Boil the pasta of choice for about 2 minutes less than the package directions suggest then drain out the excess water. (You want it al dente since it will continue to cook in the oven.)
Make the cheese sauce
Put all the cheese sauce ingredients in a medium-sized pot. (Cold plant-based milk, cold water, nutritional yeast, tapioca starch, corn starch, salt, paprika, and turmeric). Then stir it with a whisk.
Turn on the heat to medium-low stirring frequently until it boils, then stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
Add the drained pasta and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to the vegan cheese sauce and stir well. Add more salt and some black pepper to taste or a dash of red pepper flakes if you wish. (You can also add a cup of shredded vegan cheddar cheese to make the dish even cheesier if you wish
Bake the mac & cheese
Pour the mac and cheese into a lightly greased casserole dish.
In a small bowl, melt vegan butter then add 1/4 tsp garlic salt and 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs. Stir well and sprinkle over the top of the mac & cheese.
Bake at 350° F (176° C) for 20 minutes until it starts to bubble and the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown.
Video
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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.