This is the best vegan mac and cheese recipe ever! Directions for stovetop version and the most delicious baked vegan mac and cheese ever! Not cashew based, so allergy friendly!
Let’s get straight to the point in this post. We created the best vegan mac and cheese. And guess what? It’s super allergy friendly.
We wanted to sit and create something that was truly reminiscent of the baked mac and cheese that we were used to before being vegan. Finally, we think we have done that.
And it wasn’t without a lot of thought and consideration. I think we may have mad at least a dozen versions over the past year before finally settling on what we think is an absolutely amazing dairy free mac and cheese.
We had the bar set really high. Mac and cheese was the dish that was requested that we bring for the holidays.
We also knew that going into this recipe creation that we wanted this recipe to be allergy friendly, or at least be able to be made allergy friendly in the way that it was written.
Thankfully, we were successful on all accounts and now we are just so excited to share this delicious vegan macaroni and cheese recipe with you.
We will be sharing two versions –
1- how to make this stove top vegan macaroni and cheese
2- how to make this baked vegan macaroni and cheese
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What ingredients do you need for vegan mac and cheese?
Below are notes about the main ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make this easy vegan mac and cheese:
- macaroni noodles – It’s not mac and cheese without the mac! We using traditional macaroni pasta here
- butter beans – This is the base of our vegan cheese. It provides a creamy texture and you’ll be shocked that you can’t even taste them once everything is combined.
- vegetable stock – this allows for the sauce to get to the right consistency while adding flavor that you wouldn’t get with just water
- non-dairy milk – choose a neutral tasting unsweetened, unflavored variety for the best results. We love using creamier non-dairy milks like oat and soy.
- nutritional yeast – this helps us get a cheesy flavor without adding any processed vegan cheese
- vegan butter – adds richness and depth to this vegan beer cheese that you would expect from a cheese sauce
- lemon juice – A little acid helps bring the flavors of this dish together
- paprika – a little flavor, but also added to help with color
- vegan parmesan and cheddar cheese – the combination of vegan cheeses really helps to add a great flavor to the cheese sauce that you don’t get if you only add one
- chickpea (garbanzo) flour – This is to help thicken the sauce and give an even better consistency
- seasoned panko breadcrumbs – when making a baked mac and cheese, we like adding this for texture variation
Substitutions and variations:
- macaroni noodles – You can use any type noodle, we prefer tubular noodles or even gluten free pasta
- butter beans – Other white beans will work like cannellini or Great Northern. We don’t recommend chickpeas.
- nutritional yeast – add more vegan cheddar
- vegan butter – while we don’t recommend omitting, many people have and still liked the recipe
- lemon juice – white or apple cider vinegar could also work
- chickpea (garbanzo) flour – all purpose flour will also work as well as other gluten free flours.
- seasoned panko breadcrumbs – omit if desired
Can I make this Top 8 Allergen Friendly Mac and Cheese?
Yes!
One of our main goals for this besides making just a delicious vegan macaroni and cheese was to make it allergy friendly as well.
There are a few ingredients that we need to look out for in how our recipe is written, but let’s get to it.
To start, you want to use a gluten free pasta. There are so many choices available now, so just use the one that you like the best. Gluten free pastas tend to be chewier, so if you are doing the baked version, we would recommend that you cook it a few minutes less on the stove.
For the vegan butter, ensure that it is soy free. We prefer earth balance soy free when it comes to this. It comes in a red tub.
Then, we have dairy free milk. We actually prefer oat milk for this because it’s creamier. Most dairy free oat milks are certified gluten free, so just double check your labels.
And then we have the vegan parmesan cheese. We are use Violife in this recipe, which does contain coconut oil, but no other allergens. If you have a coconut allergen, you can use Follow Your Heart parmesan.
We also have a vegan parmesan on our site that you can make with sunflower seeds; however, it doesn’t melt well which is why we recommend using one of the store bought brands.
Make sure if making the baked version that you pick a shredded dairy free cheese that is safe for your allergies.
Also, you can omit the breadcrumb topping or use a vegan, gluten free breadcrumb.
Hopefully that helps you create the perfect vegan macaroni and cheese that is suitable for your allergies.
Can I prep this vegan mac and cheese ahead of time?
This vegan mac and cheese is best served right out of the oven; however, we know with holidays and such, you may be wondering about prepping ahead.
You can make the cheese sauce ahead and leave in the fridge up to 7 days in advance. That goes for the cheese sauce in the blender and then continue sauce for the baked version.
The stove top or baked version are still good heated up for the next few days; however, if you are trying to wow a crowd, we recommend making and serving it without the first few hours.
What are other vegan side dishes to try?
There are endless possibilities, but here are some of our favorite vegan side dishes that we think everyone will like:
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (30 Minutes, One Pot!)
- Vegan Cornbread
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Italian Vegan Pasta Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Vegan Green Bean Salad
- The Best Vegan Baked Beans
- Vegan Glazed Carrots
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Pin this vegan mac and cheese for later:
The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 9×13 casserole dish
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups macaroni noodles, uncooked (Use gluten free if needed)
- 1 15oz can butter beans, drained
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 1 cup dairy free milk (we like oat for this)
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup vegan parmesan cheese (we use Violife for this recipe)
Additional Ingredients for Second Half
- 2 cups unsweetened vegan milk (we prefer oat here since it's creamier)
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour
- ½ cup vegan parmesan Cheese (we used violife again here)
- 2 cups prepared cheese sauce from above
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 cups vegan shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs (ensure dairy free)
Instructions
- Bring a salted pot of water to a boil.
- Cook macaroni noodles according to the package. Drain noodles once done and set aside.
- While noodles cook, add beans, stock, dairy free milk, nutritional yeast, butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper, paprika and parmesan cheese to a high powdered blender.
- Blend this until very well combined. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees if making a baked version.
- In a skillet, over medium low heat, melt vegan butter.
- Add in chickpea flour. Whisk together.
- Slowly pour in vegan milk. Whisk until a thick consistency happens, like a gravy.
- Stir in spices, 2 cups of the prepared cheese sauce and vegan parmesan cheese. Combine well.
- Add cooked noodles and combine.
For Stovetop Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Add in the shredded cheddar cheese, then remove from heat. Adjust salt and pepper. and Serve. *Use remaining cheese sauce in another recipe or as a dip.
For Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Pour half noodle mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish and spread out evenly.
- Spread ½ cup of the cheese sauce over and spread out, then top with half vegan shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add the remaining noodle mixture and spread evenly.
- Top with another ½ cup of the cheese sauce over and spread out remaining vegan shredded cheddar cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until breadcrumbs have started turning golden brown on top.
- Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
*This recipe was updated slightly on 11/16/2021. Photos updated on 2/23/2022.
Darla
I have been missing macaroni and cheese in my life, and I am so excited to have found this recipe. I have tried a few recipes, and I have also bought some boxed macaroni and “cheese”, and to put it mildly, they were not very good…..or even reminiscent of what real Mac n cheese tasted like. This is hands down the best recipe I have tried. I also love that it does not have cashews in it!! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
LarishaBernard
We love hearing this! So happy you found something you love. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!
Hadassah
THIS IS THE BEST VEGAN MAC N CHEESE I’VE EVER TRIED. The butter beans truly add that extra umami flavor that other mac n cheese recipes are missing, and you can barely taste them! I did not use nutritional yeast as I dislike the taste. 5/5 🌟 (I also substituted the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar and it worked perfectly!)
LarishaBernard
Oh wow! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!
Renee
I’m was very particular about my mac & cheese during my pre-vegan life and pretty much would only eat it if my Mom made it . After we went vegan, my hubby tried a vegan mac recipe one time and it tasted like disappointment so I pretty much gave up on having it again. But this recipe definitely piqued my interest and I decided to give it a try for Christmas. Well this recipe did not disappoint! I loved that it involved making a roux which brought back many memories of watching my Mom make it. I loved how creamy and gooey it turned out! It was really good! This will definitely be my go to recipe whenever I’m craving mac and cheese! Thanks for sharing another wonderful recipe!
LarishaBernard
We are so happy to hear that and so glad it brought back found memories. Merry Christmas!
Trevin Hulcome
Loved this recipe, very inclusive to my belly so it’s much appreciated. I subbed in some things like using gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour instead of chickpea flour, daiya block gouda cheese that I shredded instead of parmesan, and chickpeas instead of lima beans.
LarishaBernard
So happy to hear you enjoyed it and love hearing what you substituted. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review! Have a great day!
Caroline
AMAZING! I made this for christmas. my family loved it! this is the first ever vegan mac & cheese recipe that actually tastes like mac and cheese!!!! <3
LarishaBernard
We are so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for leaving a review. We’re so glad you liked it.
Emily
This mac and cheese is next level!! Since becoming vegan in January, I have tried so many mac and cheese recipes – with cashews, butternut squash, etc. – and none of them were great. The texture was usually wrong. Well, your recipe was absolutely perfect! So creamy and flavorful. I had to go to 5 stores on my tiny island to find vegan parmesan, but it was worth the effort! My non-vegan friend even asked for the recipe because it was so good. Thank you for saving our Thanksgiving with this recipe!
LarishaBernard
We are so happy to hear this! You totally just made our day!
Jasmine
Thank you! I can’t wait to try. Which vegan cheddar cheese did you use? That’s the only thing I can’t find on the page.
LarishaBernard
Daiya Cutting Board Blend. But we’ve also made with Violife and Follow Your Heart.
Elena
Didn’t know what to expect with Lima Beans in the cheese, but this was incredible. Amazing recipe.
LarishaBernard
So happy that you loved it! Thanks for taking time out to leave a review. We appreciate that so much!
Kenia
Hands down, best mac n cheese! I am recommending this recipe to everyone – vegans and non-vegans! I appreciate y’all for sharing such a wonderful and easy to follow recipe! This is the best Mac n cheese I’ve had and that includes Mac n cheese at amazing vegan restaurants in my city!
LarishaBernard
We’re so happy to hear it was enjoyable! Thanks for taking time out of your day to write a review, it’s much appreciated!
Sabine
I found you guys by searching for vegan mac and cheese for thanksgiving. My entire family enjoyed this recipe! Deliciously creamy. Great vegan alternative. Thank you!
LarishaBernard
We’re so happy to hear it was enjoyable! Thanks for taking time out of your day to write a review, it’s much appreciated!
Jessica Norton
My go-to Mac and cheese recipe. Made it today for Thanksgiving as well! So cheesy and delicious!
LarishaBernard
We love to hear that! Thanks for taking time out of your day to write a review, it’s much appreciated!
Michelle
Hi! I can’t wait to try it! What are your thoughts on using half and half- coconut milk and oat milk for a substitute and adding other dairy free cheeses, like cheddar or cream cheese?
Thank you!
LarishaBernard
We wouldn’t recommend coconut as the flavor may come through too much. Cheddar is fine but not sure about the cream cheese
Alyssa
Yes, finally baked macaroni and cheese. Thank you!!!
LarishaBernard
You’re welcome
Alexa
I am dairy free and when I saw this, I had to try it. Little did I know that I would be so in love and so happy. This was absolutely amazing and delicious. I am currently doing cooking class online and we had to make mac and cheese, so I asked to use this recipe and my teacher said it was fine. Could not imagine to have used another vegan mac and cheese to substitute real mac and cheese. All your foods that I have cooked have been amazing!!!!!
Karen Kellman
In a single word – DOPE. This was absolutely delicious. My Mom is a killer home cook and she gave it the “Mom” approval. ^_^
LarishaBernard
We’re so happy to hear you are liking the recipe and that it’s mom approved! Thanks for taking time to leave a review. Have a great week.
Joan and Paul Cotter and Sunshine
We made your Vegan Mac and Cheese last night and it was Awesome! Creamy, crunchy topping, so yummy and easy! Definitely our favorite vegan Mac and cheese recipes. Love it and it’s Sunshine approved!!
LarishaBernard
We’re so excited that you loved the recipe! Thanks for taking time to leave a comment, we appreciate that so much! Happy Sunshine approves 😉
Audrey
Excellent!
LarishaBernard
So happy you enjoyed. Thanks for taking time out to leave a review, we appreciate it. Have a great day!