Description
This Best Vegan Mac and Cheese offers a creamy, flavorful plant-based twist on the classic comfort food. Made with soaked cashews blended with nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and dijon mustard, this dish delivers rich, cheesy flavor without dairy. A crispy toasted panko breadcrumb topping with fennel seeds adds a delightful crunch, while optional garnishes like scallions and chili flakes provide extra freshness and heat. Perfect for vegan and plant-based eaters seeking a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Mac and Cheese
- 3/4 lb macaroni (elbow, cavatappi, or rigatoni)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2.5 cups raw cashew pieces
- 2.75 cups water
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1.5 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
Crispy Bread Crumb Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (or as needed)
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds (optional)
Garnishes (optional)
- onion chives
- scallions
- smoky tempeh bits
- chili flakes
- crispy fried onions
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: If you do not have a powerful blender like a Vitamix, soak the raw cashews in hot water for a couple of hours to soften them for blending.
- Sauté Aromatics: Preheat a heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt, sautéing until the onion is softened and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic slices and cook an additional 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Blend Sauce: Transfer the sautéed onion and garlic into a blender along with drained cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, dijon mustard, and sea salt. Blend on smoothie setting until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Cook Sauce: Pour the blended sauce into a large skillet and bring it to a gentle bubble over medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to a cheesy consistency.
- Boil Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a heavy sprinkling of salt and cook the macaroni al dente according to package instructions. Drain well.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the drained macaroni into the skillet with the thickened cheese sauce and toss to combine thoroughly.
- Prepare Crispy Topping: Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil along with fennel seeds. Toast until the fennel is fragrant, then add panko bread crumbs. Continuously toss to coat and cook until the crumbs turn golden brown. Season with a pinch of sea salt flakes.
- Serve: Spoon the toasted bread crumb mixture evenly over the mac and cheese. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions, onion chives, chili flakes, smoky tempeh bits, or crispy fried onions as desired before serving.
- Optional Compliance (Plantricious): For a whole food plant-based version, sauté the onions and garlic using water or vegetable stock instead of oil, omit the panko breadcrumb topping, and choose whole grain pasta.
Notes
- Soaking cashews softens them for a creamier sauce; if using a high-powered blender, soaking is optional.
- You can customize garnishes to taste, including smoky tempeh bits or crispy fried onions for additional texture and flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the macaroni and panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives.
- To make this recipe oil-free and Plantricious compliant, sauté using water or vegetable broth instead of oil and omit the panko topping.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently on stovetop or microwave adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours for cashew soaking if needed)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Keywords: vegan mac and cheese, plant-based comfort food, cashew cheese sauce, dairy free mac and cheese, vegan pasta recipe
