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.
Eating it right now. Very very good. Added some frozen peas and vegan burger crumble. Comfort food with a conscience. Will be making this again. Thanks.
You’re so welcome!
This is the simplest recipe, yet best tasting vegan mac and cheese I’ve tried! I am excited to try out your baked mac and cheese recipe.
HOLY MOLY this is the most amazing mac and cheese EVER! We added broccoli to ours tonight and I was so sad when my bowl was empty. Nora, you are a vegan cooking and baking goddess – thank you for all your amazing recipes! I love how easy they are to follow and what simple ingredients you use!
(I forgot to give this the 5 star rating it deserves the first time I posted.)
Thanks so much for the wonderful comment!
So good ! Going to make a buffalo “chicken” style of this next ! My husband and I LOVE buffalo mac and cheese, so I think it will be worth a try. I had put in some hot sauce when I reheated this today and it tasted amazing! I really miss my cheese and this was such a great alternative. Thank you for sharing!
Sounds good!
I love this recipe. It is so quick to make, and super healthy. My 2 year old daughter constantly requests pasta for lunch on the weekends. This is my go to recipe!
That’s so great to hear!
First vegan Mac and cheese! Recently became vegan and your recipes are amazing. Thank you. Will be my go to quick and easy meal!
Thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ummmm, YUM!
Made it for the kids and they loved it!
I added a tablespoon of ground pepper and used the pasta water instead of plain water. Also I added a bag of frozen broccoli at the end of boiling the pasta and mixed it all together.
Sounds delicious!
Really simple, and quick. Perfect weeknight meal! I used veggie rotini pasta, and had my broccoli on the side.
Thank you!
You’re welcome! Glad it was great!
Simple yet super delicious! From now on this is going to be my go-to recipe for a quick dish… As long as I remember to soak the cashews beforehand!
Glad it’s a winner for you!
This seems so silly, but where did you find the straight macaroni noodles like those that come in boxed mac and cheese? Thanks.
I am trying to remember, but I think I got them in bulk at my local discount store (Winco). But it was quite a while ago so I’m not sure!
Not silly! I immediately had the same thought.
It was amazing! Thank you
So glad it was amazing!
Wow!! I am amazed at how fast and easy this was!! Delicious!
Glad it was good!
Yummy
Glad you liked it!
Would it be better or creamier if add almond milk? Or is it not necessary? Thank you!!
It’s really not necessary, but I suppose you could.
For Nutritional Yeast, do you use the nutritional yeast seasoning or the plain nutritional yeast? Thanks!
Just plain nutritional yeast, I’ve never actually heard of nutritional yeast seasoning.
Thank you!
I could use this for Cauliflower instead of pasta couldn’t I ?
I want to try the sauce tomorrow and I’ve a cauliflower to use
Sure! Sounds great.
Is there a substitute for the nutritional yeast?
No substitute, but you can leave it out if needed or if you don’t care for the taste.
Im going to have to try it without the yeast. I found out that if you have chrohn you cant use it. Apparently it agravates it. I hope it will taste good anyway. I miss my cheese.
Sure, you don’t have to use it, I think you will still enjoy it! I haven’t heard that about nutritional yeast, which is much different than regular yeast, so you may want to check with your doctor about that for more information. Thank you!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. The preparation was easy, and I like the creamy consistency of the sauce. I have been vegan for almost ten years. I am thrilled to have macaroni and cheese again and will add this recipe to my collection.
Quick, easy and delicious. Im so glad I went with this recipe my first time making vegan mac and cheese!
I’m glad you came here too!:) Glad it was good!
The best “cheese” sauce I‘ve had. I have desperately needed delicious comfort food in our plant based eating. This is fantastic!! Better than a few chef’s recipes I’ve tried.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like it. I think it’s important to have some vegan comfort food options. 🙂
Looking forward to trying this. Have you ever used miso paste in your Mac n cheese? I make a white “cheese” sauce that tastes amazing with miso but I’m not sure if that would ruin this recipe
I don’t think it would ruin the recipe at all to add a little if you know you like the taste. It would be a little less “traditional” tasting mac and cheese, but I think it would be good. Thanks!
I am allergic to cashews. Have you tried this recipe with other nuts? Almonds or pecans maybe?
Raw slivered almonds would be the best choice! I also have a Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce that is really good for making mac and cheese.
Fabulous. My wife and I can’t get enough of this. I could shoot a guy on 5th Avenue and if I made this for a vegan jury, I’d get off Scott free. Who is Scott by the way? Thank you, Nora. This was the first Nora Cooks recipe that I tried. Since then, I’ve made the nacho cheese sauce and it was awesome. Then I made the vanilla cake (as cupcakes). They were fantastic too! Think I’ll make the Meat Loaf next.
I’m glad the recipes are turning out good for you! Thanks for letting me know!
Can I use something g else other than lemon juice? I have everything on hand except that!
Sure! Apple cider vinegar would work, or just leave it out. Thanks and enjoy!
If we can’t use any tree nuts due to allergy what would be a good substitute?
I would recommend using this Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce instead. Hope that helps!
Fantastic!! I added quartered baby Bella’s, roasted broccoli and diced tomatoes. I was so impressed with the sauce! I’m going to keep this recipe as a staple in my house.
Very good. I tried a recipe that used potatoes and carrots but this one is way better. My non vegan family said it was delicious!
Yeah those potato and carrot cheese sauces aren’t quite as delicious, I get it! Glad everyone enjoyed the recipe.
This is our go to cheese sauce now! We add a tsp of liquid smoke to ours. It’s irresistible! Thank you!
That sounds wonderful, thank you!
This was my first ever vegan mac and cheese and it was absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make it again, next time I think I will add some sweet peas.