Here we go – the ooey, gooey vegan Mac N Cheese recipe you’ve been waiting for! You know the one… it’s the Mac N Cheese that tastes like it came from a box right out of your childhood. What you might not know is that it is super easy with less than 10 ingredients and can be in your mouth within 20 minutes. Boom!
There’s an important decision you have to make first though. James from Vanderpump Rules may argue that “it’s not about the pasta”, but it’s totally about the pasta!
Everyone has a favorite, but I’ll give you my advice. Go with Shells or Cavatappi. If you think there’s a better option out there, let me know in the comments below and I’ll try it out. But until then, these are my two go-to’s.
I’m a fan of the DeLallo pasta shells. They label their bags Vegan and even have gluten-free varieties too.
Even more essential to the pasta is a good vegan cheese. I’ll be honest, I hated vegan cheese when I first tried it almost 10 years ago. And the brand I hated was Daiya. But I have to admit that they’ve come a long way and greatly improved their product (thank goodness)!
To be extra honest, I still kind of hate the shreds in their unaltered state. They have a super weird taste to me. However, magical things happen when they’re melted down into this Vegan Mac N Cheese.
So if it’s been a minute since you’ve given store bought vegan cheese a chance, go for it with this recipe! Let me know what you think.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb bag noodles
- 2 cups soy milk
- 1 bag of Daiya cheddar style shreds
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Smoked Paprika, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook & drain noodles according to package directions. You want them 99% cooked, but definitely not too soft or they will break apart on you later.
- While noodles are cooking, heat soy milk in a large pot on the stove until steaming.
- Add Daiya cheddar style shreds, vegan butter, nutritional yeast, and minced garlic to the heated soy milk. Use a whisk to combine until everything is melted & gooey. Taste & add salt & pepper.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pot with the cheese sauce and mix together.
- Serve with a sprinkle of smoked paprika on top.
Notes:
This Vegan Mac N Cheese freezes well, so go ahead and make a full batch (or two) for yourself! You will need to add a little water or soy milk when reheating.
Serve alongside some turnip greens for a well-balanced & colorful plate!
