Hannah Kaminsky
The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese You’ll Ever Make
This is the best mac and cheese on the planet. End of story.
July 22, 2024
This is VegNews’ signature macaroni and cheese, and we absolutely couldn’t live without it. Serve it to your omni friends and family members, and watch as they convert under the influence of the nutritional yeast-free cheese sauce. We honestly make this recipe at least once a month—it’s just that delicious! Oh, and there’s the added bonus of sneaking in a few veggies, which makes this comfort food more than just a pretty plate. Thank you to the brilliant Allison Rivers Samson for creating this life-changing recipe exclusively for VegNews readers! And do what we do, and double the cheese sauce for extra drizzling and to have on hand to pour over any dish.
What you need:
4 quarts water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt, divided
8 ounces macaroni
4 slices bread, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup vegan butter, divided
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 cup chopped red or yellow potatoes
¼ cup chopped carrots
⅓ cup chopped onion
1 cup water
¼ cup raw cashews
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon paprika
What you do:
- In a large pot, bring water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons butter to a medium-fine texture. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover pan and simmer 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
- Into a blender, process cashews, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, garlic, ⅓ cup butter, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to blender and process until perfectly smooth.
- In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.
For more recipes like this, check out:
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