This is the best vegan mac and cheese without cashews ever! Rich, creamy, cheesy comfort food made without cashews, dairy, gluten, or soy. 

A bowl of vegan macaroni and cheese with a green and gray tea towel behind it and a fork next to it.

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Kids and adults alike will love this pasta dish and may never even guess that it’s vegan! Make it quick and easy on the stovetop or bake it for extra cozy comfort food!

Everyone loves a classic bowl of mac and cheese!  This vegan version is surprisingly similar to the real deal and even non-vegans with love it!

I’ve been tweaking and perfecting this vegan mac and cheese recipe for over 20 years now. I’ve adapted it from a recipe in an old-school vegan cookbook called “The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook.” (It was my vegan bible years ago before blogs and online recipes were a thing).

❤️ Why you’ll love this cashew-free mac & cheese

  • It’s rich, creamy, and cheesy!
  • It’s gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free!
  • You only need a few minutes to make it.
  • It’s kid-friendly.
A white bowl filled with mac and cheese and sprinkled with parsley with a fork on the side.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Pasta – Macaroni, shell pasta, or any small pasta shape works great. Use gluten-free pasta if need too.
  • Plant-Based Milk – Any plain flavored plant milk like soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk, will work great in this recipe. For an extra rich and creamy mac and cheese, you can also use 1 1/2 cups of canned coconut milk plus 1/2 cup of water in place of the 2 cups of milk.
  • Nutritional Yeast – Aka nooch. This is a yellow powder found in most health food stores. It has a cheesy umami flavor and without it, your vegan mac and cheese just won’t be cheesy tasting.  You can learn more about nutritional yeast in this post.
  • Tapioca Starch – Aka tapioca flour. This is essential for a creamy, stretchy texture that won’t get gloppy once it cools off. You can sub it with corn starch or potato starch, but nothing else gives your cheese sauce the same great texture as tapioca starch.
  • Corn Starch – This helps to thicken up your sauce and make it the right consistency. (You can swap potato starch for this equally if you prefer).
  • Garlic Powder – for flavor (optional). You can also swap this out for onion powder or use half garlic and half onion powder.
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Turmeric – Just a dash for color.
  • Oil – To give it a richer flavor (optional). Refined coconut oil, light olive oil, vegan margarine, or my vegan butter recipe all work great in this mac and cheese.
  • Miso or Tahini – (optional) For a cheesy bite. If you want your mac and cheese to have more or a cheddar taste, add 1 tsp of white miso paste or tahini to your cheese sauce. You can also use a teaspoon of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or dijon mustard for a little tang.
  • Black Pepper – or red pepper flakes for extra flavor or a little heat.

🔪 Helpful tools for making vegan mac & cheese

  • Saucepan – To cook the “cheese sauce.”
  • Pot – To boil the macaroni or pasta.
  • Whisk – To stir your vegan cheese sauce into a creamy masterpiece!
  • Baking Dish – if you are making baked vegan mac and cheese.

🥄 How to make vegan mac & cheese without cashews

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – Boil pasta of choice according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. (Cook it al dente if you are going to make baked mac and cheese).

Step 2 – Put all the cheese sauce ingredients in a saucepan. (Plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, corn starch, salt). Then stir it with a whisk.

Step 3 –Turn on the heat to medium-low stirring frequently until it boils, then stir constantly for about 30 seconds.

Step 4 –Add the drained and rinsed pasta to the vegan cheese sauce. 

Step 5 –Stir well and serve hot. Garnish with parsley, black pepper, or red pepper flakes.

🌶️ How to spice up vegan mac & cheese

Spice it up – For a little spice and extra flavor, add a few shakes of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, Frank’s red hot, or vegan buffalo sauce.

Homemade vegan cheese sauce being poured over a bowl of macaroni.

🥄 How to make oven-baked mac & cheese

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Step 2 – Follow the steps above then add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the stovetop mac and cheese. (To account for evaporation in the oven).

Step 3 – Pour the mac and cheese into a lightly greased casserole dish.

Step 4 – Top with panko breadcrumbs, or crumbled vegan crackers mixed with melted vegan margarine and 1/4 tsp garlic salt, or simply top with shredded vegan cheese.

Step 5 – Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown.

See my post on baked vegan mac and cheese for more detailed instructions.

A white casserole dish filled with baked vegan mac and cheese with a large spoon in it.

🌟 Add-in for plant-based mac and cheese

Buffalo Mac – Add 1/2 cup of vegan buffalo sauce at the end of cooking for an amazing buffalo mac and cheese!

Spicy Mac – Make it spicy with a few shakes of siracha or cayenne pepper or try my vegan Southwest mac and cheese with salsa and beans.

Cheddar Mac -About 1/2 teaspoon of miso or tahini added in will give your cheese sauce a little cheesy cheddar-style bite.

Bacon Mac – Bacon bits give your mac and cheese a great smokey flavor and a little crunch. Most varieties of bacon bits are surprisingly vegan or you can easily make homemade vegan bacon bits.

Vegan Lobster Mac and Cheese – Add 2 cups of my vegan lobster to the mac and cheese at the end of cooking.

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro tips for perfect dairy-free mac & cheese

  • Make sure to use plain plant-based milk.  Vanilla-flavored milk will ruin your dish.
  • Don’t turn on the heat until you have mixed the dry ingredients with the milk.  (It will get lumpy if you add starch to warm liquid).
  • Stir your cheese sauce frequently.  It will firm up quickly once it reaches a certain temperature and goes from a runny liquid to a thick sauce in just a few seconds.

🥡 How to store leftover vegan mac & cheese

This mac & cheese will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.

❄️ Can I freeze vegan macaroni and cheese?

Vegan mac n cheese without cashews freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

❓ How to reheat vegan mac?

Reheat the mac and cheese in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

🥦 How to make mac & cheese healthier?

You can add 1/2 cup of boiled and pureed carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes to the cheese sauce for extra hidden nutrients. This recipe is also delicious with added steamed broccoli, peas, or kale.

Use my veggie cheese sauce to make a super healthy mac and cheese! Make a protein-packed vegan mac and cheese with tofu or make my vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe that’s packed with vitamin A!

Turn this easy mac & cheese into a meal by adding beans and salsa like in my spicy vegan mac & cheese.

A close up of the top of a bowl of mac and cheese.

🧈 Can I make oil-free vegan mac and cheese?

If you want this mac and cheese to be fat-free, simply leave out the oil or margarine.  It is not essential in this recipe. If you are oil-free, but not fat-free, you will love my coconut milk mac and cheese or vegan pumpkin mac and cheese recipes.

I hope you enjoy this family favorite for years to come too! If you just want a little mac and cheese for a quick lunch or snack, be sure to check out my vegan mac and cheese for one recipe.

🌟 More cheesy vegan sauces

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan mac and cheese without cashews recipe

A white bowl filled with vegan mac and cheese with a fork on the side.
4.96 from 23 rating

Vegan Mac and Cheese without Cashews

Yield: 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 13 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
The best vegan mac and cheese recipe made without gluten, dairy, or nuts! Pour this cheese sauce over any shaped pasta for a quick and easy meal.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 oz macaroni pasta (uncooked), or any other small-sized pasta (Use gluten-free if desired).

Cheese sauce

  • 2 cups vegan milk, like soy milk or any other plain plant-based milk you choose
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca starch, aka tapioca flour (or use corn or potato starch instead)
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch, or potato starch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, (optional)

For baked vegan mac and cheese

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter, or vegan margarine (melted)
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs, (Gluten-Free or regular)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Equipment

Instructions
 

Vegan mac and cheese on the stove-top

  • Boil pasta of choice according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside. (Cook it al dente if you are going to make baked mac and cheese).
  • Add all the cheese sauce ingredients to a saucepan. (2 cups Plant-based milk, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp tapioca starch, 1 tbsp corn starch, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp turmeric).
  • Stir with a whisk while cold.
  • Turn on heat to medium-low stirring frequently until it boils. Then stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
  • Mix the drained pasta with the vegan cheese sauce.
  • Stir well and serve hot.

Baked vegan mac and cheese

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • Follow the steps above then add an additional 1/2 cup of water to the stovetop mac and cheese. (to account for evaporation in the oven).
  • Pour the mac and cheese into a lightly greased casserole dish.
  • Melt 3 tbsp of vegan butter in a small bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and garlic salt to the melted butter and stir well.
  • Top with panko breadcrumb mixture or simply top with shredded vegan cheese.
  • Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs have turned slightly golden.

Notes

  • Make sure to use plain plant-based milk.  Vanilla flavored milk will ruin your dish.
  • Don’t turn on the heat until you have mixed the dry ingredients with the milk.  (It will get lumpy if you add starch to warm liquid).
  • Stir your cheese sauce frequently.  It will firm up quickly once it reaches a certain temperature and goes from a runny liquid to a thick sauce in just a few seconds.
  • To make a richer-tasting mac and cheese add 2 tbsp of vegan butter to the sauce after cooking.
Make the mac and cheese healthier
  • You can add 1/2 cup of boiled and pureed carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes to the cheese sauce for extra hidden nutrients.
  • This macaroni and cheese is also delicious with added steamed broccoli, peas, or kale.
  • If you want this mac and cheese to be oil-free, simply leave out the oil or margarine.  It is not essential in this recipe.
* For an extra rich and creamy, oil-free mac and cheese, you can also use 1 1/2 cups of canned coconut milk or cashew cream plus 1/2 cup of water in place of the milk.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 332kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 689mg, Potassium: 366mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 730IU, Vitamin C: 8.5mg, Calcium: 177mg, Iron: 1.6mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

*This was originally posted on February 13, 2019.  It was updated on January 12, 2021, to include new images and more detailed instructions.