American · easy · 30 min · serves 4
How to make mac and cheese vegan
Short answer
Replace cheddar, milk, butter with cashew + potato + carrot sauce or vegan cheddar, unsweetened soy or oat, vegan butter. The method is unchanged and takes about 30 minutes for 4 servings.
What makes the classic version non-vegan
- Cheddar
- Milk
- Butter
Swap table
| Instead of | Use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cheddar | Cashew + potato + carrot sauce or vegan cheddar | Blend hot for stretch |
| Milk | Unsweetened soy or oat | Neutral only |
| Butter | Vegan butter | For the roux |
Method
- 1Boil potato, carrot and soaked cashews until soft.
- 2Blend with nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic powder, salt and a little of the cooking water.
- 3Cook macaroni to just under al dente.
- 4Fold sauce through the pasta and loosen with pasta water.
- 5Top with breadcrumbs and bake 15 minutes if you want a crust.
The one thing people get wrong
A teaspoon of mustard and a splash of pickle brine are what push cashew sauce from 'nice' to actually cheesy.
Frequently asked questions
- Can mac and cheese be made vegan?
- Yes. Replace cheddar, milk, butter with cashew + potato + carrot sauce or vegan cheddar, unsweetened soy or oat, vegan butter. The method stays essentially the same and takes about 30 minutes.
- What is the hardest part of veganizing mac and cheese?
- A teaspoon of mustard and a splash of pickle brine are what push cashew sauce from 'nice' to actually cheesy.
- How long does vegan mac and cheese take?
- About 30 minutes for 4 servings — a easy recipe.
Convert any recipe automatically
Paste a recipe or URL into VeggieOS and get a vegan version with swaps, ratios and a shopping list — 100% free, no paid plans.
Try VeggieOS free — no paid plans