You won’t miss the dairy one bit in this creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese. My cashew cheese sauce is velvety and perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal. Just blend everything together and toss with pasta!
Growing up my mom didn’t really cook much. The one thing I do remember “cooking” with her is boxed mac and cheese. Mac and Cheese has always been my comfort food.
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Does Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese Taste Good?
Yes, it does! Vegan mac and cheese can be just as good as the dairy version, without the cholesterol.
After going vegan, I did the whole pre-made boxed vegan mac and cheese thing. It was easier for me because that’s what I was used to making growing up. After a while though, I realized I could make a much healthier and tastier version myself.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love my store-bought boxed vegan mac and cheese every once in a while, but now I prefer to eat whole foods as much as possible. Oh, and this creamy mac and cheese beats the boxed brands by a mile!
If you, like me, like to reach for creamy, “cheesy” carbs when you want a little comfort, you’re going to love this vegan mac and cheese. I swear it’s so good, you won’t even miss the dairy!
Why I Love This Creamy Sauce
I like whipping up big batches of this cashew mac and cheese for myself and using it throughout the week. This way I have some on hand anytime I’m in a cheesy mood.
You can also make the vegan cashew cheese sauce and use it for a number of other dishes. It tastes great on:
- veggies (I particularly love it on broccoli – try it with the kids!)
- baked potatoes/fries (like these Potato Wedges)
- veggie burgers
- buddha bowls
- popcorn tofu
- nachos
- or anything you want cheesier!
What is vegan mac and cheese made of?
While it might sound like a tough undertaking, this vegan cashew mac and cheese requires mostly basic pantry ingredients to make. The things you are already likely to have on hand are:
- Elbow Noodles (or any other short noodle, subbing gluten free when necessary)
- Lemon Juice (preferably fresh!)
- Coconut Milk (full fat!)
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
There are a few ingredients that you might not have on hand or might not yet be familiar with. That said, they should be easy to find at your local grocery store. They are:
- Pimento Peppers (canned or jarred is fine!)
- Nutritional Yeast
- Raw, Unsalted Cashews
If you’re more of a visual person, check out the ingredient list below:
Cashews Make Things Creamy
Cashews are an amazing nut. They offer protein, healthy fat, and a nice dose of magnesium.
Blend them up cashews with some water and you have a tasty cream! Just be sure to reach for raw, unsalted cashews to get the creamiest, dreamiest texture possible.
I put cashew cream in just about anything that needs a little extra richness. Here are some other dreamy recipes (besides cashew mac and cheese) that you can make using these wonder-nuts:
- Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats – I use a sweet cashew cream
- Walnut Meat Tacos – I use a savory lime cream on these
- Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Overnight Oats – I used cashews for the “cheese” part
- Colcannon Soup – made it creamy with cashews
- Vegetable Bean Casserole – again made creamy with cashews
Nutritional Yeast Makes Things Cheesy
If you’re not yet familiar with nutritional yeast, I highly encourage you to get some on your next shopping trip. These bright yellow flakes may not have the best branding at their disposal, but they are fantastically delicious!
Nutritional yeast is the darling of the vegan world because of its umami, cheese-like flavor. It doesn’t hurt that it is also a complete protein packed with B vitamins and trace minerals.
How to Make a Creamy Vegan Cashew Cheese Sauce
This cashew cheese sauce is incredibly easy to make as long as you have a powerful blender.
Step 1: Soak your cashews in hot water for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Add all the ingredients into a high-speed blender.
Step 3: Blend until smooth! Start with 1/2 a cup of water and 4 TB of nutritional yeast and add more of either if needed.
It’s better to add the water a little at a time to get a nice consistency – you don’t want it too watered down. Also, sometimes the nutritional yeast flavor can be a little too much for some people so add up gradually.
Step 4: To make it into yummy mac and cheese, simply boil your pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain and mix with the cashew cheese sauce. Top with some vegan parmesan and BOOM! Vegan comfort food is served.
Can Vegans Really Eat Pasta?
Heck yeah they can! I LOVE pasta, and, contrary to popular “knowledge,” most pastas are made completely vegan. While egg noodles are off the table, just about every other kind of pasta is perfectly acceptable to eat.
Nowadays, there’s a ton of pastas to choose from. Not only are there about a gazillion different shapes and sizes of pasta, there’s also a bunch of different kinds of pasta.
I generally shoot for gluten-free eating where possible, and I love anything that has a little extra nutrition behind it. Chickpea, lentil, quinoa, or brown rice pastas are usually my go-to. If gluten isn’t a problem for you, I recommend opting for whole wheat pasta to get an extra dose of fiber and whole grains into your diet.
How to Make a Healthy Meal From Mac and Cheese
Admittedly, mac and cheese doesn’t have the healthiest of reputations. But with a few simple swaps, this vegan cashew mac and cheese is a real game changer.
At just 240 calories per serving, this vegan mac is filled with fiber and protein and is much lower in fat than traditional mac and cheese. You can also feel free to doctor it up to boost your nutritional game.
My personal favorite way to make Mac and Cheese into a true “meal” rather than just a side is to add veggies and a plant-based protein to it.
Some of the veggies I love most with this macaroni and cheese are:
- Roasted brussels sprouts
- Roasted or steamed broccoli or cauliflower
- Sautéed spinach or kale
But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any veggie you like!
And some plant-based protein sources you could add are:
- Marinated tofu (that can be baked, air-fried, or pan-fried)
- Tempeh crumbles
- Tofu crumbles
- Beans such as chickpeas or white beans
Ways to use this Cheesy Sauce
I like whipping up big batches of this cashew mac and cheese sauce for myself and using it throughout the week. This way I have some on hand anytime I’m in a cheesy mood.
You can also make the vegan cashew cheese sauce and use it for a number of other dishes. It tastes great on:
- veggies (I particularly love it on broccoli – try it with the kids!)
- baked potatoes/fries (like these Potato Wedges)
- veggie burgers
- buddha bowls
- popcorn tofu
- nachos
- or anything you want cheesier!
Frequently Asked Questions
The pimentos and nutritional yeast will give the cashew cheese sauce a natural yellow color. If you want to boost the color even more to make it look like the blue box version, feel free to add a teaspoon of mild paprika and a pinch of turmeric.
The cashew cheese sauce freezes particularly well, so feel free to make a batch to keep on ice. While I recommend freezing the sauce separately from the pasta, you can freeze them together. Just be sure to undercook your noodles by about 2 minutes to ensure they don’t get mushy on reheating.
Cashews make the best cream, but if you’re allergic you can opt for macadamia nuts instead. Just be sure to choose raw, unsalted nuts!
Since nuts are the primary way to get a “creamy” consistency, I recommend that you opt for a different recipe. That said, you could try raw sunflower seeds – just be sure they’re raw and you soak them beforehand.
The sauce is already gluten-free. Simply opt for gluten-free pasta!
While my Vegan Mac and Cheese can last up to 4 days in the fridge, it’s so tasty that I have a hard time believing it will last that long.
Simply add your leftovers to a saucepan over low heat and add a little extra milk or water. The cashew cheese sauce burns relatively easily, so it’s important to stir the sauce (or the coated pasta) continuously.
More amazing vegan macaroni and cheese recipes:
If you make this recipe and LOVE IT, please give it 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Mac and Cheese with Cashews
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (gf if needed)
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water for at least 1-2 hours or in boiling water for 10 minutes (see notes)
- ½ cup water (more if needed)
- 3 TB lemon juice
- 3 TB coconut cream (see notes)
- 2 TB white miso paste (or 1 Tb salt but trust me the miso makes it fab)
- 2 TB diced pimentos
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 4-6 TB nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Toppings
- fresh parsley
- vegan parmesan
Instructions
- Cook pasta to package directions.
- Blend all of the ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Add more water or nutritional yeast if needed.*
- Drain pasta and top with sauce and toppings.
Optional Additions
- Broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts or other veggies of choice
Video
Notes
- Cashews – macadamia nuts. Please note, you can try subbing soaked sunflower seeds in place of nuts, however, I have not tried it this way so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out.
- Coconut Cream – any dairy-free milk
- Lemon juice – apple cider vinegar
- Diced pimentos – red bell pepper
Nutrition
Please Note: The nutritional information is a computer generated estimate so these numbers should be used only as a guide.
Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist who empowers vegans to feel confident in creating sustainable habits that align with their values and health goals. She shares easy plant-powered food to nourish your body + satisfy your tastebuds. Mary Ellen’s recipes and nutrition info have been featured on Yahoo News, Parade, VegNews, LIVESTRONG, Dr. Axe, Greatist, LIVEKINDLY, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more.
Jonathan Smith says
Thanks for the great recipe, however I’m puzzled by the measurement acronyms.
For example you have ‘2 tablespoons lemon juice’ and ‘2 TB diced pimentos’.
Is ‘TB’ a tablespoon?
Mary Ellen says
Hi Jonathan, sorry about that. Yes, TB is for tablespoon. I don’t know why I have it two ways in this recipe. I’ve fixed it.
Jonathan Smith says
Thanks, and sorry for being so pedantic, I take things too literally 🙂
Best vegan mac and cheese recipe I’ve come across, I actually didn’t miss meat, I missed mac and cheese!
Mary Ellen says
No, it’s my fault for being confusing! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for coming back to review. 🙂
Arden says
As a non vegan this was amazing!! Even my non vegan, very picky friend, loved this recipe! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! My high speed blender was broken so had to use a magic bullet, it turned out just fine!
Mary Ellen says
I’m so glad you and your friend both liked it, Arden! I love when non-vegans enjoy my recipes too. 🙂
Thanks so much for coming back and leaving a review.
LisaRose says
Mine turned out a bit sweet. Not overly so, just a tad. Maybe even more of an aftertaste. It was super creamy, and not at all bad, but I was looking for more of that umami-cheese flavor. I used the miso paste. Any thoughts?
Mary Ellen says
Hi LisaRose! Hmmm, I’m trying to think of why that might be because I haven’t had that before. Maybe next time add a little extra miso or lemon juice? That’s the only thing I could think of to make it less sweet. Let me know if that helps!
Seya says
Loved It and my 3 year-old gobbles it up with guster every time!Thanks for the recipe. I like to leave out the onion powder and add a couple tablespoons of earth balance and a spoon of raw coconut oil.
Mary Ellen says
I’m so happy you both enjoyed it! It’s so wonderful to hear that the kiddos love it too!
Thanks so much for leaving me such a nice comment.
Erica Fisher says
Do you think I could use tahini instead of the miso paste? I read online that tahini was a good substitute.
Mary Ellen says
Hi Erica, I don’t know if I’d substitute tahini. If anything, I’d probably suggest you leave it out or sub with the salt. The miso gives it a more umami/savory sort of taste like cheese can sometimes have. I think the tahini might throw off the flavor a bit.
I’ve made the sauce without the miso when I’ve run out and the sauce still comes out tasty.
Let me know what you think if you try it without the miso.
nicole says
Hi there, looking forward to trying this recipe. I was just wondering if this would freeze well?? Thanks.
Mary Ellen says
Hi Nicole! I’ve frozen the sauce before but have not yet tried freezing the pasta with the sauce. The sauce freezes well but when you heat it, do it slowly, stirring often. Cashew-based sauces can burn more quickly than other sauces. I often add a little extra liquid when heating as well if the sauce has thickened.
I hope you enjoy!
Susannah Leaming says
Hi, I was wondering how you made this so yellow? Did you add any turmeric? I make cashew cheese all the time but unless I add turmeric, it does not turn this yellow. Thanks.
Mary Ellen says
Hi Susannah, I did add a little turmeric when I first starting making this and took the pictures. While I love turmeric in other dishes (and for its anti-inflammatory properties) I wasn’t liking how it tasted in this recipe. I will add a note about that. Thanks for asking- totally forgot I did that!
Marge in NJ says
Susannah, Since you use a lot of cashews, you might be a good source for this question. I’m curious as to the best deal on raw organic cashews. Is it Trader Joe? Costco doesn’t carry raw organic cashews anymore. Whole Foods bulk aisle? I will make this sauce but use it over oat groats or something similar.
Mary Ellen says
Hi Marge, I know you asked Susannah but I thought I’d let you know that I purchase my cashews at Trader Joe’s. I find they have a good price in my area. I hope you enjoy if you get to try it.
Marge says
Thanks, Mary Ellen. Big fan of Trader Joe but haven’t been there in a long while. I ended up stocking up on these cashews at amazon: Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Raw Cashews (Mylk Grade), 4 Pounds Sold by: Terrasoul Superfoods $32.95 Mylk grade means pieces, so $16.50/pound for organic pieces. Next time I’ll get organic raw cashews, whole, 5 pounds for $49.75, 10 bucks a pound
Mary Ellen says
Thanks for all the info, Marge!
Michele says
I’ve been trying a number of vegan mac & cheese recipes to find one I love and this is by far my favorite recipe! My kids really enjoy it and my husband even asked for more. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Mary Ellen says
I’m so glad the whole family enjoyed Michele! I love helping make vegan dishes everyone will enjoy!
Megan says
Can you make the whole thing and refrigerate in a casserole dish and heat up in the over later? Or can you soak the cashews way longer?
Mary Ellen says
Hi Megan, I’ve never tried heating it up in the oven but I have made it and heated it up in the microwave and on the stove top. Sometimes cashew-based sauces can get a little thick when cooled so I usually add a little extra dairy-free milk when reheating. You can soak the cashews up to 24 hours. I just keep them in the water in a glass container with a lid. Or you could pre-make the sauce and heat it with a little dairy-free milk (to the consistency you’d like) and add to pasta when you’d like to cook that. I usually make a double batch of the sauce and use it for pasta but also for bowls and veggies as well. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to try it!
Mary says
I used cauliflower instead of pasta and added bacon – YUM!
Kristine says
Where do you get miso paste? I’ve heard that it doesn’t normally bother those with soy intolerance since it is fermented. However, if I want to forgo it, would coconut aminos work? Thanks!
Mary Ellen says
Hi Kristine! I usually pick up some organic miso at my local health food store or Asian market. If you do have a soy intolerance it might be better to keep it out. The miso adds some “umami” (savory) flavor which I like but isn’t totally necessary. You could do a bit of coconut aminos and/or a touch of salt to replace it. I would do only about 1 TB of coconut aminos instead of 2 TB because you don’t want it get too sweet.
Let me know if you try it with the coconut aminos and how it works out because I haven’t tried that yet. I hope you enjoy!
Carrie says
wow! Thank you for this recipe! This is the first vegan mac & cheese I have tried, and I loved it. I only have been eating vegan WFPB for a month and feel great, these kind of tasty, familiar recipes make it easy to keep going. 🙂 My husband liked it as well and he is a dairy lover.
Mary Ellen says
Hi Carrie! I’m so glad both you and your husband enjoyed the mac & cheese. I was obsessed with mac & cheese before going vegan so I like to create recipes that are plant-based but still tasty.
Good luck on your journey! 🙂
Sarah De la Cruz says
Your new pictures are gorgeous! I would love a big bowl of this cozy mac!
Mary Ellen says
Thank you so much Sarah!!!
Randi Tisdall says
YUMMY!! This is similar to how I make my cashew cheese- I LOVE IT!! You’re right, the coconut really adds to the creamiest, and it’s good on just about anything. Thanks for sharing lovely!
Randi Tisdall says
*creaminess
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
This looks so much better than the boxed equivalent! I’m glad you’ve found a comfort food hit for when the craving flares.
Sarah says
Wow! This looks so creamy and good. I can’t wait to give it a try.
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
Vegan mac and cheese for the win! I love how cashews turn into such a creamy sauce. They are so versatile. Loving the pimento addition here too!