Mac and cheese was one of the things I missed the most when I went vegan. The vegan boxed varieties just weren’t doing it for me, so I had to come up with my own. This Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese is so delicious it blows the store-bought stuff out of the water. Bonus: It is toddler-approved!
Why I Love this Recipe
- Fast – Throw this together in just 15 minutes!
- Customizable – Add or replace spices as you choose to please the whole family.
- So cheesy – without the dairy! Even my toddler loves this recipe.
Ingredients
- Noodles – a small noodle like rotini or elbows is perfect for this recipe, but you can use any noodle you’d like.
- Vegan Cheddar and Parmesan– This is my favorite brand of plant-based cheeses!
- Plant milk – This recipe works well with coconut or oat milk, but any work.
- Nutritional yeast – this adds that little bit of extra cheesiness to the recipe, and it is a great source of B12 for vegans!
- Spices – You can omit these entirely if you just want the basic flavor of plain mac and cheese, but I like the extra variety that the spices bring.
How to Make Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Cook the Noodles
Bring a medium-sized pot with about 6 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the noodles.
Make the Cheese Sauce
In a separate small saucepan, bring your plant milk to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Once simmering, add in the vegan cheese and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine.
Continue stirring on low heat until the mixture thickens. Once it has thickened, remove from heat and set aside.
Combine Noodles and Sauce
When the noodles are done, strain out the pasta water and return the noodles to the pot. Pour the cheese mixture on top and stir until all the noodles are evenly coated.
Top with more fresh-ground black pepper or enjoy as is!
How to Store Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Fridge – Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to one week.
More Tips for Making Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Not Vegan? Use real cheese and/or milk and follow the same instructions for an easy cheese sauce.
- Gluten-Free? Opt for a gluten-free variety of noodles.
- Want to Mix it up? Toss in some Sesame Tofu or extra veggies to add a bit of bulk to this meal. Bonus tip: this sauce is also great on steamed broccoli or a baked potato!
Looking for more quick weeknight dinners? Try my Vegan Fried Rice or Vegan Cacio e Pepe.
Did you make this recipe?
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@theplanted.pantry
Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Small sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound noodles such as rotini or elbows
- 8 oz Plant based cheddar cheese
- 2 oz Plant-based parmesan cheese
- 1 cup plant milk
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking your noodles in a medium-sized pot of salted water.
- While the noodles cook, make the cheese sauce. In a separate small pot, bring the plant milk to a simmer. Then add the vegan cheeses, nutritional yeast and spices. Stir continuously until mixture thickens.
- Once the noodles are finished, strain the water out and leave noodles in the pot.
- Add the finished cheese sauce to the noddles and stir.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Not Vegan? Use real cheese and/or milk and follow the same instructions for an easy cheese sauce.
- Gluten-Free? Opt for a gluten-free variety of noodles.
- Want to Mix it up? Toss in some Sesame Tofu or extra veggies to add a bit of bulk to this meal. Bonus tip: this sauce is also great on steamed broccoli or a baked potato!
