Yes! Instead of baking the mac and cheese, make a stovetop version by simply combining the cheese sauce with the pasta and gently warming it on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. When ready to bake, combine the pasta and sauce, and cook according to the directions given. If you assemble it and store, the sauce might get soaked up from the pasta and make for a very dry mac + cheese. Yes, you can prepare vegan mac and cheese one or two days ahead, but keep the cooked pasta and cheese sauce separate until ready to bake. And if it doesn’t brown enough for your liking, put it under the broiler for a few minutes, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Tip: If the top browns too much, place foil over top.

Sprinkle the mac and cheese with bread crumbs (above right) and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.

You can eat it as is or continue to the next step and bake.

Add the pasta to a baking dish and pour the cheese sauce over top (above left), give a good mix.

Make the cheese sauce by combining the cashews, garlic, miso, nutritional yeast, turmeric, salt, and water sauce to the cup of a high-speed blender/food processor (above right).

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

Start with soaking the cashews to soften them up for blending.

Here is a quick overview (the full printable recipe card is below): Making classic baked vegan mac and cheese can’t be any easier! Turmeric is used to add a nice light golden hue, but if you don’t have turmeric on hand, no worries, you’ll end up with a white ‘cheese’ sauce instead. If you don’t have miso on hand 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard (or 1 teaspoon dried mustard) will be great too. Soaking cashews aids in digestion and softens the cashews so they easily blend into ultra-creamy deliciousness!Ĭheese Sauce: For the cheese sauce flavoring, the nutritional yeast will add a ‘cheesy’ flavor and nutrition, the miso (also healthy) will add umami flavor.

They only need to soak for 2 – 3 hours in cold water or 5 minutes in hot water (not boiling). For best results soak your cashews in water before using them. Make this gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta made with rice, quinoa, beans, or lentils.Ĭashews: Cashews should be raw and unsalted, whole or pieces. I’ve used both penne and shell pasta, as well as the elbow macaroni, shown here. Vegan Mac and Cheese ingredients: pasta, raw cashews, miso (or dijon), nutritional yeast, lemon (or acv), garlic, turmeric, salt, panko, and oil. And for another cashew version, this Vegan Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese and Mac and Cheese with Peas is amazing!.If you’d like a version of vegan mac and cheese that’s cashew-free, try this stovetop Easy Spicy Mac n Cheese or Creamy Broccoli & Pasta for a change.

Best vegan baked mac and cheese