This super tasty vegan mac and cheese recipe is the perfect comforting dish, whether for a main weekday meal or a delicious side dish for a special occasion. This gooey, creamy mac and cheese will be a firm staple once you try it!

This is a soya free, dairy free, nut free mac and cheese recipe. It can also be easily made gluten free too with gluten free macaroni noodles/pasta. 

This vegan mac and cheese recipe is the perfect side dish to any lunch or dinner, whether it's midweek, weekend or a special celebration such as  Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, or for a big cookout or BBQ.

We love making delicious pasta dishes, such as our tasty gluten-free vodka pasta, vegan tuna sweetcorn pasta, pesto pasta salad or this earthy beet pasta recipe. 

Ingredients for Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Macaroni: we used a standard macaroni noodle/pasta - but cook it in a vegetable broth for extra flavor.
• Bouillon powder: to season the pasta, for extra flavor.
• Tapioca Flour: The sauce is made with a tapioca based roux, as opposed to wheat flour, to give it a stringy, cheese like texture. 
• Vegan Butter: the vegan butter helps make the base of our cheesy, vegan roux sauce 
• Oat milk: this helps bring the creaminess together. If you are making a gluten free mac and cheese, ensure this is certified gluten free oat milk. Unsweetened soya milk is also fine.
• Vegan cream cheese: this recipe uses a garlic and herb vegan cream cheese for extra flavor and deliciousness. Plain cream cheese also works fine. 
• Vegan cheese: the essential to this dish! We use a pre-grated vegan cheese that melts into the sauce beautifully and gives a nice golden crunch on top.
• Vegan yogurt: bringing extra creaminess, with a little bit of tang to this Mac and cheese sauce. 
• Nutritional yeast: the perfect, umami flavor for this dish, nutritional yeast is a must! 
• American mustard: sweet and tangy. 
• Garlic and onion granules: because no savory sauce is complete without this duo 
• Turmeric: just a pinch to help give a golden glow 
• Olive oil: to bring an extra crisp to the cheese topping 

How to make this Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe

1. Preheat your oven to 190c/375f.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the bouillon to make a broth. Add the macaroni and turn to a low-medium heat with a lid on to cook through. Make sure to stir intermittently so the pasta doesn’t stick - this should take around 12 minutes depending on the brand.
3. Add the oat milk to a separate pan and heat gently.
4. Meanwhile, in another large pan, turn the heat to medium, add the vegan butter and tapioca flour to for a sort of paste.
5. Then add the warmed milk and whisk through. It will look clumpy initially but will turn creamy as it heats and as you whisk.
6. Once it appears creamy, add the nutritional yeast, garlic and onion granules, American mustard, turmeric, vegan cream cheese, vegan yogurt. Whisk through until all is combined, then turn off the heat.
7. Now add half of the vegan grated cheese to the sauce and stir through.
8. Once the pasta is cooked drain the pasta and the pasta to the cheesy sauce.
9. Prepare a large dish by greasing it either with a little olive oil or vegan butter. I really rate a spray oil for ease. 
10. Pour the combined pasta and sauce mix into the dish, then add the remaining grated cheese to cover the whole top.
11. Spray with a little olive oil then bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden.

Top top: rub a clove of garlic around the greased baking dish for extra flavor! 

Variations 

• Add some delicious vegan bacon bits once this Mac and cheese is cooked for extra deliciousness.
• Serve with some of our gorgeous sides, such as this Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, Roasted Broccolini, Pomegranate Coleslaw or these delicious Seitan Satay Skewers.
• If you like your Mac and cheese spicy, add some chilli crunch to serve.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg to the cheesy sauce for extra warmth and depth.

Substitutions 

• If you don’t have tapioca flour, simply use plain flour. You wont get so much of a stringy, cheesy consistency from the sauce base, but it will still work.
• Substitute regular macaroni pasta for gluten free macaroni to make a gluten free version of this, but don’t sub out the tapioca flour for the sauce if this is the case, otherwise it won’t be gluten free.
• Garlic flavoured cream cheese just hits different in this recipe, if you don’t have a garlic flavoured cream cheese, simply use a regular vegan cream cheese.

Equipment needed 

• 2 large pans 
• 1 smaller pot
• Large baking dish 
• Whisk 
• Measuring spoons 

If you decide to make this vegan mac and cheese recipe please do leave a star rating and comment. We love to hear how you are getting on with your creations.

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