The ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese! Cheesy, saucy macaroni topped with an irresistible buttery & golden crispy crumb topping, or omit the topping and making it on the stovetop. No dairy, no nuts & easily made gluten-free. Prepare to get saucy!
Let me introduce you to a really good vegan mac and cheese that's "cheesy", creamy, saucy and rich on the insides and garlicky, crispy and golden on the top.
And when you think of comfort food, mac and cheese has got to be right up there with the best of them, right?
Jump to:
This baked vegan mac and cheese features a surprising mixture of ingredients that all work together to give a really cheesy flavor and great texture.
You see, I have some requirements for my vegan mac and cheese and one of them is that it must be on-point texturally. For me, the ultimate plant-based mac and cheese should be saucy (but not too saucy) and buttery with a sharp cheesy taste and it must be baked and it must have a crispy topping. That's what the mac and cheese I grew up eating was like.
What is vegan mac and cheese made of?
You might be wondering how you can make mac and cheese without milk or cheese. Well, the base of this vegan mac and cheese sauce is made from cauliflower and sweet potato, then comes a combination of nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, a tiny smidge of mustard and vinegar, plus some white miso paste. It's an unlikely collection of ingredients that really work, even though it might not seem like it at first glance. Trust me.
And don't be scared off by the veggies because you really do not know they are there once the sauce has been blended up and is mixed with tender macaroni and topped with crispy garlicky, buttery breadcrumbs. It’s all perfectly cheesy, saucy, crispy and comforting and satisfying in that way only mac and cheese can be. And, bonus, it’s totally dairy-free and nut-free.
Yes, we're talking vegan mac and cheese. No cashews. We all know they make a great creamy sauce, but I want this recipe to be accessible to everyone. This means that as well as being dairy-free and nut-free the recipe can easily be made gluten-free too just by using gluten-free macaroni.
This right here is mac and cheese heaven! ♡ It's got all the good things that I'm looking for:
- comfort food to the max
- family friendly
- all the textures - rich and saucy and crispy
- cozy and hearty
- cheesy but dairy-free
- packed with veggies but doesn't taste like it
- makes awesome leftovers!
How to make vegan mac and cheese from scratch
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
As well as tasting fantastic, this Vegan Macaroni and Cheese is pretty straightforward to make. Here's how it's done:
Step 1: Blend up all of the sauce ingredients.
Step 2: Cook the macaroni, drain then stir in the sauce.
Step 3: Make the garlicky breadcrumb topping.
Step 4: Spoon the saucy macaroni into a dish, top with the breadcrumb mixture and bake.
How to cook on the stovetop
This recipe can be made on the stove top. Here's how:
Cook the macaroni as directed, then drain it and return it to the pan. While the macaroni is cooking make the sauce, transfer it to a pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until hot. Then mix the sauce and macaroni together. Keep it over the heat for a few minutes so that it becomes piping hot, then serve.
When cooking it on the stove top you can either skip the crispy breadcrumb topping, or prepare the crumbs as instructed in the recipe, then fry them in a frying pan on the stove top. You will need to do this in batches though for ultimate crispy goldenness.
Then sprinkle the crispy garlicky breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese as you serve it up.
Success tips
- White sweet potato gives the cheese sauce a better flavor than orange sweet potatoes because they aren't as sweet. It's still ok when made with the orange ones but doesn't taste as cheesy and is much sweeter. Look out for sweet potatoes with lighter, golden-colored skin and white flesh like the Hannah variety. If you aren't sure you can scratch the skin gently to see the color of the flesh underneath or check out this article about sweet potato varieties. The Hannah is the 3rd one in the list and is the kind you are looking for.
- Make sure the sauce is blended completely smooth.
- Don't omit any of the sauce ingredients. They all work together to provide the ultimate flavor.
Is almond milk good in mac and cheese?
I don't recommend almond milk for making vegan mac and cheese. It has a distinctive flavor which comes through in the sauce. I also don't recommend rice milk because it is naturally sweet. Unsweetened soy, oat and cashew milk are my go-tos for this and other savory sauces because their flavor is so neutral.
Tips for prepping ahead and freezing
This vegan mac and cheese is great for making ahead. The best way is to cook then cool the macaroni, cook and cool the sauce, then toss the two together. Spoon them into an oven proof dish and add the topping. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, then bake when needed. Or wrap well then freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as per the recipe.
You can also just make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge or for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Storage and reheating tips
Storing leftovers - Cover or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating leftovers - Leftovers can be reheated in a microwave or in an oven. When I reheat it I like to add a little drop of water or plant milk into the macaroni to loosen it up as it heats.
Variations
When mixing the cheese sauce and macaroni, make it your own by adding some yummy extras like:
- sliced vegan sausage or frankfurters
- vegan chorizo pieces
- vegan pepperoni
- sautéed onions
- sautéed bell peppers
- peas
- cherry tomatoes
- steamed broccoli
- steamed cauliflower florets
- chopped vegan steak
- vegan ground round
- sautéed mushrooms
- vegan bacon pieces
- tempeh
- leftover chili
- jalapenos
Feel free to switch up the kind of pasta you use too. Any pasta shapes are fine instead of macaroni. Just use whatever you have at home. You can also switch out the sweet potato in this vegan mac and cheese for butternut squash.
How to serve
As a side dish vegan mac and cheese will compliment most things and is great at festive gathering like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas served up alongside a great vegan roast or vegan meatloaf.
For everyday dinner purposes, I really like to keep it simple and serve mine with a big squeeze of my guilty pleasure which is tomato ketchup, but it is also great when served alongside my Easy Tomato Basil Soup, Instant Pot Tomato soup, chili, massaged kale salad, vegan sausages, veggie burgers, or a big crisp salad or veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, peas and grilled tomatoes.
Other ways to use the cheese sauce
The cheese sauce part of this recipe is really versatile. Make it on its own, warm it through in a pan then use it for drizzling, pouring over steamed veggies, or for making other recipes like lasagna, baked pasta dishes, cauliflower cheese, nachos, broccoli cheese and cheesy casseroles.
Hungry for more?
If you love this vegan mac and cheese recipe and you are looking for more "cheesy" meals, you might also enjoy my:
- Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese with Black Pepper & Broccoli
- Vegan Mac and Cheese Bites
- Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
📖 Recipe
Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Author:
Ingredients
- 400 g / 14 oz macaroni , use gluten-free if necessary
For the sauce
- 1 really packed cup / 290 g white sweet potato , cooked, cooled and skinned. (see notes for alternatives)
- 1 packed cup / around ¼ of a small / 175 g cauliflower , cooked and cooled
- 4 heaping tablespoons sweet white miso paste (see notes)
- Around 1¾ teaspoon salt , It might seem like a lot of salt but it really helps bring out the 'cheesy' flavour. Add it gradually though to get it just right for you.
- 12 tablespoons / ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon prepared wholegrain or Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (see notes)
- 2 cups / 480 mls unsweetened neutral non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar , or white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder Do not omit, it makes all the difference with the cheesy flavour
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Do not omit, it makes all the difference with the cheesy flavour
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika or chipotle powder
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter (optional - and bear in mind that if you use my vegan butter recipe it is NOT nut-free)
For the crumb topping
- 3 thick slices bread , gluten-free if necessary
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil (optional but recommended and bear in mind that if you use my vegan butter it is NOT nut-free)
- 1 clove garlic
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C).
- Fill a large pan with water and bring to a rolling boil then cook the macaroni as directed on the packaging. Drain when tender and return to the pan.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients, starting first with just half of the salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth. If you have a smaller blender you might need to do it in 2 stages. Add more salt gradually to taste and blend a little in between each addition, tasting as you go. Salt really brings out the cheesiness so it is important to be generous with it. I use the full amount.
- Pour the sauce into the cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer to an ovenproof casserole.
- Wash out and dry your blender, (or use a food processor instead), then break the bread into pieces and place in the blender with the butter or olive oil and garlic. The oil/butter is recommended for a crisper, more golden and more flavorful topping but you can omit it if you prefer. Pulse until breadcrumbs are formed then spread evenly over the mac and cheese in the casserole.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until piping hot and the crumb topping is golden brown and crispy. If you want the top even more golden broil it for a few minutes but keep a close eye on it because the breadcrumbs can turn from ok to black as a cinder very quickly! Serve immediately.
NOTES
If you can't find white sweet potatoes then use a regular potato or an orange fleshed sweet potato if you don't mind the sweetness. SWEET WHITE MISO PASTE - Lots of people ask what miso I use and it's a naturally aged organic Shiro Miso made by Amano. It's common across Canada and the US. Any sweet white miso will be fine though and use chickpea miso if you want to keep the recipe soy free. MILK - I like cashew milk, soy milk or oat milk for this recipe as they are very neutral.
The milk used must be unsweetened and unflavored. I don't recommend almond milk because the flavour comes through too much in savory dishes & takes away from the cheesiness in this recipe. Rice milk is naturally sweet and does not work well i savory sauces. BREAD - White or wholewheat, gluten-free if necessary. White tastes better in my opinion. TAPIOCA FLOUR - My thickener of choice in this recipe because it gives the sauce a texture like a sauce made with cheese. It really is the best option. However, if you need to sub it then I think arrowroot powder would be the next best option, followed by corn starch. TO COOK ON THE STOVE TOP Cook the macaroni then drain it and return it to the pan. While the macaroni is cooking make the sauce, transfer it to a pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until hot. Then mix the sauce and macaroni together. Keep it over the heat for a few minutes so that it becomes piping hot, then serve.
When cooking it on the stove top you can either skip the crispy breadcrumb topping, or prepare the crumbs as instructed in the recipe, then fry them in a frying pan on the stove top. You will need to do this in batches though for ultimate crispy goldenness.
Then sprinkle the crispy garlicky breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese as you serve it up.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was published originally on 14th April 2017 and was updated on March 9th 2020.
Amber says
How are you going to label this recipe as no nuts and then exclaim that the best milk alternative to use is cashew milk ??
A Virtual Vegan says
The recipe is nut-free if you don't use nut milk. I don't say cashew milk is the 'best milk'. I clearly say that I like cashew milk best and also clearly say "If you need the recipe to be nut-free, soy milk would be a good choice".
ZR says
The 4 TBS white miso paste adds too much sweetness for my family's tastes. I use half the amount, 2 TB (I use a Japanese brand from H Mart (a Korean chain store in the US) -- the label does not have an English language translation for me to provide the name). We also omit the bread crumb topping. This is an excellent recipe.
Elinor J Hardrick says
I like the recipe, but find it does not conform to my low sodium diet, how can you make this recipe with less sodium.
A Virtual Vegan says
The obvious options are to reduce or omit the salt and miso. You would need to check the sodium levels in the other ingredients though as I don't have time to go through them all individually.
Moira says
Hello Mel, LOVE this recipe. It's the best mac and cheese I've ever made.
Lei says
This sounds great. I can't find white miso paste though. I was able to find a regular miso paste. Can I use it instead? Any other recommendations?
Thanks
A Virtual Vegan says
I think it would be ok to use instead. Perhaps start with half the amount as it's probably a bit stronger tasting than white miso then add a little more after tasting if you think it needs it. Don't add quite so much salt either as your miso is probably a little saltier than sweet white miso. Add the salt to taste too. Enjoy!
Julie says
I was able to find organic white miso on Amazon. Hikari Miso is the brand. You can also find a large variety of organic nuts, flours, ect. Lookinf forward to trying this tasty looking recipe.
Alex says
Do we measure the potatoes and cauliflower before or after cooking?
A Virtual Vegan says
The measurements are done after the veggies have been cooked.
Bekah says
I have made this multiple times with multiple variations and it has become a family favorite. Tonight I needed a way to use up leftover butternut squash. There are lots of butternut macs out there but your ratio of other ingredients is our favorite. I simply subbed the potato and cauliflower with the squash and it was just lovely!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so glad you are enjoying it! I bet it's lovely with butternut squash. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know!
Christine says
Hi Mel,
wanted to make your vegan Mac & Cheese for ages now. Did it yesterday, using regular potatoes and omitting both onion and garlic due to allregy issues.
We totally LOVED it! The entire pot was gone within half an hour :)))
This so is a keeper, thank you!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome Christine! I am so glad you were able to adapt it to suit and that you enjoyed it. Thank you for letting me know!
Julie says
This recipe looks wonderful and I love the idea of all the veggies. My question is what id I can't find a yellow sweet potato? Can I use a red sweet potato instead? Will it just change the color and not the taste? Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! You could use a red one instead, although I think a regular white potato would probably give a better result. When testing I found that the red/orange sweet potatoes made it a little too sweet.
Wendy says
Mel, wow! That's a lot of calories per serving
Where do all the calories cone from besides the macaroni? It sounds good though and I'll definitely let you know how I like it after I make it.
A Virtual Vegan says
Really? I don't think it's a particularly high number of calories per serving but I don't personally count calories. It's 600 ish calories if I remember rightly. The average person needs about 2000 calories per day. So if you ate 600 calories per meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner you would only come in at 1800. That's pretty reasonable and allows for some snacks here and there. I don't think it's excessive at all.
The calories in this mainly come from the pasta, bread and butter. The sauce is full of veggies so will be naturally quite low in calories and fat. You could cut the calories considerably if you left off the crumb topping although if you do that I wouldn't recommend baking it as it will dry up without the crumby protection. It's really yummy as it is though so if you can make it as is I would recommend it! :) Enjoy!
Bev Thompson says
Wouldn't the cashew milk make it not nut-free? Also, the calories - is that for the entire recipe or per serving? Thanks. it sounds delicious and I will try it very soon.
A Virtual Vegan says
Hi Bev, I don't specify to use cashew milk, just that it's my particular favourite to use in this recipe. Any plant-based milk will be ok, just preferably not almond or rice milk as I mention because they have flavour profiles that will affect the flavour of the cheese sauce. You could use soy milk, oat milk, hemp milk, buckwheat milk, any milks that you regularly use at home. And the calories are per serving.
I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think! ????
Heather says
Color me impressed!
I made this recipe tonight, and I've made a ton of vegan macaroni and cheese recipes but none compare to this. It's everything I've been missing! It's somewhat sharp, it's smooth, it's a little salty (in the best way possible!), it's delicious, and best of all it's easy!!!
My only regret is seeing this recipe on Easter Day, when I didn't have all the ingredients I needed!!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Oh wow! I'm so glad you loved it and thank you for the glowing review. I too have tried loads of recipes and none came close to a non-vegan mac and cheese. That's what spurred me into creating this. I am so pleased it's going down well and that we no longer have to live without a decent mac and cheese! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and leave your feedback Heather. I really appreciate it!
Heather says
You're so welcome! I'm also a huge fan that it's healthy and there is an optional butter. I used Panko on top which did the job. ????
Wendy Boissevain says
I made this last night, Mel, and it is delicious! Thank you for this! This will absolutely be my go to recipe for mac'n'cheese.
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome! Thank you Wendy. So glad you enjoyed it. ???? I am always nervous waiting for feedback when I publish a new recipe and you are the first person I have heard from. I can relax now! ???? Have a lovely Easter weekend.
Wendy Boissevain says
I'm sure you'll be getting many good reviews on this! I'm loving having the leftovers today too! ♥ Have a wonderful Easter! Mel.
Danielle C says
This looks yummy! But isn't miso paste made from soy beans?
A Virtual Vegan says
Yes! Thank you so much for spotting that. When I said soy-free I forgot about the miso. I have removed all traces of soy-free from my text.I hope you enjoy it if you try it!
Amanda says
Any subs for miso paste? Or can you omit it?
A Virtual Vegan says
It's a really crucial ingredient. It's what gives it the sharp cheesiness. Nothing else will work as a sub. I tried so many options when I was developing it. If it's an issue with soy you have you can get chickpea miso. Whole Foods usually carry it. You can omit it though if you want. It wont affect how the recipe works but the flavour won't be as good as it would be with it. As long as you are happy with that then go for it. I have made it without while testing the recipe and it was still nice, just not as nice. Hope that helps! :)
Casey the College Celiac says
YUM! I haven't had mac n' cheese in ages, so this recipe is def calling my name! Love the bread topping!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it ????