Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (2024)

Last Updated: By Linnie 24 Comments

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Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe made with all-natural ingredients! In no time you’ll have healthy and homemade vegan mac and cheese hot and ready.

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)

Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (1)

Hello, my name is Lindsay and I’m a Mac n Cheese addict.

No really, I am. It is my ultimate comfort food.It brings me back to summer days when my sister and I would make a box of it for lunch every day and watch The Price is Right.

That memory is just so perfect to me, every time I think about those summer days it puts a smile on my face.

Just a big bowl of creamy mac and cheese and sitting in front of a fan trying to stay cool. Yeah, we were that crazy family without air conditioning. // It makes you a stronger person.

My friends, I’ve hit the jack pot when it comes to this Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe.

It’s the ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheeseor people like me just trying to cut the dairy out and oh boy does it make my heart sing. Guilt-free mac and cheese! I mean how canyou go wrong with that!

Nutritional yeast helps with that cheese flavor we love. Nutritional yeast?

Sounds weird, but seriously trust me. It’s actually a perfect substitute for that smoky tangy cheese flavor we crave.

Oh my lucky stars this is now my favorite Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe and I am never going back!

Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (2)

It reheats amazingly, especially compared to normal mac n cheese where I won’t even try to eat it the next day. Cheese always tastes funky and has such a weird consistency the day after with conventional mac n cheese. Maybe it’s just me?

Needless to say, I was tickled pink from this recipe and it has now become my new emergency back up Vegan mac and cheese recipe.

Also, I always seem to already have the ingredients needed for it on hand. Double score!

Carrots, Onions and Potatoes are a steady normal in this midwestern household. I have a sneaky suspicion wherever we are going to end up next year it’s not going to change either way. What about yours?

Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (3)

Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe (Dairy-Free)

Main

Gluten-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

American

Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe made with all-natural ingredients! In no time you'll have healthy and homemade vegan mac and cheese hot and ready. {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan}

Yield: 6

Prep Time:5 min

Cook Time:25 min

Total Time:30 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped
  • 1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/3 cupdairy-free or vegan butter of your choice
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 Box of gluten-free macaroni, cooked by package directions.

Directions:

  • 1. In a medium size pan place chopped potato, carrots, onion and water and boil for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are cooked through and soft (DO NOT DRAIN WATER).
  • 2. Turn burner to low, add in Earth Balance spread, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, pepper and almond milk. Stir until butter is melted.
  • 3. Pour mixture into a blender and blend until the mixture is creamy.
  • 4. Pour over cooked macaroni and enjoy!

Author: Linnie

Nutrition Information:

Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 135
Other nutrition information: Fat: 8.7 g Saturated fat: 2.4 g Unsaturated fat: 4 g Trans fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 8.5 g Sugar: 0 g Sodium: 80.7 mg Fiber: 3 g Protein: 5 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Notes: ** Nutrition info does not include calories for cooked pasta.** Recipe adapted from www.boldvegan.com

Recipe, images, and text © Veggie Balance

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (15)Ala says

    My gosh, I love The Price Is Right! I used to watch it back in the day all the time. Also, been hearing lots lately about nutritional yeast–I’ll have to try it!

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (16)Lindsay says

      Try it, you’ll be surprised. The nutritional yeast by itself is actually really tasty on noodles, salads, baked potatoes… so pretty much everything LOL. Oh The Price Is Right, now that Bob Barker isn’t the host, it’s just not the same. 🙁

      Reply

  2. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (17)Hilary Lediingham says

    Lindsay I have just come across this and can’t wait to try it! And I love how you served it in a nice little attractive bowel, so as not to over do the portion size, clever idea. Its just a meal in itself with with the added veggies and a side salad.
    Do you think that sweet potatoes could be a sub for the regular potatoes?
    Thanks
    Hilary

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (18)Lindsay says

      Hi Hilary! Thanks for stopping by! I’m chuckling over here that you caught that. Yes, especially pasta I always put in smaller bowls for that exact reason. I’ve also learned to eat my veggies and salads first before digging into my pastas, normally I grab to much pasta anyways and can’t finish it. Putting in smaller bowls helps with the eyes-bigger-than-my-stomach problem. 😉

      As far as the sweet potato, I say it’s worth a try. The regular potato helps with more of the consistency to add a starchiness to the sauce. Sweet potatoes are more of a creamy in my opinion so it honestly probably would mess with the texture of the sauce more than anything. Let me know how it works!

      Reply

  3. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (19)beth from rochester says

    In process of making this. Fingers crossed!

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (20)Lindsay says

      Yay! Good luck Beth! Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply

  4. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (21)Kimberly Byzewski says

    Hi Lindsay,

    I made this for dinner tonight and I loved it! I added a little bit of vegetable broth to thin it out a bit and it was perfect.

    Thank you for sharing your recipe 🙂

    Kim

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (22)Lindsay says

      Yay! So glad you loved it as much as I did Kimberly! Thank you so much for sharing that too. I’m going to have to try the vegetable broth instead of the water next time. Great idea! Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you around 🙂

      Reply

  5. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (23)Kaley says

    If you don’t drain the water, how much water would you suggest putting in the pan to boil the veggies?

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (24)Lindsay says

      Reserve just about 2-4 Tablespoons. I apologize for it not being more clean. I was trying to convey that you can quickly drain the veggies but you don’t have to drain through a strainer, a little extra water remaining isn’t a bad thing. Hope this helps!

      Reply

      • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (25)Aubrey R Skinner says

        I’m confused about this step. Are you supposed to drain all of the water from the veggie mix or reserve 2-4 tablespoons of water and not drain the veggie mix? Thanks!

        Reply

        • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (26)Lindsay says

          Ah! I can see the confusion and remember struggling how to word this in the recipe.

          So cook the veggie mix. And when draining the water out of the veggie mix reserve 2-4 tablespoons of the veggie mix water.

          Hope that clears it up and you enjoy it! :))

          Reply

          • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (27)Aubrey R Skinner says

            Excellent thank you so much for your quick reply! I’m starting the veggies right now.

          • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (28)Lindsay says

            You are welcome! When I see mid-cooking comments I try to get back as soon as possible because there is nothing worse than mid-recipe you don’t know whats next!

            Hope you loved it! It’s one of our favorites. :))

  6. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (29)Kate says

    excellent recipe, easy and we had everything already. i made the whole thing in my instant pot; pressure cooked the veggies, then added everything else, including dry pasta, then did slow cook. So I cooked the pasta in the sauce, and it came out great. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (30)Lindsay says

      Thank you so much for coming back and reporting! It’s a favorite of ours as well. 🙂 SO cool that you made it in the IP!

      Reply

  7. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (31)Shelley Mattson says

    Hello, I tried this yesterday and it turned out great! Can you freeze this sauce? Is it freezer stable? Thank you! Shelley

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (32)Lindsay says

      I haven’t tried freezing this yet… Potatoes sometimes can freeze odd so my gut is thinking probably not.

      Reply

  8. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (33)Alice says

    What size/how many ounces is your “box” of gluten-free macaroni?

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (34)Lindsay says

      Anything around 400-500 grams will work 🙂

      Reply

  9. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (35)Jodie says

    Can u leave out the vegan butter?

    Reply

    • Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (36)Lindsay says

      Mmmm I wouldn’t advise it. As it will alter the taste and consistency a bit but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you did either. Just can’t guarantee the results.

      Reply

  10. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (37)Juliette says

    This is my go-to recipe for vegan mac! So good and is healthy?? Great combo 🙂

    Reply

  11. Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (38)Alexandra says

    Can I use another milk besides almond milk? Coconut or soy?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Delicious Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you use water instead of milk in mac and cheese? ›

Milk adds creaminess and thickness to the cheese sauce, resulting in a smoother, silkier texture. On the other hand, water will result in a thinner and less creamy sauce. The mac and cheese might have a slightly grainy or watery consistency because water and oily cheese are insoluble in each other.

Why isn't my homemade mac and cheese creamy? ›

Cook your noodles in milk instead of water

Cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes your resulting mac and cheese creamier. According to The Kitchn, cooking your noodles in milk instead of water makes the sauce creamy before you even add the cheese sauce.

What's the best milk to use in mac and cheese? ›

The remaining ingredients are simple: butter and flour (which makes the sauce thicken), milk, spices, salt, and pepper. For the milk, I prefer whole milk since it makes a creamier sauce, but I've used reduced fat milk plenty of times without complaint.

Will mac and cheese work without milk? ›

To make mac and cheese without milk, the best choice is to find something that has a similar texture and a milk flavor. Things like heavy cream, almond milk, oat milk, yogurt, cream cheese, and even pasta water all work very well in boxed mac and cheese.

What is a substitute for heavy cream in mac and cheese? ›

Evaporated milk works as a heavy cream substitute that has the benefit of being shelf-stable. Keep a can in the pantry for a quick and easy swap. Simply replace the heavy cream in a recipe with evaporated milk using the same amount called for in your recipe.

What is a good substitute for milk in mac and cheese? ›

10 Substitutes For Milk In Mac And Cheese
  • Almond Milk. Almond milk is a popular plant-based milk that's a great substitute for regular cow's milk. ...
  • Soy Milk. Soy milk is another popular dairy-free milk option. ...
  • Oat Milk. ...
  • Coconut milk. ...
  • Rice Milk. ...
  • Cashew Milk. ...
  • Hemp Seed Milk. ...
  • Chicken Broth.
Jul 17, 2023

Is evaporated milk better than heavy cream for mac and cheese? ›

It is better to use heavy cream for Mac and Cheese instead of milk, or better yet, use evaporated milk which has the thickness of heavy cream without all of the fat! Furthermore, it is more stable than heavy cream so your Macaroni and Cheese is less likely to curdle or separate.

Is evaporated milk better than milk for mac and cheese? ›

Why Evaporated Milk Makes Better Mac. That higher concentration of milk proteins means evaporated milk is more stable, so it's less likely to “break” or curdle.

Is evaporated milk better than whole milk for mac and cheese? ›

Any milk is fine. I usually use whole milk, then add some cream, sometimes, just to make it richer. Then you add the cheese of your choice, and melt that, then put the cooked macaroni in. If you are used to using evaporated milk, it's because it makes the sauce a little creamier/richer.

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

Cheddar, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Fontina, and Gouda cheese are good options.

How do you keep mac and cheese creamy? ›

If you want a very creamy mac n' cheese, you can add Velveeta processed cheese or American cheese (from the deli) to your melted cheese base mixture. The American cheese provides the creaminess you are looking for, and when reheating the mac n' cheese add a little bit of milk.

What is a substitute for butter and milk in mac and cheese? ›

While I was cooking the pasta, I noticed a tip listed on the very bottom of the box: If you want a creamier mac and cheese, try replacing the butter and milk with a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt.

Can I use sour cream instead of milk? ›

In fact, you can substitute sour cream for milk almost anytime the recipe calls for less than a cup of milk. One of the most common ingredients to use milk with is potatoes. Spuds love dairy, so if a recipe calls for milk, sour cream almost always works in its place.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of milk? ›

Use evaporated milk instead of fresh milk in recipes. Add an equal amount of water. For example, if a recipe lists 1 cup (250 mL) milk, add ½ cup water to ½ cup evaporated milk. Try leftover canned milk in tea, coffee, omelets, soups, hot oatmeal or even spaghetti sauce.

What happens if you use water instead of milk in a recipe? ›

In an absolute pinch, water can sometimes be used as a substitute in a recipe that calls for milk…but you might experience some changes in flavor and texture. (Think: Less creamy, less fluffy and less rich.)

Is it better to cook mac and cheese in milk or water? ›

Creamier Mac and Cheese Starts with Milk

Instead of water, cook your pasta in milk! Now, you usually add milk later in the cooking process to make the cheese sauce, but for an extra touch of luscious creaminess, incorporate the milk at the very beginning of cooking.

Is milk or water better for mac and cheese? ›

Cooking macaroni in a small volume of water concentrates the starch from the pasta, helping the cheese form a creamy emulsion. Similar recipes call for cooking pasta in milk, which can scorch. Cooking in water and adding evaporated milk toward the end fixes this problem.

Is it OK to use water instead of milk? ›

Water can be used in most recipes that call for milk. According to the USDA, 88 percent of the volume of milk is water. No milk? No problem, just use one of the ten substitutes for milk in your baking and cooking at home.

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