This Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese without Cashews is the perfect easy meal! Allergy-friendly, this mac and cheese recipe is made without nuts and will satisfy all the picky eaters!
*Originally published October 14, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 2/21/23.
When you think of the ultimate comfort food, what do you think of? For me, I think of mac and cheese. Before going vegan, it wasn't rare for me to just cozy up to a huge bowl of mac and cheese and make it my dinner. You know what I am talking about, the orangish boxed stuff that was full of preservatives and artery-clogging goodness. Yeah, that stuff. After going vegan, mac and cheese were one of the first things I learned to cook. Most vegan mac and cheese recipes use cashews as the base. However, this Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese is made without Cashews.
This recipe is budget and allergy-friendly. I don't know about you but I live on a budget so I can't always splurge on expensive nuts. The base of this mac and cheese sauce is cauliflower which when blended with the other ingredients transforms into the perfect creamy cheese sauce!
For another delicious recipe, check out this Fall Butternut Squash Vegan Tortellini
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What Makes This Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese So Great?
- Allergy Friendly- This recipe is made without cashews so it is perfect for those with allergies.
- Easy on the Wallet-Since the base of this mac and cheese is primarily vegetables, this is budget friendly and will feed the whole family.
- Shareable- This mac and cheese recipe makes 8 servings which is perfect for feeding a big family or sharing with friends!
- Full of Flavor-You wouldn't think a cheese-free mac and cheese would pack the flavor but this recipe is full of umami goodness from the miso to the nutritional yeast.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Shell Noodles- I love using shell noodles in my mac and cheese recipe, however, you can use your favorite type of noodles. I love making also making this recipe with cavatappi noodles.
- Cauliflower Head-The base of this creamy sauce is cauliflower. I recommend using raw cauliflower and not frozen as we will be roasting it in the oven.
- Plant Milk- Any plant milk works for this recipe, my go to is normally soy milk, however if you are allergic to soy, you can use almond or oat.
- Nutritional Yeast- The cheesy flavor of the sauce comes from the nutritional yeast. You can buy nutritional yeast at almost any grocery store.
- Miso-Miso is optional in this recipe but in my opinion, it elevates the flavor to outer space levels. Miso has a ton of delicious umami flavor that makes up for the lack of dairy.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Chop the cauliflower and the carrots into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Add the cooked cauliflower and carrots to a high speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, spices, miso and milk. Blend until smooth. The sauce will be thick.
Step 3: Bring a pot of salted water to boil and boil the pasta according to the package directions.
Step 4: In a greased casserole dish, combine the noodles and the sauce. Mix until combined.
Step 5: Add the melted butter to the panko breadcrumbs and using a fork, mix until combined.
Step 6: Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp.
Variations
- Eggplant - If you are sensitive to cauliflower and would prefer to make this mac and cheese with eggplant instead of cauliflower, slice the eggplant and roast with the carrots.
- Extra Veggies - Feel free to bulk this up by adding a lot of extra veggies such as bell peppers.
- Extra Creamy - Add vegan cream cheese to the sauce if you want it creamier and thicker. Adding vegan cream cheese will make a creamy sauce that is consistent with what you might find in the Daiya boxed brand.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This mac and cheese is hearty and filling enough on its own, however here are some ideas of what to serve with it if you want a full meal!
- Chopped or Caesar Salad
- Mushroom Pulled Pork Sandwiches
- Sloppy Joe Bowls
- Cornbread
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Peach Cobbler
Storage
Store the mac and cheese covered in the fridge for up to four days. I like to store my mac and cheese in glass meal prep containers and portion them out to eat for lunch throughout the week.
This cauliflower mac and cheese does not do well when frozen. It can get gummy and the noodles could fall apart.
Top tips
- The key to making this mac and cheese perfect is to make sure you have your ratio of vegetables to milk right. If you don't use enough milk your sauce can be clumpy and too thick and you want your sauce to be smooth and creamy.
- Make sure to grease your casserole dish well or the noodles will stick to the pan. The last thing that you want is to get excited for dinner, only to have the noodles all stuck to the bottom of the pan!
- If you want to add extra creaminess to your sauce, you can stir in a bag of vegan cheddar cheese with the noodles alongside the sauce. My favorite is the Follow Your Heart brand.
Recipe FAQ's
You don't have to use nutritional yeast in this vegan mac and cheese, however, nutritional yeast is what will give it that cheesy flavor. If you don't like using nutritional yeast, you can substitute it by using any other dairy-free cheese that you prefer.
I like using soy milk in my vegan mac and cheese. Soy milk has a neutral flavor and blends well into the sauce. However, almond and oat milk work just as well.
I didn't use gluten-free noodles when making this recipe, however, this could easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Other Great Easy Dinners
Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese without Cashews
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Sheet
- 1 High Speed Blender
- 1 8 quart pot or dutch oven
- 1 13x9 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Medium Shell Noodles
- 1 Cauliflower Head
- 3 Carrots
- 3 cups Soy Milk
- ¼ cup Vegan Butter
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon White Miso Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Chop the cauliflower and the carrots into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes.
- Add the cooked cauliflower and carrots to a high speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, spices, miso and milk. Blend until smooth. The sauce will be thick.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil and boil the pasta according to the package directions.
- In a greased casserole dish, combine the noodles and the sauce. Mix until combined.
- Add the melted butter to the panko breadcrumbs and using a fork, mix until combined.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp.
Notes
- The key to making this mac and cheese perfect is to make sure you have your ratio of vegetables to milk right. If you don't use enough milk your sauce can be clumpy and too thick and you want your sauce to be smooth and creamy.
- Make sure to grease your casserole dish well or the noodles will stick to the pan. The last thing that you want is to get excited for dinner, only to have the noodles all stuck to the bottom of the pan!
- If you want to add extra creaminess to your sauce, you can stir in a bag of vegan cheddar cheese with the noodles alongside the sauce. My favorite is the Follow Your Heart brand.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Shilpa says
I’ve never tried making vegan version of Mac n cheese and your recipe has inspired me.. thanks for sharing
Tavo says
I love your healthy twist to the best comfort food ever Mac and Cheese. I am on my way to the store to get some cauliflower and pay some honor to your recipe!
Natalie says
What a delicious mac & cheese. It's loaded with veggies too. Yum! I never tried the vegan version, to be honest, but now I'm totally craving this. I'll make this for dinner tomorrow. Can't wait to hear what my boys think.
Julie Rosenthal @goodiegoodieglutenfree says
These ingredients are the BEST!!! I love this recipe SO much!
Amanda Scarlati says
This is the best vegan mac and cheese. I love the flavor and especially love the topping!
Choclette says
Homemade mac n cheese is the best and your healthy vegan version sounds amazing. Love the thought of combining cauliflower cheese and mac n cheese - two of my favourite comfort foods.
Holly says
This was a big hit at our house! I love that it's not all cauliflower, but a combination of cauliflower and pasta.
Alexandra says
This is such a delicious, comforting dish. It is definitely the best way to enjoy cauliflower!
Jeri says
This vegan mac and cheese with cauliflower was fantastic! It had great flavor, and everyone loved it! Thanks!
Andrea White says
Cannot wait to make this!!!!
Addie says
I love cauliflower! Love this healthy comfort food!
Oscar says
I love roasted cauliflower so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. Wow, it turned out amazing. Loved the breadcrumb mixture on top. Great recipe.
Julia says
Love this kind of comfort food. Mac and Cauliflower cheese is just a fantastic dish. Cauliflower goes so well with cheesy flavours. Brilliant!
Nart says
Such a comforting vegan dish. So good!
Giangi Townsend says
Great recipe that I will share with my friends as well. Love cauliflower and your dish sounds amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Linda says
I wasn't sure I could pull a fast one over on my kid, but this recipe totally worked! He takes mac n cheese for lunch at least once a week, but it's so hard to make sure he's getting healthy veg, too. Love knowing he's getting something healthy.
Meryl says
I love all the hidden veggies in this (my kids do too, they just don't know it!). What a delicious dinner!
Sue says
I've made cashew sauce before and you are right, it gets a little spendy! Looking forward to trying your version!
Genevieve says
I have tons of cauliflower from my garden that I need to use up and now I have a way to use it. Looks so easy and yummy!
Jean says
love the addition of cauliflower making this mac and cheese extra healthy!
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
Would almond milk work to keep it as close to your recipe as possible? I like that you roast the veggies first; I want to make it soon, it sounds too good!
kaydimaggio says
Yes! Almond milk would be perfect! Just make sure it is the unsweetened kind 🙂
abhi says
I am not a vegan, but I am surely going to share with my vegan friends!!
Addie says
So creamy and delicious! Love this recipe!
Akshita says
This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it!