Serious question: are there actually people in this world that don’t like mac n cheese?
A trusted classic, macaroni and cheese is a food that everyone (if not everyone, then nearly everyone) can savor and appreciate. The creamy cheesy flavor, velvety texture, and familiar mouthfeel – what’s not to love about the simplistic comforts that a big bowl of mac n cheese offers?
And this plant-based, healthy version is a remarkable dupe to the crowd favorite! With carrots and nutritional yeast giving it the rich color, the smooth cheddar cheese sauce engulfs every nook and cranny of each warm, chewy piece of pasta. And the nutritional yeast contributes a considerable source of B vitamins a protein, making this a well-rounded, macronutrient-balanced meal.
This cozy, drool-worthy dish can not only come together in around 30 minutes (not much longer than it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta), but it can be served without revealing that it’s nutritious, cheese-free, or vegan and no one will taste the difference or even think twice!
Vegan Mac n Cheese
Ingredients
- 6-8 oz. dry macaroni or corkscrew pasta* GF or regular
- 100 g (~2) carrots, sliced
- 60 g (½ C) raw cashews or 4 TBSP cashew or almond JOI*
- ¼ C unsweetened dairy-free milk any kind
- 36 g (¼ C) nutritional yeast
- ½ TBSP lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- ⅛ tsp. black pepper
- 30 g (¼ C) shredded vegan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions and set aside
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the carrots and cashews (if using JOI, only add the carrots), and cook for ~10-15 minutes until they’re soft and can easily be pierced with a fork
- Drain the carrots and cashews, then transfer to a blender or food processor
- Add all of the remaining ingredients except the shredded cheese to cooked carrots and cashews, and blend until smooth
- Pour the mixture into a pot over low-medium heat (can reuse the pot used to boil the carrots and cashews), mix the shredded cheese in, and stir constantly until the cheese is fully melted – be sure to scrape the sides of the pot while stirring so the sauce doesn’t begin to cook and harden around the edges; lower the heat if needed
- Remove the cheese sauce from the stove and combine with the cooked pasta. This can be done one of two ways: put ~12 oz. of pasta in a large bowl and mix the sauce in, adding more pasta until the desired consistency and cheesiness is reached or gradually incorporate the pasta directly into the cheese if the pot is large enough to accommodate the pasta
Notes
- *Pasta: the exact amount depends on preference – 6 oz. (which equates to about 12 oz. of cooked pasta) for extra cheesy noodles and 8 oz. (so ~16 oz. of cooked pasta) for a thinner coating of cheese sauce. Normally I cook the entire package of pasta and gradually integrate it into the cheese sauce; sometimes they mix together so well that the cheese can be stretched for up to 20 oz. of pasta. Then any plain pasta that’s leftover usually gets paired with marinara sauce, a protein, and a generous dusting of nutritional yeast on top.
- *JOI: between the raw cashews and JOI, there’s no difference in taste, but preparing the recipe is immensely easier and faster with JOI. An abbreviation for “Just One Ingredient”, JOI is a creamy nut base free from dairy, gluten, animal products, and gut-disrupting thickeners that are common in store-bought non-dairy milks. The almond or cashew base can be blended with water for instant homemade dairy-free milk or used in countless recipes, such as this one! My code, SU10, will save money on all orders through JOI’s website. If you choose to apply my code, know that I only partner with brands I personally use, agree with, and can recommend in good faith and I notice and deeply appreciate every single time someone chooses to support me through using my discount code.
To take your mac n cheese up a notch, here are a handful of ideas to spice up this beloved cheese and pasta combo:
- For smoked protein mac n cheese, add a cooked and seasoned protein (such as venison, shredded chicken, or ground turkey sausage) to the mac n cheese, spread into an oiled cast iron skillet, top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and broil or smoke until the cheese is bubbly and the top is slightly browned
- Inspired by Panera’s soup, Broccoli Cheddar Mac n Cheese
- Literally “spice it up” with sriracha or another hot sauce, peppers, jalapenos, or seasonings like cayenne pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes, or chili powder
- Add bite-sized pieces of buffalo or barbeque chicken
And there we finally have it: a satisfyingly cheesy, yummy macaroni and cheese recipe that all – including our lactose-intolerant, gluten-sensitive or allergic, dairy-free pals – can enjoy!
If interested, the macronutrients are below. They are kept separate at the very end of each recipe blog so that this can remain a safe, positive space for all as not everyone wishes to see the nutritional information.
Macros (per 1 ounce): 13.1 C | 2.8 F | 4.4 P
There are very slight macronutrient differences in the raw cashews and JOI. They’re trivial, but macros for both are included below nevertheless. And there will be variances in the macros depending on the type and brand of pasta used, but again, it’s nothing to be overly concerned about.
Here are the macros for the recipe using raw cashews:
Per 1 ounce: 13.1 C | 2.8 F | 4.4 P
Whole recipe: 183.45 C | 39.375 F | 61.05 P
And here are the macros if JOI is used:
Per 1 ounce: 13.2 C | 2.9 F | 4.4 P
Whole recipe: 185.35 C | 41.075 F | 62.15 P
The macros for recipes are also available on MyFitnessPal. Simply search the name of the recipe followed by “ – SUNutrition” (so for this recipe, search “Vegan Mac N Cheese – SUNutrition”).
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