Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
This Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is a comfort food classic. You'll never believe the rich, creamy sauce is made with cashews and carrots!
Ingredients
Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese
- 3 cups elbow macaroni (12 oz/340g)
- 1 tablespoon oil any oil works, I love olive oil here (12.5g)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight, then drained OR just easily boiled for 5 minutes*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce or liquid aminos or tamari or lite soy sauce or miso paste
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups vegan milk you can use any, I love canned full fat coconut milk cause it's so creamy
- 1 cup vegan shredded cheese ¾ for the sauce, ¼ up to any amount you'd like for the top (optional)
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1 cup breadcrumbs gluten free if needed
- salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons melted vegan butter or oil
Instructions
Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Prepare elbow pasta according to package directions. Drain in a colander until ready to use.
- In a large high speed blender add the cashews, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, ground mustard, lime juice, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, paprika, ground nutmeg, non-dairy milk and ¾ cup vegan shredded cheese (I use cheddar - this is optional but adds great flavour).
- Blend together for about 3 minutes on a high speed, until sauce is completely smooth and incorporate. If you need to blend longer that's fine, just blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- Add the macaroni to a cast iron skillet or other similarly sized oven safe pot or oven sized container (mine is about 8" to 9"). Pour the sauce over the macaroni. Stir to combine until fully combined and all the macaroni is coated with sauce.
- Mix breadcrumbs, salt and pepper to taste and vegan butter in a small dish with a small whisk or fork until combined. If using the ¼ cup vegan cheese shreds, gently mix into here too. Sprinkle over the top of the Mac and cheese, covering completely.
- Bake for 15 minutes until Mac and cheese is set, then broil for a few minutes until top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
*You can easily boil your cashews with just enough water covering them for 5 minutes. Drain, let cool, and proceed! This way you can make the recipe the same day.
How to store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. They can be reheated in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven until warmed through.
How to freeze: You can freeze baked vegan mac and cheese for up to 3 months. Wrap it well, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. I recommend letting it thaw in the refrigerator and then reheating it in the microwave or oven, as this will result in more even heating.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 23g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g