Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe 2 Ways! Baked and Quick Stove Top
Vegan mac and cheese is synonymous with comfort food. Really it’s all about the sauce. This dairy-free sauce has all of the hallmarks that you want in a vegan cheese sauce.
The flavor is full of umami, and a hint of sweetness. Don’t even get me started with the amazing color of the sauce! The balance is perfect and it looks just that Kraft Mac & Cheese that many of us grew up with.
The consistency of the sauce has that elastic feel to it that just coats the pasta perfectly. The baked mac and cheese dish will completely blow you away, that first spoon full of creamy vegan cheese sauce will have you wanting this vegan dish every weekend.
Our quick stove-top mac and cheese recipe is so satisfying, delicious, and fast, it will become a staple in your dinner rotation.
You can serve this as a main course or side dish to Cornmeal Crusted Eggplant.
Early Origin
The earliest recorded recipe is from 1769 according to the Smithsonian. Thomas Jefferson became enamored with the tasty concoction after visiting France and reportedly served it at a White House state dinner in 1802. Kraft first introduced the boxed version in 1937 during the Great Depression and I think we all know that in the US, it became a staple for busy families everywhere.
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How to Make Mac & Cheese Sauce
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Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese
Servings: 8 People
Calories: 544kcal
This Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese dish will completely blow you away, that first spoon full of creamy vegan cheese sauce will have you wanting this vegan dish every weekend.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Mac and Cheese Sauce
- 1 ½ cups Cashew Pieces
- 2 Tbsp Yellow Miso
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Marmite
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 cup Plant Milk
- ½ cup Grapeseed Oil
- 2 cups Water
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- ¾ cup Yellow Onion small dice (3 oz)
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled
- ½ cup Carrots small dice (3 oz)
- 1 cup Yukon Potatoes small dice (4 oz)
- 2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
Herb Crust
- 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 4 Tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flake
- Salt to taste
Pasta
- 1 Box Fusilli
Instructions
Sauce Method
- In a large pot, add all of the ingredients, stirring to combine and dissolve the miso and tomato paste.
- Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. The goal is to have all the vegetables be tender but not reduce the liquid too much. Once the vegetables are tender, add to the blender and puree on high until smooth.
- Remove from the blender into a sauce pot on medium and add the nutritional yeast and tapioca starch. It’s important to whisk the whole time as the tapioca starch hydrates and thickens the sauce. It tends to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cooking and whisking for 3 minutes, after that reduce the heat to low.
Herb Crust Method
- Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Slowly stir in the olive oil, mixing to coat the panko breadcrumbs.
Pasta Cooking Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water that has been seasoned with salt. Cook the pasta al dente for about 7 minutes.
Assembly
- Place the drained pasta into a baking dish and add 1 cup of Mac and Cheese sauce, stir to combine. You may need to thin the Mac and cheese with a bit of plant milk. Press and smooth the pasta so that the top is flat. Place a thick layer of Mac and cheese sauce on top of the pasta. Smooth it out then finish with a layer of breadcrumb topping.
- In a preheated oven set at 425 F, cook for 25 minutes. The top should be deep golden brown and the pita should be bubbling along the edges. Remove from the oven and allow the baked pasta to rest for 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutritional values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 2036mg | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4mg
Stove top Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe
Servings: 2 People
Calories: 543kcal
Easy and delicious vegan mac and cheese you will love.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce
- 1 ½ cup Cashews Pieces
- 2 Tbsp Yellow Miso
- 1 Tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tsp Marmite
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Rice wine vinegar
- 1 cup Plant Milk
- ½ cup Grape-seed Oil
- 2 cups Water
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- ¾ cup Yellow Onion small Diced 3oz
- 4 Garlic Cloves Peeled
- ½ cup Carrots Small dice 3oz
- 1 cup Yukon Potato Small dice 4oz
- 2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
- ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
For Stove-Top Pasta
- 8 Oz Macaroni Noodles
- 4 oz. Plant Milk
- 4 oz. Water
- Pinch Kosher Salt
Instructions
Sauce Method
- In a large pot, add all of the ingredients, stirring to combine and dissolve the miso and tomato paste.
- Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. The goal is to have all the vegetables be tender but not reduce the liquid too much. Once the vegetables are tender, add to the blender and puree on high until smooth.
- Remove from the blender into a sauce pot on medium and add the nutritional yeast and tapioca starch. It’s important to whisk the whole time as the tapioca starch hydrates and thickens the sauce. It tends to stick to the bottom of the pan. Cooking and whisking for 3 minutes, after that reduce the heat to low.
Cooking pasta Method
- Place the water, plant milk, salt, and pasta in a medium-sized pot. Cooking over medium-high heat continually stirring the whole time. As the liquid reduces it is cooking the pasta, creating a starchy liquid that will add to the flavor and texture of the sauce. This takes about 5-7 minutes.
- Add 1 ½ cups of the Mac and cheese sauce, and stir to combine. You can thin it with some plant milk if needed. Once the sauce and pasta are hot, it’s ready to eat.
Notes
Nutritional values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 185g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 102g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 47g | Monounsaturated Fat: 32g | Sodium: 7926mg | Potassium: 2007mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 5851IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 404mg | Iron: 12mg
