The ultimate Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese. Cheesy, saucy macaroni topped with an irresistible buttery & golden crispy crumb topping. No dairy, no nuts & easily made gluten-free. Prepare to get saucy!
It’s the weekend, spring has sprung then unsprung this week, and comfort food is called for. And it doesn’t get more comforting than oozy, cheesy Vegan Mac and Cheese all baked up with a delicious golden and buttery, crispy crumb topping. ♡
This world has been conspiring against this recipe. I actually perfected it ages ago and shared a little teaser video on my Facebook page and Instagram. You all went nuts wanting the recipe and I promised it the week after, then not so good weird life things happened. Now weeks and weeks later it’s finally here. Although, I am only posting it now due to the pressure you guys are putting me under! 😉
I have shot the photos for this recipe three times now and am still not happy with them. Today’s photos aren’t bad, but my pasta to sauce ratio isn’t great so it looks a little dry. That’ll teach me to just eye-ball the pasta rather than measuring it. You’d think I would know to follow my own recipes. 🙄 Honestly though, if you follow the recipe and eat it right away, instead of standing over it with a camera for 2 hours first, yours wont be dry in the slightest. 😉
Enough is enough though. I am still getting daily emails asking me for the recipe so I have decided to just go with it.
Here is the Vegan Mac and Cheese you have been waiting for all your life! 👏
Ok, so there are hundreds of Vegan Macaroni and Cheese recipes out there, but I have never found one that has truly done it for me. Of course I haven’t tried them all, but I have tried a lot, and I have made a lot of my own versions. Until now they have all fallen short of perfection.
You see, I was the hugest mac and cheese lover before I was vegan. It was probably one of my all time favourite meals and let me tell ya, I made the meanest non vegan mac and cheese on the planet. It was incredible. That’s why vegan versions have an awful lot to live up to.
THE ULTIMATE VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE
For me, the ultimate mac and cheese should be saucy (but not too saucy) and buttery with a sharp cheese taste and it must be baked and it must have a crispy topping. It’s just not proper mac and cheese otherwise. I am very hard to please! My incredible non-vegan version from years ago had a crispy, golden, broiled cheese topping and it was my favourite bit.
So with this Vegan Mac and Cheese you get meltingly soft cheesy (yes cheesy!) insides and the all important crispy, crunchy topping.
This right here is mac and cheese heaven! ♡
DAIRY-FREE, NUT-FREE & EASILY GLUTEN-FREE!
Unlike many Vegan Mac and Cheese recipes this one does not contain any nuts. Often cashews are used as a base for vegan cheese sauces and although I love cashew cheese sauce, I wanted this recipe to be accessible to everyone. So, as well as being nut-free it can easily be made gluten-free too just by using gluten-free macaroni. It also has hidden veggies lurking in the sauce.
Shhhh! Don’t tell the kiddos. What they don’t know won’t hurt them…..
EASY TO MAKE
As well as tasting fantastic, this Vegan Macaroni and Cheese is pretty straightforward to make. The sauce is just a case of throwing everything in a blender then heating it through on the stove while the macaroni bubbles away in a pan, and the bread crumb topping takes seconds in a blender. It’s no trouble at all and once it’s all put together it is just baked until heated through and crispy and golden on top.
Perfection!
HOW TO SERVE
I usually serve my mac and cheese just as it is with a big squeeze of my guilty pleasure which is tomato ketchup but it is also great healthified up a bit with a big crisp salad or with some veggies. Broccoli and peas in particular are a great match. You should try adding some slices of tomato to the crumb topping before it goes in the oven for an extra special flavour/texture sensation too. It’s so good!
You have no idea how many times I have made and eaten this mac and cheese over the last few months and I never get fed up with it. I am still making it frequently now and I think I always will. It’s a sure fire winner!
If you give this Vegan Mac and Cheese a try, be a ☆ and leave a comment below. You can also rate the recipe by hitting the stars when you leave your comment. 🙂
Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
The ultimate Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese. Cheesy, saucy macaroni topped with an irresistible buttery & golden crispy crumb topping. No dairy, no nuts & easily made gluten-free. Prepare to get saucy!
Ingredients
- 290 g | 1 really packed cup yellow sweet potato cooked, cooled and skinned
- 175 g | 1 packed cup | around ¼ of a small cauliflower cooked and cooled
- 4 heaping tablespoons | heaped ¼ cup white miso paste I use naturally aged organic Amano Shiro Miso
- 1¾ teaspoon salt It might seem like a lot of salt but it really helps bring out the 'cheesy' flavour
- ¾ cup | 12 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon mustard I used wholegrain, but any plain unflavoured variety will work
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour see recipe notes if you need to sub this
- 1 cup | 240mls unsweetened non-dairy milk NOT almond milk - the flavour comes through too much & takes away form the cheesiness. and not rice milk as it's too sweet. I like cashew milk best as it's rich, thick & neutral.
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar you can use white wine vinegar instead but apple cider vinegar gives the best flavour
- 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 it is NOT nut-free)
- 400 g | 14oz macaroni you can use other pasta shapes, and use gluten-free if necessary
For the crumb topping
- 3 slices bread white or wholewheat, gluten-free if necessary. White tastes better but it's your choice
- 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 (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F
Add all of the sauce ingredients except the optional butter to a blender and blend until completely smooth. If you have a smaller blender you might need to do it in 2 stages
Fill a large pan with water and bring to a rolling boil then cook the macaroni as directed on the packaging.
Pour the cheese sauce from the blender into a pan and warm through over a medium heat, stirring constantly until it is hot, glossy and the texture of cheese sauce. It should only take about 5 minutes. Finish with the butter if you are using it. It adds a lovely richness and extra glossiness! Just stir it in then remove from the heat.
Drain the pasta, return to the pan and stir through the sauce.
Quickly wash out and dry your blender, then break the bread into pieces and place in the blender with the butter or olive oil. The oil/butter is recommended for a crisper, more golden and more flavourful topping but if you prefer not to consume oil you can omit it. 1 clove of garlic is optional too. Blend until crumbs.
Spoon the saucy macaroni into an oven proof dish, sprinkle over the crumbs evenly then place in the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes or until it is piping hot and the crumb topping is golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Tapioca flour is 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.
This mac and cheese can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a day or two before cooking if required. Just add an extra 5-10 minutes onto the cooking time. It also reheats well in the unlikely event you have leftovers. 😉
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 🙂
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! 🙂
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.
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. 😜
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! 🙂
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!