The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

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Are you missing Mac & Cheese now that you’re vegan?

Don’t worry! One of the things I thought I too was going to have to say goodbye to was mac n' cheese when I went vegan. I have loved mac n' cheese since I was a little girl and then it quickly became an obsession as an adult. My mom was always in charge of bringing the mac n' cheese to all of our family gatherings and holidays so I learned to make her secret recipe so I too could make it whenever I wanted it. It was always a hit and the pan was always empty every time I brought it to a gathering or potluck once I learned how to make it. After finding out the truth about dairy, however, I was overcome with grief that I would have to give up one of my favorite foods. 

But it’s tradition to eat animal products…

A huge reason, I believe, why so many people are afraid to become vegan is because we have such an emotional attachment to certain foods whether that be from our culture or through family traditions. To me the taste of mac n' cheese isn't what I loved, I loved that the taste of mac n' cheese reminded me of being at my grandmother's house for the holidays and the singing and the dancing and all the love that surrounded those meals. Just like a smell or a song can trigger a happy memory, so can food. So I can completely understand why people are hesitant about giving up certain products like dairy, meat, and eggs because so many of our favorite meals include them. We are more afraid of giving up our emotional connection to the food rather than the food itself. 

Don’t give it up, just elevate it!

Although I love mac n' cheese, I didn't want to let my love for mac n' cheese stop me from becoming vegan and helping to stop the cruelty of the dairy industry, so I searched and experimented for awhile until I concocted a recipe that reminded me of my mom's secret recipe. For fun, I brought this to Easter dinner a little while back and I didn't tell anyone it was vegan-and let me tell you, my family is super southern. Animal products are always on someone's plate here in Texas and no one, and I mean no one knew it was vegan. Everyone was wide-eyed, mid-bite with their forks hanging in the air when I told them there was no cheese in the mac n' cheese.

You’re making a difference with just this one meal!

That was the highlight of my day that day because even though I wasn't holding a sign or attending a protest, my activism was present in the food. If people can still have the same tastes and flavors they love about eating animal products from plants they will be open to making the change to a plant-based vegan lifestyle because food is so extremely powerful. It is often the root of our cultures, our traditions, our family history. Food is the foundation of who people are. It's the center of every gathering, at every holiday, and every celebration. I believe food is truly what brings us joy, but that doesn't mean we have to harm another being in the process. We can take those beloved recipes and evolve them. Make them into something new, something beautiful, but still pay homage to our traditions, our culture, and our family secret recipes. We don't have to give up our favorite foods because we choose not to harm animals, we can make them better and pass on new plant-based, sustainable, and ethical versions of the food we love! 

The ingredients may be different but the results are the same

This mac n' cheese recipe is now my very own recipe that I now love to share any and every chance I get. And even though there isn't any cheese in the mac n' cheese, the results are still the same-full bellies, laughter and love around the dinner table, and an empty pan. 

Some Tips Before You Start:

Here are the brands that I use that I love for this recipe:

To make this recipe Gluten Free you can use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Flour instead of all purpose flour

To make this recipe nut free use Daiya cheese as it is made from cassava and arrowroot and not nuts or Field Roast’s Tomato Cayenne Chao Cheese which is made with tofu and coconut. Also, use coconut milk instead of almond milk.

For vegan butter I use Earth Balance Butter and for the cream Cheese I recommend Go Veggie, Kite Hill, Tofutti, or the Trader Joe’s brand.

• 16 oz dry elbow pasta

• 1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Butter)

• 1/4 cup flour

• 2 1/2 cups plant-based milk

• 8 oz vegan cream cheese

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 3 slices of Tomato Cayenne Chao Cheese

• 1/2 cup of Nutritional Yeast

• 1/2 cup Daiya cheddar shreds (optional)

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)

1. Cook your macaroni noodles in a large pot of water with a little sea salt.

2. Cook until soft. Drain and set aside.

3. In a separate pan on medium heat, add 1/4 cup vegan butter.

4. Once butter has melted add in the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling.

5. Stir in your plant based milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly (this is really important so you don't have any clumps).

6. Once all your milk is mixed and your base is thick, add the vegan cream cheese and whisk until smooth.

7. Add in the nutritional yeast and all of your spices and continue to stir until fully mixed in.

8. Take your Chao Cheese Slices and crumble them into the mixture. Continue to stir until the cheese has dissolved. (If you are using the Chao Cheese slices, you'll start to see your mixture become a slight orange color).

9. In an oven-safe pan, place cooked noodles and smooth with a spoon so that your noodles cover the bottom of the pan and pour your cheese sauce over the noodles. Layer the rest of your noodles and then pour over the remainder of your sauce.

10. *Note: The mac and cheese can stay moist if you layer with noodles first, sauce, noodles, and sauce again.

11. Crumble panko bread crumbs and Daiya shreds on top (optional). Bake in the oven 375 for about 25-30 minutes until the corners of your mac & cheese are crispy.