Creamy Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese

June 7, 2021 · Nyssa Tanner 41 Comments

This creamy vegan mac and cheese is a mouth-watering recipe that the whole family will love! Made with gluten free pasta and a delicious vegan cheese sauce that is made a few secret veggies and NO cashews. A comfort food classic that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free.

Close up image of a white speckled bowl filled with bright orange creamy vegan mac and cheese

Y’ALL! I cannot even put into words how excited I am to share this mac and cheese recipe with you!

I have always considered mac and cheese to be one of my top 5 favorite comfort foods, but sometimes I want the comfort without the dairy.

So naturally I decided I MUST make the best dairy free mac I could and share the recipe with you!

Inspiration struck when I made this Vegan Cheese Sauce Recipe earlier this year. Not only is it delicious as a nacho cheese, or drizzled over veggies, it’s also the BEST cheese sauce for mac and cheese!

The texture is just SO creamy and luscious – reminiscent of kraft or velveeta mac and cheese – without the dairy! AKA a much more wholesome version of a childhood classic that everyone at your table will love.

I also felt like it was important to make this mac and cheese without cashews for all my nut free peeps. Skipping the cashews also happens to bring down the cost of ingredients, making this meal almost just as affordable as a boxed mac and cheese!

Why you’ll love this creamy vegan mac and cheese

This crave-able recipe is:

SO creamy
Satisfying
Pure comfort food
Perfect for kiddos / toddlers!
Savory
Cheesy
Easy to make
Ultra delicious!!

For more YUMMY dairy free pasta ideas be sure to check out our recipes for Super Easy Pasta with Romesco Sauce and Creamy Vegan Vodka Pasta Sauce!

Close up overhead shot of a skillet filled with creamy vegan mac and cheese, with some of it scooped out.

Ingredients

You might be surprised by the ingredients in this dairy free mac and cheese!

When my husband saw me making it he couldn’t believe all the veggies that were in the sauce, and proceeded to call me a magician 😂 I don’t know about that (although I’ll take it!), but it is pretty magical to see the humble ingredients come together to make the best dairy free mac and cheese!

So what is this magic mac and cheese made of?

Carrots & potatoes – Carrots and potatoes make up the bulk of this vegan cheese. The carrots add color, volume, and a hint of sweetness, while the potatoes add volume and some starchiness to give the sauce a cheese-like texture. The starch in the potatoes also means this recipe is made without any added starch like corn starch or tapioca starch.
Olive oil – Olive oil adds some fat for a nice rich texture and mouthfeel.
Dairy free milk – Oat milk, almond milk, and cashew milk are all delicious options. To keep this recipe nut free opt for oat milk, or another dairy free milk that works for you.
Blend of spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard, paprika, turmeric, and salt round out the savory notes.
Lemon juice – Lemon juice brings a bit of acidity and brightness to this cheese sauce and actually also helps contribute to the cheesy flavor.
Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast is what REALLY brings the cheesy flavor to this recipe. Commonly used in a lot of vegan recipes for its flavor boosting super powers. Nutritional yeast has a savory, nutty, and definite “cheesy” flavor profile.
Gluten free elbow macaroni pasta – Or any other pasta shape that you like!

Ingredients for vegan mac and cheese on various plate and bowls, on a light grey background - cut carrots and potatoes, a plate of spices, and a small bowl of olive oil.

Overhead shot of a large speckled bowl filled with uncooked elbow macaroni pasta. On a light grey background.

How to make

Not only does this mac and cheese taste good, it’s also super easy to make. As long as you have a blender and a large pot for boiling the pasta you’ll be digging into a bowl of cream mac in less than 30 minutes!

Here’s the step-by-step

Add cut carrots and Yukon gold potatoes to a medium sized pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender.
While carrots and potatoes are cooking start a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
Boil pasta according to package instructions, reserving about 1 cup of cooking water before you drain it. Set pasta aside while you make the sauce.
Drain carrots and potatoes and transfer to a blender with olive oil, non dairy milk of choice, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Toss the sauce with the pasta. Warm gently over low heat and use the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
Season to taste with salt if desired (I added an additional ½ teaspoon) and serve immediately!

Image of cut potatoes and carrots in a small sauce pan filled with water. On a light colored background.

Overhead view of the ingredients for vegan cheese inside a vitamix blender container.

Super close up shot of a glass jar pouring some reserved pasta water into creamy vegan mac and cheese

Overhead image of a large white ceramic skillet filled with creamy vegan mac and cheese. With a wooden spoon angled into the skillet, on a light grey background.

Can you make this mac and cheese ahead of time?

Yep, absolutely! If you’re making this mac and cheese in advance (or just reheating leftovers) just add a little bit of water at a time as you reheat it to thin out the sauce.

This can be done either on the stove top or in the microwave.

How long will it last in the refrigerator?

This mac and cheese should keep for 5-6 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

How to make it spicy

We LOVE some spicy mac and cheese in our house!

To make this recipe spicy you can add a generous pinch of cayenne to the sauce, a few dashes of hot sauce, or a chopped jalapeño pepper!

Super close up macro style shot of super creamy vegan mac and cheese.

Overhead image of a white speckled bowl filled with bright orange creamy vegan mac and cheese, on a light grey background next to a folded grey linen.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!