Vegan Baked Mac And Cheese

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This delightfully creamy vegan baked mac and cheese is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner! Made with a dairy-free ‘cheese’ sauce, topped with gluten-free breadcrumbs and baked to perfection, this easy meal also does not require cashews or a blender. Oil-free.

Oh, mac and cheese. The stuff that my dreams are made of. I’m not joking – I often fall asleep by switching off my existential worries and thinking about m&c instead. 10/10 would recommend.

Seriously though, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to share a baked mac and cheese recipe. I have variations of this dish on an almost weekly basis, so finally – here we are. Also, I think finishing the first term of my second year at Oxford was yet another brilliant excuse to whip up a portion of this cheesy goodness.

So if you’re searching for last-minute dinner inspo, this vegan baked mac and cheese is it. Alternatively, save for later and make it ASAP!

Vegan baked mac and cheese

So, when developing this mac and cheese recipe, I wanted to strike a balance between indulgence and health. A lot of vegan mac and cheese recipes use a lot of vegan butter, oil, etc. There’s nothing wrong with that, but not ideal if you want something a little bit lighter.

On the other hand, a lot of vegetable-based mac and cheeses taste overwhelmingly of vegetables. Once again, I like that sort of thing, but if you’re cooking for fussy eaters, they may be harder to please.

This recipe really strikes the jackpot. Think chewy, tender noodles enveloped in a thick and rich sauce that melts in your mouth, plus just a light coat of gluten-free breadcrumbs on top for a little bit of extra texture. Trust me, it tastes even better than it sounds/looks ;).

Cashew-free ‘cheese’ sauce

Let’s talk about cheese for a second. It’s one of those fears they’ll miss intensely if they go vegan. Granted, I’ve never been a huge cheese fanatic so gave it up with little struggle. But the good news for everyone who is? There are countless ways to replace cheese in your diet.

You can, of course, go down the fake cheese route. Vegan cheeses aren’t all that great, but I’ve tried a few that are phenomenal. But the issue is that not only are they expensive, but they’re also not the healthiest thing out there. The other popular option is homemade vegan cheese, often made using nuts such as cashews.

Now, I like the latter version and how versatile cashews are for creating both hard vegan cheeses and cheese sauces. Yet I wanted to make the cheese sauce for this recipe accessible to people that don’t have a powerful blender. Creating a smooth texture often necessitates one, and my slightly dated food processor doesn’t always live up to the challenge.

So, here we’re making a vegan cheese sauce based on cashew milk and nutritional yeast which combine to create that wonderful salty, umami flavour which intensifies even more after the baking process.

What coconut milk should I use?

When I make this, I usually use full-fat coconut milk that comes in a can. However, it also works with reduced fat coconut milk, so feel free to use that for a lower fat version.

Can I replace the coconut milk?

For sure. I know that not everyone likes the flavour of coconut; you may also want to make this recipe nut-free. I found that oat milk is the second best alternative, achieving a similarly creamy and indulgent result.

How do I store baked vegan mac and cheese?

You can store this in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. It is also freezer-friendly.

What’s to love about this mac and cheese recipe?

It is …

• Very creamy and indulgent.
• Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
• Made with healthy ingredients.
• Gluten-free.
• Oil-free.
• Easy and beginner-friendly.
• A great crowd-pleasing recipe for special occasions.

How to make dairy-free baked mac and cheese

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C/400 F.
• Cook the pasta. Follow instructions on packaging, but make sure it is slightly al dente/prevent overcooking.
• Prepare the sauce. Add the onion to a non-stick frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Then, pour in the coconut milk and oat milk together with the tamari, mustard, nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, curry powder and black pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes to heat up and combine.
• Combine with the pasta. Drain the pasta (but don’t rinse) and add to the frying pan together with the kale and gluten-free flour. Stir for around 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
• Bake the mac and cheese. Transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish. Top with gluten-free breadcrumbs and bake in the preheated oven for around 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Other vegan pasta recipes

• For a lighter meal, try my butternut squash mac and cheese with tofu. Bonus points for added protein!
• My creamy tofu pasta is another healthy, yet indulgent meal.
• If you’re looking for something meal prep friendly, try my easy vegetable and mushroom pasta.
• My fail-proof fettuccine Alfredo is yet another crowd-pleasing dinner.
• If baking pasta is your thing, my pasta bake with tofu may be the dish for you.

Let me know in the comments: what’s your favourite type of vegan cheese? If you give this vegan baked mac and cheese recipe a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@earthofmariaa) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below.

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