A creamy, nut-free vegan mac and cheese made with roasted vegetables and baked in the oven. This mac and cheese tastes just like the real thing!

This mac and cheese recipe has been 3 years in the making!

Over the last 3 years, I have tweaked it, changed it, dumped it, trashed it, cried over it, burnt it, but, finally….

…. I have the BEST vegan mac and cheese recipe ever!

It has no artificial ingredients, no nuts were harmed in the making of this recipe and it needs just a few ingredients.

So, get your ovens ready to make this vegan mac and cheese!

Closeup view of a white casserole dish on blue background and a yellow cloth on the side. Casserole dish is filled with vegan Mac and cheese

Tips for making this recipe

  • I outlined how I choose the perfect sweet potato when baking. Getting the right sweet potato is important because it will bake perfectly in the oven
  • Use carrot sticks and not baby carrots to roast. Baby carrots will be a little sweet and they might affect the taste.
  • The vegan cheese sauce I made for this recipe is a huge batch. You won’t need all of it, so, you can freeze half and use the rest.
  • For baking the vegan mac and cheese, I used a stoneware baking dish. 8in in length 5.75in wide and 2in for height. If you have a bigger dish, use that.
  • This is one recipe where I will not recommend any substitutions for the vegan cheese sauce! Every ingredient mentioned in the recipe is an absolute necessity and the taste will not be the same with a different ingredient
  • I love using large elbow macaroni for this recipe. If you can’t find it, use smaller elbow macaroni
  • The panko bread crumbs add a nice crunch to this recipe, so, use them over regular bread crumbs.
  • The cheese sauce, by itself, will be a little salty. However, when added to the pasta, it will be taste perfect
Top view of vegan Macaroni and cheese in a white casserole dish with some of the Mac and cheese scooped out to show the inside

Why this is the best vegan mac and cheese recipe

This is the best mac and cheese recipe because it’s made with all natural ingredients.

The sauce is made with freshly roasted veggies: Sweet potatoes, red bell pepper and carrots. Together, these 3 veggies pack quite a nutritional punch.

Top view of a white casserole dish on blue background and a yellow cloth on the side. Casserole dish is filled with vegan Mac and cheese

Additionally, I add nutritional yeast to the sauce. It’s a vegan’s best way to get B1 vitamin. It also has tons of other B vitamins and has protein too. You will also get a few trace minerals in nutritional yeast**

** Source – Healthline and Livestrong

The sauce I made for this recipe tastes just like the real thing! This vegan “cheese” sauce looks like the real thing and tastes like it too.

But, don’t take my word for it. Make it yourself and see why it’s the best.

Common questions about making this recipe

While making this recipe, you are bound to have questions. So, I am answering some of your questions below.

Send me your questions and I will be happy to answer them.

Can I make this macaroni and cheese without nutritional yeast?

No, you can’t. It sounds blunt, but, it’s true. Nutritional yeast adds the tangy flavor to this recipe that you can’t get from any other ingredient.

Nutritional yeast is very cheap and easily available in any grocery store, box store or online stores.

Please don’t skip it in this recipe.

Can I freeze this vegan mac and cheese?

Yes, you can freeze it. However, I suggest just freezing the ‘cheese’ sauce. Don’t freeze the recipe after you bake it.

I found that freezing it after baking it makes it soggy when thawed. It also lightens the flavors which means that I have to re-add some seasonings.

Closeup view of vegan Macaroni and cheese in a white casserole dish with some of the Mac and cheese scooped out to show the inside

How do I freeze the ‘cheese’ sauce

I like to freeze the ‘cheese’ sauce in Ziploc freezer bags. First, I write the date I made the sauce on the bag itself.

Then, I gently pour the sauce into the Ziploc bag and seal it. I make sure there are no air bubbles in the bag.

Freeze the sauce for up to 6 months. It can be used as a cheese sauce in many recipes.

At what temperature should I bake it?

I baked the vegetables at 400° first. They were chopped, so, they roasted quickly.

Once you have put the pasta and sauce in the baking tray, place the baking tray in a 300° pre-heated oven.

Can I just use store bought vegan cheese?

Yes, you can, but, I haven’t found a vegan cheese that will melt perfectly.

Believe me, I have tried them all! There are so many vegan cheeses on the market and I have tried all that I can get my hands on.

Not one of them melted completely Most of them will melt partially or no melt at all.

Some of these cheese would work in a grilled cheese sandwich, but, not in a mac and cheese.

If you know of a vegan cheese that will completely melt into a sauce consistency, use it. Be sure to send me the name of that cheese and I will try it too.

So, the question is, “does vegan mac and cheese taste good”. The answer is a huge YES from me and those friends of mine that have tried it.

Top view of a white casserole dish on blue background and a yellow cloth on the side. Casserole dish is filled with vegan Mac and cheese

How to make vegan mac and cheese

Preheat oven to 400°

Spray a baking tray with oil and set aside

The author spraying oil on a tray with a foil top

While oven is heating, start by peeling 2 sweet potatoes.

The author peeling a sweet potato

Chop them into cubes. They don’t have to be perfect because they will be blended in the end

Closeup view of chopped sweet potatoes

Place the chopped sweet potatoes on the oiled tray

The author's hand showing sweet potatoes being placed on the baking tray

Take a medium red bell pepper and cut into to half. Save one half for future recipes. Place the other half on the baking tray (cut side down)

Half of a red bell pepper placed cut side down on the tray

Take 5 carrot sticks and place it on the baking tray too

8 carrot sticks placed on the baking tray

Use a cooking spray to lightly spray the veggies on the baking tray

The author spraying oil on the veggies

Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 40 min or until the sweet potato pieces can be mashed easily with the back of a spoon

While the veggies are cooking, you can cook 1 cup of large, uncooked elbow pasta according to the instructions on the box. If you are using the smaller elbow pasta, use 1.5 cup

Large elbow pasta and water shown inside a stainless steel pan

Remove the baking tray from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Set the oven temperature to 300°

The vegetables shown in the tray after being oven-roasted

Remove the skin of the roasted red bell pepper

The author's hand peeling the red bell pepper

Place the 3 roasted veggies in a blender and add 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes. You can adjust this according to your taste

The author adding red pepper flakes to the blender

Add 1 Tbsp of salt

Salt added to the blender

Add 1 Tbsp of oregano

Oregano added to the blender

Add 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast added to the blender

Add 1 Tbsp of yellow mustard

Yellow mustard added to the blender

Finally, add 1 can of coconut milk. I also ended up adding about 2 tbsp more of coconut milk, but, it’s not necessary

Coconut milk added to the blender

Blend the ingredients until you have a sauce consistency (about 2 minutes)

Drain the pasta, but, save about 1/4 cup of the water to be added to the baking dish

The author scooping out 1/4 cup of water from the cooked pasta pan

In the baking dish, add the cooked pasta, 1/4 cup of the pasta water

Cooked elbow macaroni being transferred to a white baking dish

Add half of the sauce we blended earlier. You can add more if you want a creamier mac and cheese

The cheese sauce is being poured from the blender over the cooked elbow macaroni in a white baking dish

Mix well and add more sauce, if needed

The author using a spoon to mix the sauce and pasta

Top with a 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs (I added dried parsley, dill and 3Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the bread crumbs)

The author sprinkling panko bread crumbs over the mixed macaroni and sauce

Cover the baking dish with foil

Foil covering the top of the white baking dish

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes

Remove and serve immediately

Top view of a white casserole dish on blue background and a yellow cloth on the side. Casserole dish is filled with vegan Mac and cheese

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Rini
A creamy, nut-free vegan mac and cheese made with roasted vegetables and baked in the oven. This mac and cheese tastes just like the real thing!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 28 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 549 kcal

Equipment

  • 8″ rectangle baking dish (Stoneware)
  • 13X9 Baking tray
  • Blender

Ingredients
  

For the vegan ‘cheese’ sauce

  • 2 sweet potato
  • 1/2 red bell pepper
  • 8 carrot sticks
  • 1.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1.5 Tbsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp oregano
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 can coconut milk 2 tbsp more of coconut milk, but, it’s not necessary
  • 5 carrot sticks

For the pasta

  • 1 cup large elbow pasta
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the topping

  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp dill
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Spray a baking tray with oil and set aside
  • While oven is heating, peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes into cubes
  • Place the chopped sweet potatoes, bell pepper (cut side down) and carrots on the oiled tray
  • Use a cooking spray to lightly spray the veggies on the baking tray
  • Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 40 min, See notes
  • While the veggies are cooking, make the pasta
  • Drain the cooked pasta, but, save 1/4 cup of the water
  • Remove the baking tray from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes
  • Set the oven temperature to 300°
  • Remove the skin of the roasted red bell pepper
  • Place the roasted veggies in a blender the red pepper flakes, salt, oregano, nutritional yeast, yellow mustard and coconut milk
  • Blend the ingredients until you have a sauce consistency (about 2 minutes)
  • In the baking dish, add the cooked pasta, pasta water and half of the sauce we blended earlier
  • Mix well and add more sauce, if needed
  • Mix the panko ingredients and top it on the mac and cheese
  • Cover the baking dish with foil
  • Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes
  • Remove and serve immediately

Video

Notes

– You don’t have chop the sweet potatoes perfectly because they will be blended in the end
– Bake the veggies until the sweet potato pieces can be mashed easily with the back of a spoon
– The cheese sauce, by itself, will be a little salty.  However, when added to the pasta, it will be taste perfect
– My baking dish’s dimensions are – 8in in length 5.75in wide and 2in for height.  My baking tray’s dimensions are 13×9
Keyword how to make vegan cheese, how to make vegan mac and cheese

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