Published: Mar 23, 2023 by kaydimaggio

Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese

Name: Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Cashews; 2 medium Carrots (chopped); 1 medium Russet Potato (chopped); 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast; 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika; 1 teaspoon Onion Powder; 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder; 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt; 2 cups Vegetable Broth; 1 medium Yellow Onion; 1 medium Green Bell Pepper; 1 medium Red Bell Pepper; 28 ounces Diced Tomatoes; 8 ounces Tomato Sauce; 4 ounces canned diced green chiles; 1 can Black Beans (14.5 ounces); 1 can Red Kidney Beans (14.5 ounces); 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin; 1 teaspoon Oregano; 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika; 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder; 16 ounces Cavatappi Noodles

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This Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese is the perfect weeknight dinner meal! Fast and easy to make, this is a recipe that the whole family will enjoy! This recipe comes together in 30 minutes and is simple and full of delicious flavor!

*Originally published September 5, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 3/23/23.

I don't know about you, but I always plan my meals the week before and look at my calendar to see what I am going to make based on how busy I am. Let me tell you, I have been making a lotttt of 30-minute meals lately. It seems like this busy season is never ending! However, one of my favorite go-to busy night meals is this Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese. It is so creamy and delicious but also hearty and filling.

This vegan mac packs is filled with good for you ingredients in a creamy, non-dairy cheese sauce. You would never guess this meal is vegan honestly. One of the other things I love about this dinner is that it makes a lot of food, which means it is perfect for big families or for meal prep. Seriously, we are on day 3 and are still eating this for dinner. You are going to absolutely love it. Ready to dig in?

For more easy weeknight dinner ideas, check out my Old School Tamale Pie, this Fiesta Veggie Tater Tot Casserole or my Vegan Ravioli Pesto Bake!

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What Makes This Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese So Great?
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Instructions
Variations
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Storage
Top Tips
FAQ's
More 30 Minute Meals to Try!
Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese
Food safety

What Makes This Vegan Southwestern Mac and Cheese So Great?

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 part chili, part mac and cheese so it is so delicious.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Cashews- The cashews help to form the base of this cheesy chili mac. The cashews will blend up with the spices, broth, nutritional yeast and vegetables to form a creamy and delicious vegan cheese sauce. If you have a nut allergy, you can make this cheese sauce with cauliflower instead. Check out this Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese without Cashews for some more ideas!
Beans-I used two different types of beans in this recipe, kidney beans and black beans. However, you can use whatever type of beans are your favorite. I love adding in pinto beans on occasion!
Nutritional Yeast- Nutritional Yeast is the vegan cheese powerhouse. It helps to make our vegan cheese sauce "cheesy." There really isn't a replacement for this ingrident, however you can skip it if you don't have it on hand, just note that the sauce will not have a cheesy taste.
Spices-This recipe uses traditional chili spices like cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and chili powder. If you want to make it extra spicy, feel free to throw some cayenne in there too.
Noodles- I used cavatappi noodles in this recipe but feel free to use your favorite noodle type. You can even use gluten-free noodles to make this gluten-free.

A complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.

Instructions

Step 1: Fill a small pot with water and add the diced potato, carrots and cashews. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Drain the cashews, carrots and potato and add them to a high speed blender along with the nutritional yeast, spices, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth. The sauce will be thick. Set aside until ready to use.

Step 3: In an 8qt pot or dutch oven, add the onion and bell peppers. Cook until soft, about 7-10 minutes.

Step 4: Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, chili powder, paprika ,oregano and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the flavors start to meld together.

Step 5: Bring a pot of salted water to boil and boil the pasta according to the package directions.

Step 6: Add the cooked pasta and the cheese sauce to the pot with the chili. Stir until combined and mixed through. Serve immediately.

Variations

Spicy - Add some diced jalapeños in with the bell peppers to kick this dish up a notch.
Nut-Free - You can easily make this cheese sauce nut-free by swapping the cashews with cauliflower!
Vegan Beef - If you want to give this recipe a heartier feel, you can add some vegan ground beef crumbles with the beans.

Check out this Vegan Philly Cheesesteak for another fun recipe!

Recipe Serving Suggestions

This southwestern 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
Cornbread
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Air Fryer Peach Cobbler

Storage

Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days. This would be the perfect lunch for meal prep. Just portion everything out into individual containers and store it in the refrigerator and reheat when ready to eat.

I wouldn't recommend freezing this recipe as the cooked noodles will become gummy.

Top Tips

Load up your mac and cheese with delicious toppings such as vegan sour cream, green onions, sliced jalapeños or crushed tortilla chips!
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.
This Vegan Chili Mac gets even better the next day! Don't hesitate to make this as a meal prep lunch or dinner!

FAQ's

Do I have to use nutritional yeast?

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.

Can I turn this Vegan Chili Mac into a one pot meal?

Yes and no. You can make everything in one pot, I suggest a large dutch oven. Adding 4 cups of water or vegetable broth to bean and noodle mixture and cook the noodles with the beans, spices and vegetables, however you will have to use a separate pot and a blender to make the vegan cheese.

Can I make this 30 Minute Chili Mac in the crockpot?

Yes! You can make this Vegan Chili Mac in the crockpot. Just combine the beans, onion, jalapeño, tomatoes and noodles to the crockpot and cover with 4 cups broth or water. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. Stir in the cheese sauce before serving.

More 30 Minute Meals to Try!