As a child of the ’90s, I can think of no dish more universally comforting than mac and cheese. And this crispy baked vegan mac and cheese hits all the comfort food notes: creamy, cheesy, savory, salty, and even crispy thanks to the buttery breadcrumb topping.
No store-bought vegan cheese required, and it’s ready in 45 minutes.
Feed your inner child (or your actual children) with this indulgent and nostalgic dinner, or serve it up as a crowd-pleasing side for holiday dinners.
A Better Vegan Mac and Cheese
Even though this recipe has been a popular one (rated 4.9 of 5 stars with 200+ ratings as of this writing), I recently realized it was in need of an update.
When I tried it a few weeks ago, I found it wasn’t as savory or as cheesy as I was expecting, and the butternut squash added more sweetness than I wanted.
So I went back to the drawing board and came up with something far better (I tasted both versions side-by-side and the revamped version was the clear winner: more savory, more flavorful, and the best sign of all—I couldn’t stop eating it).
Without the squash, the recipe is also quicker (~45 minutes) and requires far less oven time.
If you liked the last version, I think you’ll LOVE this one. And if it’s your first time, prepare to enter comfort food heaven 😇
Ingredient Notes
- Raw Cashews. Soaked raw cashews, when blended up, rival the creamiest of dairy-based cheese sauces. Plus, their neutral flavor doesn’t interfere with any of the other sauce ingredient flavors.
- Nutritional Yeast. Given the wide variability of vegan cheeses in terms of meltability and flavor (and the unfortunate plastic taste in some 😭), I didn’t want this recipe to hinge on the quality of store-bought cheese. Luckily, nutritional yeast is a potent source of umami (thanks to its naturally occuring glutamic acid) and brings a nice cheesy flavor.
- Potatoes and Carrots. Yukon gold potatoes add the starch necessary to thicken the cheese sauce while keeping the flavor neutral, while carrots bring the light orange color our brains associate with mac and cheese. To avoid any sweet flavor, this recipe uses just one small carrot, which is plenty for color.
- Soy Sauce and Pickle Brine. These might sound like unusual additions, but without any actual cheese, our sauce needs more savoriness and a bit of tang to mimic the natural flavors of cheese.
- Vegan Butter. This is used to coat the macaroni and to make the buttery breadcrumb topping, and brings, well, the necessary buttery richness you’d expect in mac and cheese.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: The light, flaky texture brings an irresistible snappy crunch to the topping and works much better than standard breadcrumbs.
Substitutes
Live outside the U.S. / don’t have Yukon gold potatoes? Use any medium-starch, all-purpose potato.
Be sure to use the brine from dill pickles or kosher pickles. Don’t use the brine from sweet pickles, such as bread and butter pickles, as it will ruin the sauce. If you don’t have pickle brine, you can use white wine vinegar, but start with less.
Most vegan butters are salted, but if yours is unsalted, you may want to add a tad more salt to the cheese sauce and topping. Don’t want to use vegan butter? You can replace it with extra virgin olive oil.
Step by Step Instructions
- Add the raw cashews, sliced carrots, and chopped potatoes to a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Boil for 15 minutes until the carrots and potatoes are soft and easily mashed with a fork, then drain and cool.
- Cook the macaroni in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until just shy of al dente.
- Drain but don’t rinse, then toss with vegan butter and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a high-powered blender, combine the boiled cashews and carrots (but not potatoes), water, nutritional yeast, spices, salt/pepper, soy sauce, pickle brine, and olive oil.
- Blend the sauce on high until smooth, then add the potatoes and briefly blend until pureed. Pour the sauce into the buttered macaroni.
- Toss the sauce and macaroni until well coated (it will be quite saucy).
- Transfer the mac and cheese to a lightly greased 3-quart (3 L) baking dish.
- Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumb topping over the mac and cheese.
- Bake at 375ºF/190ºC for 20 minutes, then cool for 10 to 20 minutes to set.
Tips for making this recipe
Blend the potatoes separately
Raw cashews and potatoes make for a rich and luxurious cheese sauce, no dairy or store-bought vegan cheese needed. The only problem is they can cause the sauce to thicken too much and dry out a bit after the mac and cheese rests.
To prevent that, I blend the potatoes into the cheese sauce at the end on medium-low, after all the other cheese sauce ingredients have been blended. This prevents the potato from being overworked, keeping the sauce loose yet creamy as it sets.
Tip: Once the potatoes, carrots, and cashews are done boiling and have cooled off, simply pick out the potato pieces and set them aside.
Taste the cheese sauce
Before you pour the cheese sauce into the macaroni, give it a taste and assess. If desired, add more nutritional yeast for cheesy savorines, more soy sauce for savory saltines, more pickle brine for acidity/tang, or more salt to taste.
The sauce starts off thin, then thickens
After blending, the cheese sauce will not be very thick (more like the consistency of a smoothie). When you toss it with the cooked macaroni, it will look like too much sauce.
Don’t be alarmed! The pasta will absorb the water from the sauce as it bakes/rests, and the starch from the potato will swell and then set as it cools. So the sauce will thicken as it bakes and continue thickening as it rests.
Looking for more classic holiday side dishes? Try my Ultimate Crispy Roasted Potatoes, Mushroom Gravy, and Vegan Cornbread!
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best results, cook the macaroni and make the cheese sauce ahead of time, combine them, and spread them out in your baking dish. You can do this about 2 days ahead of time.
Make the crispy topping, but store it separately in an airtight container or ziplock bag on the counter for a couple days.
When you’re ready to bake:
(a) If possible, let the dish sit out at room temp so you’re not baking from cold, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping and bake as instructed in the recipe card.
(b) If baking the dish cold: Bake the plain mac and cheese for 5 to 10 minutes or until no longer cold, then sprinkle with the crispy bread topping. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Once cooled, store the leftovers in an airtight container or tightly cover the baking dish and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
(a) Reheating the full dish or a large portion: Drizzle a few tablespoons of unsweetened soy milk/cashew milk around the edges of the dish, ideally so it can seep into the sauced pasta without wetting the breadcrumb topping. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes, until hot in the center. Uncover and bake 6 to 8 more minutes to re-crisp the top.
(b) Reheating a single serving: add your portion to an oven-proof dish, adding a teaspoon or two of plant milk at the edge. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes.
Blend the cashews and carrots with the water for several minutes in your blender or food processor, scraping down the sides as you go. Blend until you can get it as smooth as possible.
If you have little unblended cashew bits, strain the mixture over a fine-mesh sieve and discard the cashew bits.
Return this mixture to your blender and add in the remaining ingredients, blending until well-combined.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to come up with a nut-free version that is just as good, so I don’t have a good alternative to raw cashews.
While we haven’t tried this ourselves, you can try using gluten-free macaroni (or any small gluten-free pasta) and gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
And replace the soy sauce with tamari or GF soy sauce.
If you love this vegan mac and cheese, please let us know by leaving a rating and review below 🫶🏽
Introducing
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Mind-Blowing Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
- 1 small carrot (2 oz / 56g)
- 8 oz (227g) Yukon gold potatoes (see Note 1)
- 115 g raw cashews (this is ¾ cup + 1 TBSP)
- 2 cups (480 mL) water
- 50 g nutritional yeast (this is ½ cup + 2 TBSP)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp turmeric for color
- 3 to 4 tsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ TBSP dill pickle brine (don’t use brine from sweet pickles, see Note 2 for sub)
- 2 ½ TBSP (35g) extra virgin olive oil (or vegan butter, melted)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (see Note 3)
Crispy Topping
- 2 ½ TBSP (35g) vegan butter, melted
- 65 g panko breadcrumbs (this is ~ ¾ cup + 2 TBSP)
- 1 TBSP (5g) nutritional yeast
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
Macaroni
- 12 oz (340g) elbow macaroni
- 1 ½ TBSP (21g) vegan butter
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the macaroni.
- Peel the carrot, then slice into ¼” coins (6 mm). Peel the potatoes, then into 1” chunks (2.5 cm).
- Add carrots, potatoes, and cashews to a medium saucepan and cover with enough water to submerge. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are soft and easily smash with a fork. Drain and let rest until no longer hot.Pick out the potato pieces and keep separate from the cashews/carrots (the potatoes get blended at the end).
- While the cashews/veg boil, make the Crispy Topping. Add 2 ½ TBSP (35g) butter to a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Mix in the panko, 1 TBSP (5g) nutritional yeast, ⅛ tsp smoked paprika, and 2 pinches of salt, stirring well until the butter is evenly distributed and there are no clumps. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, salt it generously. Cook the macaroni 1 minute less than the time indicated on the box, or until just shy of al dente.Drain the pasta but do not rinse. Return the pasta to its pot, and toss with 1 ½ TBSP (21g) vegan butter (or olive oil). Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Lightly grease a 3-quart / 3L (13"x9") baking dish with softened/melted butter or olive oil.
- Blend the cheese sauce. In a high-powered blender, combine the 2 cups (480 mL) water, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, turmeric, 3 teaspoons soy sauce, pickle brine, olive oil, several twists of black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (half if using sea salt/table salt). Add the boiled carrots and cashews (but not the potatoes). Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy and all cashew bits have been pulverized, scraping down the sides as you go.Now add the boiled potatoes and blend on medium-low for 15 to 30 seconds, just until combined and pureed (blending lightly at the end prevents the potatoes from turning gummy). NOTE: The sauce will be looser than seems right, like the consistency of a smoothie.
- Taste the sauce, adding more pickle brine for zing/tang, more nutritional yeast for cheesiness, or more soy sauce for savory saltiness (I usually use 4 teaspoons total). If adding any additional ingredients, blend on medium-low just to combine, taking care to not over-blend the potatoes.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the pot of cooked macaroni, tossing well. NOTE: It will feel like too much sauce now, but it thickens as it bakes.
- Transfer the mac and cheese to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the Crispy Topping evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Cool for 10 to 20 minutes to help set up, then slice and serve.
Notes
- If you live outside of the U.S. or Yukon Gold potatoes are not available, use a medium-starch, all-purpose potato. Try to avoid a high-starch potato or a low-starch potato.
- Don’t use pickle brine from sweet pickles, such as bread and butter pickles. If dill or kosher pickles aren’t available, sub the brine with white wine vinegar, but start with 2 to 3 teaspoons, then add more as needed.
- I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is a lot less salty than other salts. If using table salt, use half the amount of salt listed in the recipe. If using sea salt or Morton’s kosher salt, use slightly more than half.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
I tried this tonight and WOW – this is absolutely FANTASTIC! I love using the squash, and I used 2 tsp of Dijon Mustard instead of the mustard pwdr. The lemon added a nice *zing and WOW – everyone was happy and excited for left-overs tomorrow! Thank you!!!!
Thanks for sharing, Melanie!
Suggestions for replacing cashews with a no-nut option?
I would try white beans although it would definitely change the sauce. Likely would work pretty great though!
Amazing sauce, I ate it four nights in a row!
Yummy, glad you enjoyed it Eva!
This recipe is absolutely epic.
I have tried other vegan cheese sauces in the past and nothing compares to this one. The second time I made it I added steamed cauliflower and broccoli before baking just to add some extra veggies and it’s just delicious, thankyou Nisha for this wonderfully scrumptious recipe ❤
Hi Stephanie, 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!
Made this recipe for my local non-vegan cooking club group. I pulled some off into a smaller dish to try first, and mannnnnn is this so good!! I added more salt to the sauce, and it prob could have used a little more. Or maybe a little dash of soy sauce/tamari, but still dang good. Will definitely make again.
Awesome, Kayla. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I tried this recipe and it was delicious. I didn’t have cashews, so subbed sunflower seeds, will try with cashews the next time. I also added some broccoli and reduced the amount of pasta. It worked out well. Don’t skip the topping, it really adds a lovely texture and flavour.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Kimera!
Hi Nisha, is it possible to replace the cashews with something else? I know it’s a great ingredient in vegan cooking, but I can’t eat nuts 🙁 I’ve seen tofu used in some recipes to similarly make things ‘creamy’, do you think I could try that here (e.g. draining and squeezing out water from silken tofu)?
From Nisha: “Hi, there. I don’t know if silken tofu is the best sub here (it’s great in raw dishes, but I’m not entirely sure about cooked dishes). I think boiled russet potatoes might actually be a better sub. Won’t be as creamy or indulgent but would likely still give you a nice texture. You can also try replacing half the cashews with potatoes and half with raw sunflower seeds (that have been soaked for ~30 minutes). I don’t like using all sunflower seeds in lieu of cashews because they have a stronger taste.” Hope that helped!
Hi Olivia,
I didn’t have cashews, so I used sunflower seeds instead. I noticed Nisha used sunflower seeds in one of her other recipes for a creamy sauce and thought it might work. It turned out quite well. Not sure where seeds fits in for you , but if can eat sunflower seeds, that might be something you can try.
As a new vegan I’ve been experimenting with rceipes including the best mac and cheese. This is the best by far and is now in my Vegan Recipe Hall of Fame! The butternut squash gave it a sweet flavor. Next time I’ll add a bunch of surprises like jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, peppers, etc. to spice it up. Thanks Nisha!
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?
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!
I would either omit it or use sweet potato. Sweet potato is both orange in color and sweet similar to butternut squash.
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