Today, I’m sharing my vegan spin on the ultimate comfort food: Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese!
This recipe features an easy cheese sauce that is ridiculously creamy and cheesy (and even secretly wholesome…hi, butternut squash!). Once mixed with elbow macaroni, it gets topped with a buttery bread crumb topping and baked until crunchy and browned. The textural contrast of creamy and crispy is irresistible and every bite is packed with flavor, indulgence, and nostalgia.
What you need to make the best Vegan Mac and Cheese
Butternut Squash. Butternut squash adds a velvety body to the cheese sauce and (2) it brings that nostalgic orange-yellow color you associate with mac and cheese.
Cashews. Soaked raw cashews, when blended up, rival the creamiest of dairy sauces. I’ve tried vegan cheese sauces without them and they never compare.
Nutritional Yeast. A potent source of savory flavor and helps mimic the taste of cheese. In order to get this to really taste cheesy, I use a generous ½ cup of nutritional yeast.
Miso Paste. One of the reasons people love cheese is that it naturally umami. To bring in more umami without using dairy, I add a bit of white miso paste.
Lite Coconut Milk. Mac and cheese is meant to be indulgent, so to amp up the creaminess, I add in some “lite” coconut milk. It has a high enough fat content to bring the creaminess, but it’s not too heavy.
Tapioca Flour. This ingredient helps thicken the cheese sauce and give it the texture you associate with a mac and cheese sauce.
Panko. The light, flaky texture brings an irresistible snappy crunch to the topping and works much better than standard breadcrumbs.
How to make Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Coat the butternut squash halves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 425ºF for 45-55 minutes, or until completely fork tender and lightly browned. Scoop out 1 ½ cups of butternut squash flesh.
Add the butternut squash flesh to a blender with the soaked cashews, miso, nutritional yeast, spices, coconut milk, and tapioca flour. Blend until thick, creamy, and smooth.
For the topping, mix together the panko, nutritional yeast, salt, paprika, and melted vegan butter.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over the mac and cheese. Bake at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes until the topping is crispy and golden brown.
Tips for making this recipe
How to easily slice butternut squash
If you find it difficult to slice your butternut squash in half, pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to help soften and make it easy to slice.
How to soak cashews
If you have a high-powered blender, you can soak your cashews in boiling water for just 30 minutes. But if you have a standard blender, soak them in cool water for 8 hours or overnight so the sauce is smooth and not gritty.
Taste the cheese sauce
Taste the cheese sauce before you pour it onto the macaroni. Add more salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard powder, or miso paste as needed. If you’re planning to use this cheese sauce to make regular mac and cheese (i.e., not baking it), omit the tapioca starch. It’ll taste chalky if not cooked.
Let the mac and cheese rest
If you want your mac and cheese to almost solidify into a mass (see photo below), allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing into it.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can sub in cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) with fairly similar results, but I find that tapioca flour works best.
If you want to save time, you can make the cheese sauce and macaroni 1-2 days in advance, and toss them together in the baking dish; cover and refrigerate. On the day of serving, take it out of the fridge so it’s not super cold and make the topping (takes 2 minutes). Sprinkle the topping on and bake it off.
Or, you can just make the cheese sauce 2-3 day ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. Or even just roast the butternut squash 2-3 days in advance and store the flesh in the fridge.
Once baked, allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add your mac and cheese to an oven-safe dish. If very thick, add a spoon or two of plant milk and toss to combine. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375ºF for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. If desired, take off the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
For me, mac and cheese is an indulgent treat, not a health food, which is why I use coconut milk. But, if you’re allergic to coconut, substitute with full-fat oat milk or cashew milk. Almond milk is too thin IMO and soy milk (even unsweetened varieties) leaves a subtle but strange sweet aftertaste.
You can use (1) canned pumpkin puree or (2) canned butternut squash puree if you’re in a rush. That said, using whole butternut squash adds more flavor, as it’s fresher and gets more flavor baked into it with the roasting and the salt and pepper.
My answer would be no, as it brings a significant amount of the cheesy flavor. Otherwise, it’ll be more of a creamy pasta bake (delicious but won’t have the mac and cheese flavor).
Watch! How to make Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
TASTIEST VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE | easy recipe
If you give this Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe a try, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please comment with your feedback below.
Crispy Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 small-medium butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds or 1 kg)
- Olive oil or avocado oil, for roasting and tossing pasta
- 1/2 cup (~70g) raw cashews, soaked in cool water overnight or in boiling water for 1 hour and then drained*
- 3/4 cup (60g) nutritional yeast (makes for an extra cheesy flavor, but you can use 1/2 cup or 40g and it will still be good)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional but adds a nice sharp tangy flavor)
- 1 tablespoon mellow white or yellow miso paste
- 1 (13.5 ounce/ 400 mL) can “lite” coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (see the “frequently asked questions” section for substitutes)
- 12 ounces (340g) elbow macaroni (see the “frequently asked questions” section for notes on how to make this recipe gluten-free)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Crispy Topping
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (60-65g) panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Scant 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Use a very sharp knife to slice the butternut squash in half, then scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
- Bake the squash. Place each squash half, cut side up, on a baking sheet and rub each with a bit of the olive oil or avocado oil and season well with salt and pepper. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the flesh is completely fork tender and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, make the crispy breadcrumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, salt, paprika, and melted vegan butter until well combined.
- Meanwhile, cook the elbow macaroni. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta according to the box directions until al dente and drain in a colander. Toss with a little bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Once the squash is done roasting and cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and discard the skin. Measure out 1 1/2 cups (310-330g) of the flesh. Reserve the rest for another use, such as a curry, soup, or side dish.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Lightly grease a 3-quart/3-liter baking dish with oil or melted vegan butter.
- Make the cheese sauce. In a high-powered blender, add the 1 1/2 cups (310-330g) of the squash flesh. Add in the soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, miso paste, tapioca flour or cornstarch, lemon juice, lite coconut milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly, adding more salt as needed, more miso paste for more umami, more nutritional yeast for more cheesiness, or more lemon juice for more acidity.
- Return the cooked and drained pasta back to its saucepan and pour in the cheese sauce. Toss until well combined. Transfer the mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the crispy breadcrumb topping evenly over the top.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the topping is crispy and brown. Allow to cool for 10-20 minutes to help set up, then slice into it and serve.
This was super delicious! I have discovered a new way to enjoy butternut squash! My husband approved it too. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. I love your Youtube videos:)
Yoko, So glad to hear you two loved this recipe! Thanks for watching the Rainbow Plant Life videos and trying the recipe!
I thought I already left a comment on this recipe, but I’m not very tech savvy so I probably didn’t do it right. Hopefully I do this time…
This recipe is so, so good! Even my carnivore husband loved it. He actually asked what kind of cheese I used. Haha.
I’m new to Veganism and your recipes have made it a very easy transition.
Thank You so much and keep up the great work.
LOL glad the cheese sauce was so tasty your husband didn’t even know the difference! :) Thank you for trying the recipes!
This is delicious… definitely recommend using a whole pound of macaroni. For me this made just enough for the amount of sauce.
Samantha, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
I just made this and it’s delicious. I had to substitute a few I gredients because I didn’t have them (miso paste and ground mustard… I used a bit of low-sodium soy sauce and Dijon mustard), but being a Southern woman and how Mac & Cheese is one of our religions down here, this is wonderful. I’m newly dairy-free and your recipes are some of the ones helping me adjust.
Hi Lisa, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
Oh my goodness! This was so delicious! I’m always a little nervous when trying new mac and cheese recipes that use veggies in the sauce instead of just nutritional yeast, as the cheese flavour is never the same in the cheeseness department. This was the complete opposite! When my partner and I took our first bites and looked at each other and went wow :O I loved how it has so much flavour and that creamy cheeseness you want in a mac and cheese. I will definitely be making this again.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Claire!
When I first saw your recipe on YouTube whilst scrolling through food videos, I stored it away in the back of my mind to try. I then forgot your user name 🤦♀️ But thankfully searched a vegan Mac n cheese and found it again! I instantly subscribed to your channel and have just prepped the sauce for tomorrow nights dinner. It tastes ah may zing! I always do a crispy top on my ‘baked sauce dishes’ and the ingredient list read like a song to me. Well done to you for all the effort you put into your content. Im married to a chef. A very French and specifically trained French Chef who has worked with and in some fabulous countries around the world. I will dazzle him with your vegan Indian Dahl that impressed your parents (he loooooves REAL authentic Indian food and makes the best butter chicken from scratch! He got the recipe from some beautiful Indian chefs he worked with in Dubai years ago – it’s still one of his go to recipes when we have friends over). Avid follower here from Australia- not vegan but love all food and cuisine. My son is dairy free – so I ventured into vegan ‘dairy’ alternatives- nutritional yeast being in my top 3! Keep posting and sharing your recipes- I am very inspired by your cooking channel! 🙏💕
Hi Debbie, we are so glad you love the mac and cheese sauce! Thank you for the rave reviews, we are so happy to have you :)
The cheezy sauce was so velvety and yummy! This is a masterpiece recipe that will stay in my repertoire. I used a 12 oz. bag of pre-cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe’s. It was just the right amount.
Thanks for sharing, Poiema!
WOW!!!
I am SO impressed, I loved this! Obviously it didn’t taste like a Mac and cheese but it tasted like my favourite butternut squash soup in a pasta and it’s just amazing! So in love with this and definitely a new go to, it takes a while to cook however it’s quite easy as most the more is in the oven or blending. I did FORGET the coconut milk which was so silly as I remembered how important you said it was! I was so annoyed but it still tasted so amazing but very strong in flavour (so next time I will use it to even out the tangy-ness)
P.S for anyone wondering I didn’t add the miso paste because I don’t have any and just added some blended walnuts for that Umami and it tasted fab!
Thanks for sharing your experience Natalie, we are thrilled you loved this Mac and Cheese!
Is there another cheese sauce/recipe you’d recommend for someone that is allergic to squash?
I would either omit it or use sweet potato. Sweet potato is both orange in color and sweet similar to butternut squash.
Hi There! We have a couple on the blog.
In this blog post there is a Mexican Cheese Sauce Recipe: https://rainbowplantlife.com/the-best-vegan-breakfast-burritos/#wprm-recipe-container-11481
In this blog post is a Smoky Cheese Sauce Recipe: https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-quesadillas-with-smoky-cheese-and-refried-beans/#wprm-recipe-container-5771
Hope that helped!
Awesome!! Wondering if frozen butternut squash in a steamer bag would work??
I’ve used frozen butternut squash before with no issue! Tastes so good!!
It’s funny cause as I read the comments, everyone seems to agree! This IS the BEST vegan Mac & cheese❣️ I can’t get over how delicious it is!! It has a subtle sweetness. I think it’s the squash…. I’ve never had butternut squash. I also added pepper flakes cause I luv heat! Will keep this as a very special dish to make!! Amazing! Yay‼️👏🏻👏🏻
Absolutely delicious and surprisingly easy
Absolutely indulgent and delicious! Followed the recipe exactly. Thank you for sharing!
Made this last night and it was a huge success! There was quite a lot of cheesy sauce so I boiled up some extra pasta to bulk it out. Also to add in some extra veg I sauted some onions + garlic + celery in mixed it in. Will 10/10 be making again!
Hi there – any recommendations for substitutes for the cashews? Would cannelini beans work? Dying to try this after all the rave reviews!
Made this last night for dinner — it’s as amazing as advertised. I substituted equal parts soy sauce (real deal) and tahini (unsalted) for the miso paste as none of the stores I visited had any (looking at you, WF, Sprouts and Tom Thumb!). The cheese sauce came out absolutely stunning: color, texture, viscosity and taste. ALL perfect. The only “problems” I encountered were portions being off. I ended up needing all of the macaroni noodles (16 oz) which lengthened my cooking time as I had to reheat water, etc. I also had about a pint of cheese sauce leftover. These are the kinds of problems I like to have; made for an excellent/quick lunch the next day! Bake time and wait time were perfect as well. This is the best mac & cheese recipe out there, y’all. SO worth it! Thanks, Nisha!!
It was amazing. My husband just loved it!!!
Sooo good. Love that there is no fake cheese and it’s actually delicious. Never tried breadcrumbs on mac and cheese before, but it does what it needs to do here! This will be my new go-to recipe for the holidays!
I’ve made so many vegan Mac n cheeses that have been very underwhelming but this is so incredible! And the crispy topping is just next level yum! 🤤
This turned out incredible! I’ve been trying lots of vegan recipes and mac n cheeses, but they often are a bit gritty and dry. Not this one! Aside from the fact that I accidentally threw in too much mustard powder when I was adjusting it… Woops! Didn’t realize how potent mustard powder is. (And how much it reminds me of horseradish lol.) That being said, it still was super tasty. Though I wish I didn’t use that much mustard powder, I just had the mindset that it was a horseradish mac n cheese and then it didn’t bother me as much.