This Vegan Mac and Cheese is not only healthy and allergy friendly, it’s also going to be your new best friend. Get ready to experience a deeper love for macaroni and cheese.
This recipe started with a dare. I have a friend who LOVES mac and cheese (who doesn’t?!) and one day, she was telling me how sorry she was that I couldn’t have it. “I would just die if I couldn’t eat mac and cheese anymore,” she said. I just laughed and told her it really wasn’t that big of a deal. But then I got to thinking … Since my health caused me to go gluten and dairy free last year, I haven’t tried to make mac and cheese. I don’t know about you, but that’s just crazy to me! One year without mac and cheese? I couldn’t reconcile that fact in my mind. I had to do something about it.
That same day my friend dared me to make a vegan version of mac and cheese that was just as addicting as the classic kind. You’re staring at my answer to the dare — the meal I now eat for several days straight, several times a month. It’s. That. Good.
Is it creamy? Yes. Is it comforting? Yes. Is it satisfying? Yes. Is it delicious? You betcha. This vegan mac and cheese has the same creamy, thick texture you’d expect, but without even a hint of dairy! I know all of the mac and cheese purists who are reading this right now are shaking there heads or rolling there eyes. There’s no way. If that’s what you’re thinking right now, I dare you to make this. I dare you to eat it without wishing you had more once the bowl is gone.
For all the moms out there (or wives with picky husbands) this is a great way to sneak vegetables into something the whole family will eat. The cheese sauce is made from eggplant, carrots, onions and coconut milk — it doesn’t get much more nutritious than that!
I think you’ll also like the potato chip breadcrumb topping action that’s happening on top of the creamy noodles. Totally optional, but definitely recommended. 😉 Let me know what you think if you’re brave enough to give this one a try, and have a lovely week friends! XOXO, Lauren. P.S. In honor of Celiac Awareness month (I’m don’t have Celiac, but I have many friends who are!) Canyon Bakehouse and I are teaming up to giveaway a prize pack to one lucky winner. Enter below!
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This is a sponsored post, written by me, and created in partnership with Canyon Bakehouse. All opinions expressed are straight from the heart.
- 1/2 large eggplant, diced
- 1/2 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 10 ounces macaroni noodles (I use gluten free)
- [br]
- [b]For the topping*:[/b]
- 1/2 slice Canyon Bakehouse bread, crust removed
- 1 tablespoon almond flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Handful of potato chips
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, carrot and onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, garlic powder, mustard and cornstarch and stir until combined. Let simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened.
- Cook the macaroni noodles according to box instructions. While noodles are cooking, make topping. Combine bread, almond flour, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until mixture turns into a powder. Transfer to a small bowl and clean out the food processor. Stir smashed potato chips into breadcrumb mixture and set aside.
- Pour coconut milk mixture into the bowl of the clean food processor or blender and top with nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth, thick and creamy.
- Combine sauce and cooked noodles in a saucepan and stir until combined. Serve immediately and sprinkle with potato chip breadcrumb topping.
- [i]*Disclaimer: Topping is not vegan.[/i]
Vegan mac and cheese is my favorite thing 😉 Beautiful variation, my friend!
Thank you so much Rebecca! Happy Monday to you!
I don’t eat mac ‘n cheese all the time, but when I get a craving for it, I need to have it asap! This vegan version looks SO good, Lauren! I love how creamy and filling this is. So perfect for when those cravings strike1
This will be a good recipe for you to have on hand then, Gayle! I hope you like it!
I will totally accept your dare, because I already KNOW this is delicious, girlfriend! I like mac n’ cheese made with butternut squash puree instead of traditional cheese sauce, so I know a vegan mac n’ cheese can be just as delicious as it’s real cheese counterpart! This looks super creamy and ultimately delicious, Lauren! I’d say you blew that challenge outta the water! Cheers, sweets!
I LOVE that you used eggplant. I can’t wait to make this for my family! We have some big Mac n cheese fans in our family, and we’ve only been eating dairy free for a few months.
So yummy! My family loves mac and cheese {so do I}. This looks so good!
This sounds delicious! I love how you put a healthy twist on a classic favorite! Since I’m gluten free, I’m going to have to give this a try!
xo, Kristina
I love that this is full of veggies too. And, the topping sounds YUMMY!
I saw this on IG today and had to pop right over to check it out! Sounds totally delicious Lauren! Love that you added veggies!!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try!
Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com
Yum! I hate to admit it (because I love cheese!) but I’m really not supposed to eat a lot of dairy, can’t wait to try this out!
Looks wonderful. I can’t believe it’s Vegan!
Mac and cheese is ALWAYS a good idea and this look so so good!
I don’t think I could love mac and cheese any more than I already do….but this is fantastic! Huzzah for non-cashew based cheese base. Seriously…I love my cashews, but they don’t love me. Ahem. Also, you included eggplant, which is one of the most fantastic veggies ever sprouted out of this green earth.
YUM! I love how you infused the sauce with all kinds of awesome veggies! There are so many great ingredients in this recipe, I bet it tasted amazing!!
I wondered if this used nutritional yeast! I love the stuff!! Great recipe!
This does NOT disappoint!! You just made a lot o vegans very happy 🙂
very cool recipe!
I love this! Even though I am not vegan, I am totally into the idea of making a veggie based sauce that reminds me of mac and cheese. Mac and cheese is kind of a weakness for me actually, it is total comfort food. Pinning!
Oh I love that this uses coconut milk! I bet my boys would love this one!
Well done Lauren! My baby sister has to be very “creative” with certain recipes due to the health and allergy issues in her family. It looks like you have created the perfect comfort food for you and family to indulge on…yum. Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and yours!
Oh, I understand the pain of living mac ‘n cheese free due to dairy issues! So sad! Good job coming up with a delicious looking alternative! I’m going to have to give it a try. 😉 Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays!