field Roast Sausage and mix it in with greens

Vegan Mac N Cheese with spinach and Field Roast Vegan Sausage

Botton line, this dish is great on it own or you can use your own creativity and make it kinds of ways.

What are the Ingredients?

Pasta with Vegan Cheese Sauce

Ingredients Include:

• Your choice of pasta. I like a gluten free pasta. There’s a variety to choose from including rice, corn, lentil or chick peas pasta. You can also use wheat pasta.
• Cashews
• Nutritional Yeast
• Miso Paste
• Lemon Juice
• Turmeric
• Garlic Powder
• Red Chili Flakes (optional)
• Salt & Pepper (To taste)

Tips on making the Recipe:

• Boil the water for pasta and prepare the pasta. While the pasta is getting ready, you can prepare the cashew cheese sauce. You can also make the sauce in advance and store in the refrigerator.
• Soak the cashews in the morning and by dinner the cashews are ready. The total time to make the sauce is about 5-10 minutes at the most.
• Add all the ingredients for the cheese into my Vitamix.
• Once the pasta is done and drained, you can pour the sauce and mix into the pasta.
• You can make the sauce in advance and add to the warm pasta and warm on the stove,

Pasta with Vegan Cheese Sauce

P.S. If you make this recipe, leave a comment below, share your pictures on Instagram and tag me with @plantbasedfoodylife … I’d love to see what you make!!!

Vegan Mac N Cheese

Mac N Cheese made with delicious Cashew Cheese Sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Keyword: vegan cheese

Author: Shelly Hughes

Equipment

• Vitamix or High Speed Blender

Ingredients

Mac N Cheese

• 8 oz box Macaroni Noodles

Cheese Sauce

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked soak 4-6 hours
• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes optional
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Cheese Sauce

• Soak raw cashews in water for 4-6 hours. The longer they soak the softer the cashews become.
• Drain the cashews and dispose of the water. Add the cashews to the Vitamix or blender.
• Add all the ingredients to the blender including the boiling water.
• Blend on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Cheese Sauce is ready for the pasta.
• Bring to a boil the water for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package. And drain the pasta in a colander. Add the pasta to a large bowl and pour the cheese sauce and stir. Ready to be served

Notes

You can also mix in some spinach or sauté kale to the Mac N Cheese. 

Tried this recipe?Mention @PlantBasedFoodyLife or tag #PlantBasedFoodyLife!