– This is the best vegan macaroni and cheese recipe EVER!! –
I’ve been eating a lot of macaroni and cheese lately. Between huge, heaping spoonfuls of real cheese, I’ve been pining for a less milk-heavy version that would appeal to my vegan friends. (and my former vegan self – yes, I was vegan many years ago!) But, vegan cheese leaves a lot to be desired. Career vegans, I know a lot of you are with me on that.
There are a few reasons I’m not a fan of vegan cheese. First, it’s highly processed. Second, it’s really expensive and doesn’t really bode well for someone trying to eat healthy on a budget. And third, it’s f***ing gross. Just like anything else in my kitchen I’m not happy with, I try to make it better. Vegan mac and cheese has already been perfected for the most part, so I was left to build upon an established recipe that I really enjoy.
Now, I have to give credit where it’s due: this dish was adapted by what is arguable one of the best vegan macaroni recipes out there, by the New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook. Published many decades ago, New Farm’s recipe has been bent and stretched countless times. And I’m doing it again.
The original recipe had a lot of oil, and I wanted to make it lighter. I also found it a little blander than I’d like, so I added some spices and used a few new liquids instead of plain water. The original recipe had a lovely texture, so I’ve left that just the way the authors intended.
I think you’ll like it, vegan sensibilities or otherwise.
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 660
- Fat: 53g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Unsaturated fat: 40g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Sodium: 1438mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 39g
- Cholesterol: 1mg
- 3 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup margarine (make sure you’re using a vegan variety!)
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon Bragg’s Amino Acids
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or more for thinning)
- 1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Sriracha sauce to season
- Preheat broiler. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta through a colander and set aside.
- Place the margarine in a medium saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, or just until the roux begins to take a beige color. Stir in soy milk and broth, beating well to dissolve the roux. Add salt, Bragg’s, soy sauce, garlic, turmeric, and smoked paprika, then increase the heat to medium, and stir until the sauce thickens. Stir in oil and nutritional yeast, cooking for another 2 minutes. If you’d like to thin out the sauce, add another tablespoon or two of broth.
- Spoon macaroni into 4 heat-proof ceramic bowls and top with a thick layer of breadcrumbs. Slide under the broiler for 3 or 4 minutes to crisp. Do not over bake, or the macaroni sauce will separate.
Cooking Resources:
If you like this recipe, you might be interested in the following resources:
- Lovely tofu ricotta you can make at home.
- Learn how to make almond cheese. (yes, for real!)
- Musings on the definition of comfort food.
This actually doesn’t sound too bad. I’m with you on the vegan cheese thing, so I’m happy to see it’s nowhere near the ingredient list!
Cool recipe, I’m going to try it. I’ve been interested in making it from scratch since I had it at The Veggie Grill. I’m also interested in cooking with nutritional yeast, which I’ve also never done. This should be fun!
Recipe sounds great! 1 comment though; you call for margarine, but most margarine is not vegan..
I can’t hold everyone’s hand, Devin. ;) My margarine is vegan, and I’m hoping that the vegans of the world are savvy enough to find out if their margarine contains any animals products.
For sure. Just an idea. I know I (ignorantly) thought margarine was all plant based when I went vegan :-/. Now I know though. Earth balance all the way!
That’s what I use! And I’ll put a note in the recipe to make sure the margarine is vegan.
Awesome thanks! Made the recipe tonight and it was splendid! By far the best Vegan Mac and cheese I’ve made yet. Tasted very similar to the delicious Homegrown Smoker food cart here in Portland!
Excellent! And the next time I’m in Portland I will have to find that cart.
Are the breadcrumbs needed or can it be left out?
The breadcrumbs can totally be left out. :)
Smart Balance makes a wonderful vegan margarine if anyone is interested. They put all of their information on the bottom of the containers, so be sure to turn them over to see which ones are vegan. Or, you can go to their website- SmartBalance.com.
A great vegan margarine is Smart Balance. They make several types of spreads, so be sure to turn the container over, and read the bottom to make sure you’re getting the right one.
I will have to check that out.
This is by far the best vegan mac and cheese I’ve made. SO FREAKING CREAMY. My husband and I had ours with cut up hot dogs in it, because we are adults. We both enjoyed how vibrantly radioactive the color was. Nice job!
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it. :) That radioactive duck orange is pretty close to that stuff from the box, isn’t it?
Could you use almond milk instead of soy? And I am nursing so does garlic make a huge taste diff?
Hi Lacey, I’ve never tried it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let me know how it goes!
Can anything be substituted for the margarine? I can’t have butter,including vegan :(
Hey there :) You could try using all oil – vegetable or olive oil – or perhaps some combination of vegetable oil and coconut butter. Coconut butter will change the flavor, but it might be good? I’m not sure. There’s only one way to find out. I suppose you could always use shortening as well, though the health-conscious person inside of my screams “no!!” ;)
Can the soy milk be substituted with rice milk?
I don’t see why not. Give it a try and let me know how it goes?