Description
Creamy vegan mac and cheese with a silky cashew-and-potato cheese sauce—comforting, kid-friendly, and packed with cheesy flavor without dairy.
Ingredients
Pasta
– 12 ounces elbow macaroni
– 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for pasta water)
Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce
– 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water 20 minutes, then drained)
– 1 cup peeled diced russet potato
– 1/2 cup diced carrot
– 1 1/4 cups unsweetened plain non-dairy milk (almond or oat)
– 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
– 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon onion powder
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional crunchy topping
– 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
1) Cook pasta. Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
2) Cook veg for sauce. In a small pot, cover potato and carrot with water. Boil 10 to 12 minutes until very tender. Drain.
3) Blend sauce. In a blender, combine cashews, cooked potato and carrot, non-dairy milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, and olive oil. Blend until silky smooth.
4) Heat & toss. Pour sauce into the pasta pot and warm over medium-low. Add pasta and stir to coat. Thin with reserved pasta water as needed.
5) Topping (optional). Toast panko with olive oil and garlic powder in a skillet over medium until golden. Sprinkle on top.
Notes
– No blender? A high-speed blender makes the smoothest sauce.
– Make it spicy: Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or a splash of hot sauce.
– Make-ahead: Sauce can be made 3 days ahead; reheat with a splash of milk.
– Bake option: Pour into a greased dish, top with breadcrumbs, and bake at 400°F for 12 minutes.
– Tools: Blender, pot, skillet (optional).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American