Home » Recipes » Best Vegan White Mac and Cheese
by Rene on Apr 9, 2017 (updated Sep 14, 2021)
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Creamy and comforting – this is hands down the Best Vegan White Mac and Cheese! This only takes 20 minutes to put together and is a crowd pleaser!
Mac and cheese has been the single hardest recipe for me to recreate. I have tried tons of recipes, and there is just always something “off” about them. I don’t know about you, but the thought of making potatoes and carrots into a cheese-like substance sounds pretty far off the mark.
And that’s why when creating this recipe I went back to my roots.
When making traditional mac, you start off with a roux – butter and flour. Well, that’s simple enough. Vegans have already mastered butter.
TSV TIP: My favorite vegan butter is Earth Balance.
Next, we’ll add in some non-dairy milk (unsweetened, of course – we don’t want vanilla flavored sauce) and vegan cream cheese.
Cream cheese is another ingredient that I think vegans have mastered.
TSV TIP: My favorite vegan cream cheese brands are Trader Joe’s, GoVeggie, Tofutti and Kite Hill.
This is going to make the sauce super creamy and give it that cheesy texture.
At this point, other vegan recipes would call for a butt-load of nutritional yeast. I know I may stand alone in the vegan community when it comes to my opinion on nutritional yeast, but that stuff tastes NOTHING like cheese. I know it has nutritional value, but I can’t get past the weird flavor.
SO, to achieve that cheesy flavor, we are going to use vegan parmesan!
The final step is just to add in your spices. And this is where you will make this dish your own. Start off with my recommended measurements and then adjust to your liking.
Want more spice? Add in some red pepper flakes (I also like hot sauce). Need more acid? A little more lemon juice will do the trick.
You could also throw in some vegan chicken to make this even heartier.
Whether you add anything or keep it exactly as written, this is sure to be one of your go-to comfort meals!
Need more mac and cheese inspo? Check out my Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese with a bacon and shallot breadcrumb crust!
Creamy and comforting – this is hands down the Best Vegan White Mac and Cheese! This only takes 20 minutes to put together and is a crowd pleaser!
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain and place pot back on the stove over medium-low heat.
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Add butter to the pan. Once butter has melted, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly.
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Stir in milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Once heated through and thickened, add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Add parmesan, white pepper, ground mustard, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, pepper and tabasco. Stir to combine and taste sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed.*
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Add pasta to sauce and stir to combine.
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Serve with any of the optional toppings and enjoy!
*Need some acidity? Add in more lemon juice. Want it a little spicier? A few more hits of tabasco should do the trick.
Calories: 530kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 21g
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If you make this recipe be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and @thissavoryvegan!
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