The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese You'll Ever Make

 Hannah Kaminsky

The Best Vegan Macaroni and Cheese You’ll Ever Make

This is the best mac and cheese on the planet. End of story.

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Serves: 6
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This is VegNews’ signature macaroni & cheese, and we absolutely couldn’t live without it. Serve it to your omni friends and family members, and watch as they convert under the influence of the nutritional yeast-free cheese sauce. We honestly make this recipe at least once a month—it’s just that delicious! Oh, and there’s the added bonus of sneaking in a few veggies, which makes this comfort food more than just a pretty plate. Thank you to the brilliant Allison Rivers Samson for creating this life-changing recipe exclusively for VegNews readers!

What you need:

4 quarts water
1 tablespoon sea salt
8 ounces macaroni
4 slices bread, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons + ⅓ cup vegan butter, divided
2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
¼ cup carrots, peeled and chopped
⅓ cup onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
¼ cup raw cashews
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon paprika

What you do:

1. In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons butter to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover pan and simmer 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
4. Into a blender, process cashews, salt, garlic, ⅓ cup butter, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to blender and process until perfectly smooth.
5. In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.

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Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the vegan lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission. In no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.

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