It's all about the Vegan Mac and Cheese sauce! Some feel that a vegan Mac and Cheese sauce won’t measure up, however, this dairy-free sauce has all of the hallmarks that you want in a vegan cheese sauce. The flavor is full of umami, a hint of sweetness, and 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. 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.
Baked mac and cheese before cooking
Finished Baked mac and cheese
Below is the quick stove top method! You can make this in about 10 minutes once you've made the sauce.
Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese
Servings: 8 People
Print Recipe
Equipment
- High Speed Blender recommended
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 about 20 minutes. The goal is to have all of the vegetables be tender, and the flavors developed, but have the liquid not reduce too much. So SLOW and LOW is the goal here. Once the vegetables are tender, add to your blender and puree on high until very smooth. Remove from blender into a saucepot 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 about 3 minutes, after that reduce the heat too low and you are all set.
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 bread crumbs. You looking for the Panko to clump together and for all of the Panko to be coated with the oil.
Pasta Cooking Method
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water that has been seasoned with salt, we want the pasta to be seasoned. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes.
Assembly
- Place the drained pasta into a baking dish and add about 1 cup of Mac and Cheese sauce, stir to combine. You might need to thin the Mac and Cheese a bit with plant milk. Press and smooth the pasta so you have a nice flat top. Place a nice thick layer Mac and Cheese sauce on top of the pasta smooth and finish with a layer of bread crumb topping. Place in an oven preheated to 425°F, cooking for about 25 minutes. The top should be a deep golden brown and the pasta should be bubbling along the edges. Remove from the oven, allow the baked pasta to rest for 10 minutes before diving in. 1
Video
Stove Top Mac and Cheese Recipe
Stove top Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe
Servings: 2 People
Print Recipe
Ingredients
Vegan Mac and Cheese Sauce
- 1 1/2 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
- 1/2 cup Grape-seed Oil
- 2 cups Water
- 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
- 3/4 cup Yellow Onion small Diced 3oz
- 4 Garlic Cloves Peeled
- 1/2 cup Carrots Small dice 3oz
- 1 cup Yukon Potato Small dice 4oz
- 2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour
- 1/4 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 about 20 minutes. The goal is to have all of the vegetables be tender, and the flavors developed, but have the liquid not reduce too much. So SLOW and LOW is the goal here. Once the vegetables are tender, add to your blender and puree on high until very smooth. Remove from blender into a saucepot 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 about 3 minutes, after that reduce the heat too low and you are all set.
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 1/2 Mac and Cheese sauce, stir to combine. You can thin with a bit of plant milk if needed. Once sauce and pasta are hot, it’s ready to eat!.
