This is the best vegan mac and cheese without cashews ever! Rich, creamy, cheesy comfort food made without cashews, dairy, gluten, or soy.
Kids and adults alike will love this pasta dish and may never even guess that it’s vegan! Make it quick and easy on the stovetop or bake it for extra cozy comfort food!
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why you'll love this cashew-free mac & cheese
- 🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- 🔪 Helpful tools for making vegan mac & cheese
- 🥄 How to make vegan mac & cheese without cashews
- 🌶️ How to spice up vegan mac & cheese
- 🥄 How to make oven-baked mac & cheese
- 🌟 Add-in for plant-based mac and cheese
- 👩🏻🍳 Pro tips for perfect dairy-free mac & cheese
- 🥡 How to store leftover vegan mac & cheese
- ❄️ Can I freeze vegan macaroni and cheese?
- ❓ How to reheat vegan mac?
- 🥦 How to make mac & cheese healthier?
- 🧈 Can I make oil-free vegan mac and cheese?
- 🌟 More cheesy vegan sauces
- 📋 Vegan mac and cheese without cashews recipe
Everyone loves a classic bowl of mac and cheese! This vegan version is surprisingly similar to the real deal and even non-vegans with love it!
I've been tweaking and perfecting this vegan mac and cheese recipe for over 20 years now. I've adapted it from a recipe in an old-school vegan cookbook called "The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook." (It was my vegan bible years ago before blogs and online recipes were a thing).
❤️ Why you'll love this cashew-free mac & cheese
- It's rich, creamy, and cheesy!
- It's gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free!
- You only need a few minutes to make it.
- It's kid-friendly.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Pasta – Macaroni, shell pasta, or any small pasta shape works great. Use gluten-free pasta if need too.
- Plant-Based Milk – Any plain flavored plant milk like soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, will work great in this recipe. For an extra rich and creamy mac and cheese, you can also use 1 1/2 cups of canned coconut milk plus 1/2 cup of water in place of the 2 cups of milk.
- Nutritional Yeast – Aka nooch. This is a yellow powder found in most health food stores. It has a cheesy umami flavor and without it, your vegan mac and cheese just won’t be cheesy tasting. You can learn more about nutritional yeast in this post.
- Tapioca Starch – Aka tapioca flour. This is essential for a creamy, stretchy texture that won’t get gloppy once it cools off. You can sub it with corn starch or potato starch, but nothing else gives your cheese sauce the same great texture as tapioca starch.
- Corn Starch – This helps to thicken up your sauce and make it the right consistency. (You can swap potato starch for this equally if you prefer).
- Garlic Powder - for flavor (optional). You can also swap this out for onion powder or use half garlic and half onion powder.
- Salt – for flavor.
- Turmeric - Just a dash for color.
- Oil - To give it a richer flavor (optional). Refined coconut oil, light olive oil, vegan margarine, or my vegan butter recipe all work great in this mac and cheese.
- Miso or Tahini – (optional) For a cheesy bite. If you want your mac and cheese to have more or a cheddar taste, add 1 tsp of white miso paste or tahini to your cheese sauce. You can also use a teaspoon of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or dijon mustard for a little tang.
- Black Pepper - or red pepper flakes for extra flavor or a little heat.
🔪 Helpful tools for making vegan mac & cheese
- Saucepan – To cook the “cheese sauce.”
- Pot – To boil the macaroni or pasta.
- Whisk - To stir your vegan cheese sauce into a creamy masterpiece!
- Baking Dish - if you are making baked vegan mac and cheese.
🥄 How to make vegan mac & cheese without cashews
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 - Boil pasta of choice according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. (Cook it al dente if you are going to make baked mac and cheese).
Step 2 - Put all the cheese sauce ingredients in a saucepan. (Plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, corn starch, salt). Then stir it with a whisk.
Step 3 -Turn on the heat to medium-low stirring frequently until it boils, then stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
Step 4 -Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the vegan cheese sauce.
Step 5 -Stir well and serve hot. Garnish with parsley, black pepper, or red pepper flakes.
🌶️ How to spice up vegan mac & cheese
Spice it up - For a little spice and extra flavor, add a few shakes of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, Frank's red hot, or vegan buffalo sauce.
🥄 How to make oven-baked mac & cheese
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Step 2 - Follow the steps above then add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the stovetop mac and cheese. (To account for evaporation in the oven).
Step 3 - Pour the mac and cheese into a lightly greased casserole dish.
Step 4 - Top with panko breadcrumbs, or crumbled vegan crackers mixed with melted vegan margarine and 1/4 tsp garlic salt, or simply top with shredded vegan cheese.
Step 5 - Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown.
See my post on baked vegan mac and cheese for more detailed instructions.
🌟 Add-in for plant-based mac and cheese
Buffalo Mac - Add 1/2 cup of vegan buffalo sauce at the end of cooking for an amazing buffalo mac and cheese!
Spicy Mac - Make it spicy with a few shakes of siracha or cayenne pepper or try my vegan Southwest mac and cheese with salsa and beans.
Cheddar Mac -About 1/2 teaspoon of miso or tahini added in will give your cheese sauce a little cheesy cheddar-style bite.
Bacon Mac - Bacon bits give your mac and cheese a great smokey flavor and a little crunch. Most varieties of bacon bits are surprisingly vegan or you can easily make homemade vegan bacon bits.
Vegan Lobster Mac and Cheese - Add 2 cups of my vegan lobster to the mac and cheese at the end of cooking.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips for perfect dairy-free mac & cheese
- Make sure to use plain plant-based milk. Vanilla-flavored milk will ruin your dish.
- Don't turn on the heat until you have mixed the dry ingredients with the milk. (It will get lumpy if you add starch to warm liquid).
- Stir your cheese sauce frequently. It will firm up quickly once it reaches a certain temperature and goes from a runny liquid to a thick sauce in just a few seconds.
🥡 How to store leftover vegan mac & cheese
This mac & cheese will keep well in the fridge for 3 - 5 days in an airtight container.
❄️ Can I freeze vegan macaroni and cheese?
Vegan mac n cheese without cashews freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
❓ How to reheat vegan mac?
Reheat the mac and cheese in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.
🥦 How to make mac & cheese healthier?
You can add 1/2 cup of boiled and pureed carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes to the cheese sauce for extra hidden nutrients. This recipe is also delicious with added steamed broccoli, peas, or kale.
Use my veggie cheese sauce to make a super healthy mac and cheese! Make a protein-packed vegan mac and cheese with tofu or make my vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe that's packed with vitamin A!
Turn this easy mac & cheese into a meal by adding beans and salsa like in my spicy vegan mac & cheese.
🧈 Can I make oil-free vegan mac and cheese?
If you want this mac and cheese to be fat-free, simply leave out the oil or margarine. It is not essential in this recipe. If you are oil-free, but not fat-free, you will love my coconut milk mac and cheese or vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipes.
I hope you enjoy this family favorite for years to come too! If you just want a little mac and cheese for a quick lunch or snack, be sure to check out my vegan mac and cheese for one recipe.
🌟 More cheesy vegan sauces
- Alfredo Sauce with Coconut Milk
- Vegan Bechamel Sauce
- Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce - Cheddar Style
- Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta Sauce
- Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Pasta
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
📋 Vegan mac and cheese without cashews recipe
Vegan Mac and Cheese without Cashews
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni pasta (uncooked) or any other small-sized pasta (Use gluten-free if desired).
Cheese sauce
- 2 cups vegan milk like soy milk or any other plain plant-based milk you choose
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch aka tapioca flour (or use corn or potato starch instead)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
For baked vegan mac and cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter or vegan margarine (melted)
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (Gluten-Free or regular)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
Vegan mac and cheese on the stove-top
- Boil pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside. (Cook it al dente if you are going to make baked mac and cheese).
- Add all the cheese sauce ingredients to a saucepan. (2 cups Plant-based milk, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp tapioca starch, 1 tbsp corn starch, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp turmeric).
- Stir with a whisk while cold.
- Turn on heat to medium-low stirring frequently until it boils. Then stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
- Mix the drained pasta with the vegan cheese sauce.
- Stir well and serve hot.
Baked vegan mac and cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Follow the steps above then add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the stovetop mac and cheese. (to account for evaporation in the oven).
- Pour the mac and cheese into a lightly greased casserole dish.
- Melt 3 tbsp of vegan butter in a small bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic salt to the melted butter and stir well.
- Top with panko breadcrumb mixture or simply top with shredded vegan cheese.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs have turned slightly golden.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use plain plant-based milk. Vanilla flavored milk will ruin your dish.
- Don't turn on the heat until you have mixed the dry ingredients with the milk. (It will get lumpy if you add starch to warm liquid).
- Stir your cheese sauce frequently. It will firm up quickly once it reaches a certain temperature and goes from a runny liquid to a thick sauce in just a few seconds.
- To make a richer-tasting mac and cheese add 2 tbsp of vegan butter to the sauce after cooking.
- You can add 1/2 cup of boiled and pureed carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes to the cheese sauce for extra hidden nutrients.
- This macaroni and cheese is also delicious with added steamed broccoli, peas, or kale.
- If you want this mac and cheese to be oil-free, simply leave out the oil or margarine. It is not essential in this recipe.
Nutrition
*This was originally posted on February 13, 2019. It was updated on January 12, 2021, to include new images and more detailed instructions.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Finally, yummy vegan mac and cheese that's quick, delicious, and easy on the budget! The kids approved with thumbs up. I've bought the vegan shreds from different companies and made it that way, but it's just so expensive. I've tried different recipes with nutritional yeast, and this one is thee best. I followed the recipe exactly. No changes. Perfect! Thank you for sharing!
I'm so happy that you liked it, Jamie! 🙂
Thanksgiving eve quick light meal, added burger and onions. Sauted in plant base butter. Added:
1Tbsp coconut aminos
1T mustard
1/2tsp paprika
1/3 c plant base cheese
That's how I've made similar recipe for years
Glad that you like the recipe, Anita. 🙂
Can this be made ahead and reheated?
Yes, you may want to add a splash of plant milk to it when you reheat it since it will thicken a bit when refrigerated.
Hello,
Could this be made with normal flour in place of the 2 tablespoons?
Thank you!
Yes, you can use all purpose flour instead, but it will just thicken the sauce and not give you the stretchiness that tapioca starch will give.
I made this recipe for my mom last night at her request. She was missing the flavors of Mac and Cheese a lot. The ingredients came together in no time at all. I made a double batch because, based on my past history of utilizing recipes from this blog, I knew it would be fantastic and I was correct in my assumption.
Both my mother and I love this recipe. Eating so many great dishes has inspired my mom to finally start cooking Vegan food. She was hesitant at first due to the challenge of figuring out new combinations of ingredients but the food has been so tasty, it's jumpstarted her curiosity.
Thank you so much for these recipes and for publishing them on this blog.
You are so welcome! I'm happy that you and your mom enjoy them! 🙂
Made this recipe tonight and it came out really well! So easy and delicious! Made the Buffalo version by adding hot sauce and vegan butter and a tsp of miso! I think I now prefer this cheese sauce over a cashew cream version.... thank you!
I'm so happy that the recipe worked well for you. I like the buffalo version too! 🙂
I wanted to try this recipe because it looked very simple. When I went to make it it tasted cheesy, but it was very runny. It didn’t taste right. I did use two substitutes. I ran out of nutritional yeast, so I used lemon juice and baking soda. I also substituted tapioca starch with corn starch. I felt like I kept adding corn starch to make it thick, but it was still runny. I would like to be able to make this recipe because it’s simple. Any suggestions? Maybe I substituted too many things out of the seven ingredients 😂...
Hi Isabelle, there really isn't a vegan substitute for nutritional yeast. The purpose of it is only for flavor, not to cause it to rise or anything, so using lemon juice and baking soda doesn't work. I have a feeling that a reaction between those caused it not to thicken. You can definitely swap out the tapioca starch with corn starch, and it should thicken once it reaches the boiling point. It will also continue to thicken as it cools. I hope that you try it again with nutritional yeast. Enjoy. 🙂
I love this recipe so much! This is my first vegan thanksgiving and I usually consume the regular baked Mac n cheese with all the animal product. This recipe is helping me along my vegan journey because it helps me to feel like I’m not missing out. I get to have delicious food too. So far I’m enjoying my journey.
I'm so happy that this recipe helped you Lanee! 🙂
good recipe, i used half the tapioca starch and corn starch and baked it, it turned out perfect thickness. Next time I will do half the panko crumbs as well as i found it was too much.
I'm happy that you liked it, Leni!
Do you have a milk preference for this recipe? Do any of the plant milks add to the cheesy flavor or detract less?
I like plain soy milk since it's rich and creamy. Other plant-based milks like almond milk tend to be thin and less creamy. Hope that helps! 🙂
We love this recipe! Do you think the sauce would freeze well by itself for future dinners?
I'm so happy that you like it. Yes, the sauce will freeze well. 🙂
Thanks for a great, quick, mac n cheese! Working with a fairly depleted pantry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I used Bonza chickpea rotini, JOI almond milk, and only cornstarch (no tapioca flour on hand), and it was delicious! We added a teaspoon of TJ's prepared white wine Dijon mustard to give us an extra layer of flavor. I look forward to trying it again with your recommendations. This will definitely be in our rotation, since my hubby can make it!
I'm so happy that you and your family liked it, Dianne! 🙂
OMGosh, am eating this right now, soooooo delicious, thank you so much for this fabulous recipe, mac n cheese was one thing I missed from my pre vegan days, not any more. Now I can die happy, LOL
Aww, I'm so happy that you like it, Lorri! 🙂
Soo good! I added a little cayenne, garlic, and onion powder to the sauce then topped with garlic salt, almond flour, and vegan butter and baked for 10 mins, broiled for 10. Amazing even my 14yr old brother liked it.
Sounds delicious! I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
Loved the recipe! Like others, I modified it to what I had on hand: I added 21/2 cups of broccoli pieces, 1 cup of onion, a 2 cloves of garlic. I used only corn starch, no butter, and a little pepper (no panko crumbs). It came out great. Thanks so much for the recipe. I really enjoyed it.
You're welcome, Karyn. I'm glad that you liked it! 🙂
Great recipe! My husband said it had great flavor and my 1 year old devoured it! I didn't have tapioca starch on hand so I substituted arrowroot. It didn't quite thicken up the way I was hoping so I'll be sure to use the tapioca next time.
I'm so happy that you liked it, Christine! Tapioca gives it a really nice texture, hope that you are able to try it that way next time! 🙂
Hi! This recipe looks amazing!! Will it be okay to make ahead and then bake when ready to serve on thanksgiving? Can I just double the measurements for a larger serving? Thanks in advance!!
Thanks so much! Yes, just double the measurements for a really large dish. You can make it a day ahead, but I would not put the bread crumbs on until you are ready to bake it so they don't get soggy. Enjoy! 🙂
This stovetop mac & cheese was just the touch of comfort food I needed to night. Thanks - it was delicious!
So happy that you liked it, Ginny! 🙂
Is there a way to make this recipe lower in sodium?
Hi Sara, You can simply reduce the salt that you use to suit your needs and taste. However, salt is part of that traditional cheesy flavor you would get from a traditional mac and cheese, so it won't be the same if you omit it completely. Enjoy! 🙂
What can I use instead of tapioca starch?
You can use corn starch or potato starch instead, however, the consistency will not be as stretchy. It will also get thick once it's cooled off with the corn or potato starch. Tapioca is the only thing that I've found that gives it a truly great cheesy consistency. Hope that helps! 🙂
I'm posting this comment literally 10 minutes after me and my non-vegan dad as good as inhaled this vegan mac and cheese! I added in some broccoli florets and baked it with breadcrumbs on top. It was delicious, cheesy, and both me and my dad loved it! I'll surely be making this again 🙂
So happy that you and your Dad loved it! I make the stove-top method a lot for my kids since it's so quick, but I love it when I take the extra step to bake it with breadcrumbs! 🙂
I am trying to make this recipe with ingredients I have on hand and it seems that I have everything except corn starch/potatoes starch, as I have somehow run out. Is it possible to use kappa carrageenan, agar agar, flour, or more tapioca starch to thicken the sauce instead?
You can use more tapioca starch instead or even omit it for a little runnier sauce. Hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Which brand of nutritional yeast do you use? I havent had great luck with the generic brand im using.
Hi Lani, I usually use the KAL Nutritional yeast flakes. I find that they have the cheesiest flavor. Hope you enjoy the mac and cheese! Here's a link... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00020HV1E/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thehiddenvegg-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00020HV1E&linkId=cbbbc01e6307bd2c9571ca5ea4721253
My 3 and 5 year old loved it!! THANK YOU! I don't think there will be any left for me, next time I'll make a bigger pot.
You're welcome! So happy that your kids liked this mac and cheese! My kids love it too! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Monica! I made the vegan mac and ! It was amazing! But, how can i avoid the small balls that are formed as a result tapioca starch? Thanks!!!
Thanks, I'm glad that you liked it. Be sure to add the tapioca starch while the milk is still cold. It should dissolve completely in the cold liquid and it will be completely smooth. 🙂
I read the “while it’s cold” part after I started the stove, so I got clumps. Took them out into a small bowl & used the whisk to smash it to pieces & put it back in before boiling went too far. Saved it.
I'm glad that you caught it in time! 🙂
Made this last week, and my non-vegan husband asked for it again two days later! Definitely a hit in my house! I think I'll double the recipe next time!
So happy that you love it as much as we do! 🙂
Just made this recipe. This was AMAZING!!😊😊
Finally a vegan recipe with no tofu, soaked cashews or nuts, carrots and potatoes required. This really reminded me of how macaroni and cheese is supposed to taste like: rich, creamy and satisfying.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You are very welcome! I'm not a big fan of the cashew, carrots, and potatoes recipes either. This is how I've been making it for years and it never fails me! 🙂
This really is the BEST vegan mac and cheese! I have tried so many other recipes but this one is a keeper! My boyfriend usually rolls his eyes when I say I’m making mac and cheese, but he said this is the best one I’ve made so far!
Love this recipe! Made it last night and we chowed it down. Thanks for making these recipes so simple, easy to follow and best of all....delicious!
Thanks Jessica! So happy that you liked it!
This is a recipe that many people would be waiting for, as a lot of people follow vegan diet. I love mac and cheese, and love it more topped with ketchup. Can a lactose intolerant person eat this mac and cheese? Or does it need to be amended for him or her?
Thanks! Since it's totally dairy free, it's also lactose-free, so no need to amend it. (I love ketchup on mine too! I thought that I was the only one)! 🙂