Vegan Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Cheesy, ooey gooey vegan mac and cheese that recreates the rich, salty flavor and creamy, stringy texture of cheddar mac and cheese. No processed vegan cheese, no oil, and gluten-free (if GF noodles are used).

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Vegan Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Yield: 2

Author: Courtney Crary- Not Like Mama

Prep time: 15 MCook time: 5 MTotal time: 20 M

Cheesy, ooey gooey vegan mac and cheese that recreates the rich, salty flavor and creamy, stringy texture of cheddar mac and cheese. No processed vegan cheese, no oil, and gluten-free (if GF noodles are used).

Ingredients:

3 cups dry whole grain macaroni noodles
1/3 cup cashews, soaked if you do not have a high speed blender (see notes)
2 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 tsp pure maple syrup
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup water
garnishes of choice (seasoned salt, creole seasoning, green onions, parsley, hot sauce, seasoned breadcrumbs, etc)

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.
While the pasta cooks, combine all remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend until perfectly smooth.
In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, bring the blender contents to a simmer. Stir, continuously, until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).
Add the pasta to the saucepan and stir to combine. As you stir the pasta in, the sauce will continue to thicken and become stringy and sticky, like cheese.
Serve with your choice of garnishes and enjoy!

Notes:

If you don't have a high speed blender, you will need to soak your cashews in order for them to blended into a smooth sauce. Do this by soaking them in boiling hot water for 20 minutes OR in room temperature water overnight.

Calories

485.52

Fat (grams)

12.88

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.49

Carbs (grams)

76.63

Fiber (grams)

6.43

Net carbs

70.20

Sugar (grams)

4.58

Protein (grams)

18.05

Sodium (milligrams)

1030.93

Cholesterol (grams)

0.16

Yields two adult-sized servings

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About the recipe:

Macaroni and cheese is not just one thing. We all grew up with different recipes that our moms or grandmothers whipped up for us. Some of us were given the boxed mac and cheese with the weird orange powder. Some had mac and cheese casseroles, complete with a cheesy roux and buttery breadcrumbs. In my house, mom made mac and cheese with melted kraft singles, salt, and a splash of milk.

As an adult, Mac and Cheese was my once-in-a-while desperate craving, usually sparked by late nights, alcohol, and PMS. When that craving hit, I would shred different kinds of cheeses over the pasta with a splash a milk- usually a blend of cheddar, asiago, and parmesan. It was my mom’s recipe, only fancier.

After going vegan, I bounced between searching for a good vegan alternative and giving it up entirely because everything I tried was a huge disappointment. I’ve eaten a lot of bad vegan mac and cheese over the last few years. EVERY SINGLE PLATE I’ve ordered from a restaurant has failed my taste test. Some of them taste like Daiya, some taste like coconut, some are slimy and flavorless from all the oil, and others have a creamy texture with no cheese flavor.

I’ve been making different variations of this recipe for about a year, tinkering with ingredients and measurements. The inspiration for it came from the Buddhist Chef’s Ultimate Vegan Pizza recipe, where he shares a truly impressive vegan mozzarella. If you’ve been looking for a good mozzarella recipe, I can’t recommend it enough. It works well with or without the refined coconut oil and with or without the agar agar, which is used to solidify the cheese into a solid block. When making his recipe, I usually leave out the oil and agar agar and just pour the thickened cheese sauce over my pizza. I started using the same method for mac and cheese and was shocked by how well the sauce clings to the noodles- it looks exactly like the mac and cheese I grew up with. From there, I started playing with the flavor and am very impressed with this iteration. Like cheddar, it’s rich, it’s tangy, it has a fatty mouthfeel without feeling slimy (or actually having that much fat), is a little salty, and it has a hint of “funk” or umami.

I’m not here to tell you that this mac and cheese it a spot-on replacement for the mac and cheese casserole your Southern granny used to make. BUT, this is the ONLY recipe for vegan mac and cheese that I’ve had that actually tastes and looks similar enough that it “scratches the itch.” If you, like me, have been searching for a good mac and cheese recipe that is oil-free, dairy-free, and/or vegan, I think you’ll be shocked at how good this is.

RECIPE NOTES:

To keep this recipe whole-food, use whole grain pasta. Banza chickpea pasta and Tinkyada brown rice elbows are great alternatives to whole wheat if you’re looking for something that is gluten-free and/or has a milder flavor.
If you don’t have a high speed blender, be sure to soak your cashews overnight in room temperature water OR in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. This will soften the nuts, making them easier for less powerful blenders to turn to cream.
Tapioca starch is readily available in most grocery stores, and is sometimes referred to as tapioca flour. Look for it where you normally find Bob’s Red Mill products. The tapioca starch is the magic ingredient in this recipe, as it thickens the sauce and gives it stretch when heated.
Nutritional yeast is readily available in most grocery stores, too. It looks a bit like fish food and has a nutty, savory flavor.
Make your bowl extra tasty by topping with some of your old favorite mac and cheese garnishes, like fresh parsley, green onion, seasoned salt, creole seasoning, seasoned breadcrumbs, or hot sauce!

Thanks to this recipe, I can still get my mac and cheese fix when I’m PMSing. Someday, I’ll be able to make it for my kids (I can’t wait to see their eye-rolling grandmothers dutifully but begrudgingly learn how to make it for them). I still have mac and cheese- the epitome of comfort food- in my life. But no cows were involved, it includes no oil and very little saturated fat, and is relatively healthy. Serve it with a side of veggies to complete the meal (maybe some green beans or roasted broccoli).

I hope you love this recipe as much as we have.

Did you make this recipe? Let me know! Tag me on Instagram @notlikemama. I love to see your versions of my recipes.

Happy Cooking,

Courtney