I am SO jealous of parents who can throw easy mac in the microwave and please their picky toddlers. But when your kid has allergies, convenience foods become the kind of unrequited love that only Taylor Swift could sing about.
Dairy is hard enough, but having a dairy AND nut allergy – I feel for you. This easy nut-free Vegan Mac and Cheese will hopefully solve at least one of your problems. It is quick, easy, and so delicious it blows the store-bought stuff out of the water. The best part: It is toddler-approved, nut-free, and easy to make gluten-free! Having allergies shouldn’t mean you need to miss out on the ultimate comfort food!
Serve with Vegan Italian Bread or top with a protein like Crispy Sesame Tofu or Smoky Maple Tempeh Bacon for a complete meal.
For more nut-free favorites, try this Nut-Free Pumpkin Seed Granola, or Nut-Free Pesto.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Fast – This easy recipe comes together in just 15 minutes!
- Customizable – Add or replace spices to please the whole family. Use any vegan cheese that suits your dietary restrictions. Use whatever shape noodle your picky eater will consume (hello, dinosaur noodles)!
- Simple ingredients – All of these ingredients should be easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Great texture – So many nut cheese sauces have a gritty texture. This cheese recipe is super smooth and creamy.
Ingredients
- Noodles – A smaller noodle like rotini or elbows is perfect for this recipe, but you can use any noodle you’d like.
- Vegan Cheddar and Parmesan – To keep this recipe nut-free, make sure to select a variety that does not contain tree nuts. While the FDA classifies coconut as a tree-nut for allergen labeling, coconuts are not actually fruits and most people with tree-nut allergies can tolerate coconut, so I have used a vegan cheese that includes coconut oil in this recipe.
- Non-dairy milk – This recipe works well with coconut milk or oat milk, but any plant-based milk will 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 – Garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried oregano.
- Salt & black pepper
- Optional: Stir in vegan butter when making the cheese sauce for added flavor.
Helpful Equipment
In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:
- Large stock pot
- Medium sauce pot
- Strainer
How to Make the Best Vegan Mac
This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the noodles, and begin making the vegan cheese sauce.
In a separate saucepan, heat the non-dairy milk over medium heat until simmering. Once simmering, add in the vegan cheese, spices, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine.
Continue stirring on low heat until the mixture thickens and all of the cheese is melted. Once it has thickened, remove from heat and set aside.
When the noodles are cooked to a perfect al dente, strain the pasta and return the noodles to the pot. Pour the cheese mixture on top of the cooked pasta and stir until all the noodles are evenly coated.
Top with more fresh-ground black pepper or enjoy as is!
Variations on Nut Free Vegan Mac
- Baked Vegan Mac – For an oven-baked version, pour the finished mac into a baking dish, top with bread crumbs and more vegan cheese and bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Perfect for special occasions or a weeknight dinner.
- Veggie Mac – Stir in some green peas, cooked carrots, or whatever veggies your picky eater likes!
- Hidden Protein – Add 1/2 can pureed white beans to the cheese sauce or use chickpea pasta for a great way to add hidden protein.
How to Store
- Fridge – Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezer – Freeze leftovers in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Tip: Freeze in individual portions for quicker thawing.
- Reheat – Reheat thawed mac in the microwave or on the stove. You may want to add a splash of water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
More Tips
- Not Vegan? Use real cheese and/or milk and follow the same instructions for an easy cheese sauce.
- Gluten-Free? Swap for your favorite gluten-free pasta variety and make sure the vegan cheese you select is also gluten-free.
- 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!
FAQ
Yes! Once made, this mac will last up to 1 week in the fridge. You can make the cheese sauce separately ahead of time also. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until smooth and creamy before adding to cooked pasta.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or buffalo sauce to the cheese sauce!
Absolutely! Puree cooked veggies in a food processor or high powered blender before adding to the cheese sauce. You may need to increase the amount of non-dairy milk you use to achieve the desired consistency.
Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 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 large pot of salted water.
- While the noodles cook, make the cheese sauce. In a separate sauce 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!
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on March 8, 2025
This mac and cheese is ridiculously easy and beyond delicious. My kids love this so much. I make it all the time!