Delicious and creamy vegan mac and cheese made with simple ingredients and fuss-free. The cream is made from cashew nuts, carrots and nutritional yeast.
A time saver and easy to make for the whole family. It’s so satisfying and comforting it’ll make your mouth water, and it’s a great option for the whole family, even kids love it!
Whether your having it for lunch or a weekend dinner, this extra creamy vegan mac and cheese will make your day, and the best of all is, you’ll think you’re having the traditional mac and cheese you grew up with!
“I don’t think I could ever leave without cheese”
That’s something most of us hear a lot when the “vegan” word comes up in the discussion. My husband and I became vegetarians in November 2019, and ever since that moment I’ve had this idea in my mind about becoming a vegan as well. That’s why I’ve dedicated a lot of my time trying and experimenting with new vegan recipes, and to be honest, it’s been quite a fascinating and amusing experience but also a rewarding transition.
I’ve already tried different substitutes and alternatives that I would have never considered in the past, and as a result I think I like them even better than the things I was used to.
Among the food people seek the most to replace when turning vegan, it cheese. In fact, once I started planning to get involved with vegan recipes, the first thought that crossed my mind was: what about cheese? I need to have that creamy, melted, texture in my life!
There a lot of vegan cheese options you can find in organic stores or even in regular supermarkets. Nonetheless, some of them are too expensive or have ingredients you simply want to avoid. So I guess, with this in mind, I set out to find simple homemade alternatives.
That’s also why I want to share here this creamy vegan cheese alternative. I hope you try it and love it as much as I do!
Did you know..?
Mac and Cheese is one of the most popular food in the United States, and that’s why it’s a classic dish over there. However, seem to be this dish come from south Italy, where appeared for the first time in a medieval old book called “Liber de Coquina”.
July 14th is known in the United States as National Macaroni and cheese day, so let’s also vegans celebrate this day as well with some delicious and creamy vegan Mac’ n’ Cheese!
FAQs
What is the best pasta for macaroni and cheese?
It’s customary to prepare macaroni and cheese with elbow shaped pasta, but the truth is any tubular kind will do. The point is that the pasta has holes or enough space to be filled up with the cheese.
¿Is it ok to use/add vegan grated cheese?
Of course it is! you can sprinkle some vegan grated cheese on top or even add it to the whole dish while mixing both pasta and cheese, and it will give it a nice touch.
So don’t be shy, everyone is aloud to be creative when it comes to food, that’s what makes it fun!
¿How to soak raw cashew?
This a very common question, mostly because often we don’t have enough time to wait for some nuts to soften. The bottom line is you can speed up the process by using hot water, and leaving them for about 10-12 minutes soaking. This way you’ll save some precious time and won’t have to worry about remembering to do it the night before (which I always forget).
If you don’t mind and rather be sure you can leave them a couple of minutes more before draining. In any case, the food processor or mixer is also responsible for making a smooth and creamy sauce without lumps, so you should also mix it long enough to make sure it’s well blended.
Nutritional yeast vs Brewer’s yeast
There are some similarities between these two and that raises confusion, but here I explain the most important differences and whether it’s ok to use both or not.
It’s possible two use them both, I mean, if you don’t have nutritional yeast or you are only able to find brewer’s yeast instead, than it’s ok, but there are some things to consider like flavor or nutritional value.
However, here are some basic differences between them:
- Nutritional yeas is by far the favorite, it’s milder, with a nutty, cheesy flavor, while brewer’s yeast is a bit bitter, although the bitterness is reduced in some products.
- Brewer’s yeast is a by-product of beer making, however, some are “primary grown,” meaning they are cultivated specifically to be use as a dietary supplement. On the other hand, nutritional yeast is not obtained from the brewing industry but is grown on molasses or some other medium, it’s also deactivated, dried and made into a powder or flakes.
- Nutritional yeast is rich in folic acids, niacin, thiamine and vitamin B-12 that are added during production to facilitate growth. Nutritional yeast is preferred by vegetarians and vegans as it also has a number of essential amino acids that are building blocks of proteins. Brewer’s yeast lacks the B-12 vitamin but is rich in other B-vitamins and selenium, nucleic acid and trace mineral chromium.
- Last but not least, brewer’s yeast is easier to find in groceries stores or organic stores, even in supermarkets, while to get nutritional yeast you might have to take a look online.
I recommend nutritional yeast given its likeness to cheese flavor but I’ve used brewer’s as well and to me the taste it’s fine, besides, it’s easier to find, but since there might some people who think otherwise you can just be on the safe side and go for nutritional yeast.
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
CASHEWNUTS – The base ingredient of these creamy vegan cheese, make sure to soak them until they are soft enough to blend well (I explained how to do it above). Sometimes when buying cashew they come with some dark skin, to avoid any dark spot in our cream, wash until they’re perfectly clean.
CARROT – It’s responsible for providing some of the flavor and also that shiny yellow pigment we love so much in cheese. It must be cooked and tender to prepare the mixture, to do so I suggest you cut them in small pieces first so they soften quickly.
TUBULAR SHAPED PASTA – Any shape will do as long as it has some holes or space to be fill up with the “cheese”, so the final result is a delicious and creamy dish full of flavor.
NUTRITIONAL YEAST – It has a nutty and cheesy flavor which makes it perfect for vegan cheese, salads and countless delicious recipes. Besides, it’s a great source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, copper, zinc and chromium.
GARLIC AND ONION POWDER – Will add a nice extra flavor to it.
SMOKED PAPRIKA POWDER – It helps by complementing the pigment of the mixture but also add a nice smoky taste that you can miss.
VEGETABLE BROTH – Another important flavor source, and as the prominent liquid ingredient, helps getting the desire consistency. If you don’t have there is no problem in using water instead. But if you do make sure it’s not salty, so be careful and taste the “cheese” before adding any salt.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL – Works as emulsifier and gives the mixture some texture.
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE STEP BY STEP
STEP 1
Soak the cashews in a bowl with enough hot water and leave for about 10-12 minutes.
STEP 2
Wash the carrot well, peel it and cut it into small pieces so they soften quickly.
Then, cook them in a small pot until they are soft and tender.
STEP 3
Fill another pot (bigger) with water, add a pinch of salt and let it boil. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s making bubbles.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and let it cook for as long as the package indicates.
STEP 4
When the soaking process is ready, discard the water in which they soaked, drain the cashews and take them to the food processor or mixer.
STEP 5
Do the same with the carrot pieces and take add them to the food processor as well.
STEP 6
Add all the dry ingredients, such as nutritional yeast, spices, and salt.
STEP 7
Ultimately add olive oil and vegetable broth or water if it’s the case.
STEP 8
Mix everything until is well blended and it has a creamy and even look. If needed, paused to clean the edges of the food processor and blend again.
STEP 9
Once the pasta is ready, drain it and soak in cold water for a few seconds to stop further cooking.
Pour the vegan cheese mixture on top of the pasta generously and stir very well so that every peace is cover with plenty “cheese”.
STEP 10
When is all covered and full with the “cheese” it is time to serve.
STEP 11
Now you can serve the Mac and Cheese and garnish with some cilantro if it is of your liking, enjoy!
NOTE : All ingredients with measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
VARIATIONS
BAKED: Another way you can prepare this dish is in the oven. Make vegan cheese same way but you’ll need to add more vegetable broth (or water instead). Put it inside the preheated oven in a skillet pan and pour the cheese on top, then stir everything very well so the cheese can fill up the pasta holes. Ultimately bake until the pasta is ready or the top has a golden brown look.
BREAD CRUMBS TOPPING: It’s also customary to prepare mac and cheese with some bread crumbs on top and bake it or even mix them with the cheese, so it has a crunchy, very satisfying and delicious texture.
SHELLS AND CHEESE: Instead of using elbow shaped pasta you can make it with “Conchiglie”.
HERBS: Another option can be sprinkling some chopped cilantro or parsley on top which will give it a nice fresh touch. If you like the combination, then add as much as you want, make your own Mac and cheese dish!
PLANT BASED MILK INSTEAD OF BROTH: Make sure you use the non sugar added version. Soy, rice, or even almond milk are great options.
CREAMY VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE
STEP BY STEP PHOTO DESCRIPTION
THIS RECIPE IS:
- Vegan (Dairy-free)
- Satisfying
- Great for Kids
- Excellent option for lunch or dinner
- Easy to make
- Creamy
- Comforting
- Flavor rich
- Can be made Gluten-free
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and/or tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @shinyveggies and #shinyveggies so that I can see your vegan Mac and Cheese!
CREAMY VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE
Course: Main, DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesDelicious and comforting vegan macaroni and cheese, made with simple ingredients and fuss free. A time saver and easy to make dish which is so satisfying and creamy it’ll make your mouth water, and it’s a great option for the whole family, even kids love it!
Ingredientes
100 gr cashew
130 gr carrot (1 medium size carrot)
500 gr pasta (macaroni)
130 gr nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
Cilantro to garnish (optional)
Instrucciones
- Soak the cashews in a bowl with enough hot water and leave for about 10-12 minutes.
- Wash the carrot well, peel it and cut it into small pieces so they soften quickly. Cook them in a small pot until they are soft and tender.
- Fill another pot (bigger) with water, add a pinch of salt and let it boil. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s making bubbles.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and let it cook for as long as the package indicates. - Take the drained cashews and carrot pieces to the food processor. Add all the dry ingredients, such as nutritional yeast and spices.
- Mix everything until is well blended and it has a creamy and even look. If needed, paused to clean the edges of the food processor and blend again. Taste it and add the salt then.
- Once the pasta is ready, drain it and soak in cold water for a few seconds to stop further cooking.
- Pour the vegan cheese mixture on top of the pasta generously and stir very well so that every peace is cover with plenty “cheese”.
- Now you can serve the Mac and Cheese and garnish with some cilantro if it is of your liking, enjoy!
Video de la receta
Notas
- Any tubular shaped pasta work, or even shells.
- You may replace vegetable broth with water or plant based milk if needed.
- You can add vegan grated cheese, cilantro parsley or even bread crumbs on top, be creative!
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