Vegan Macaroni and Cheese (Finally!)

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

I have been working on this recipe for a long time and tweaking it every time I make it. Every time I had some vegan cheese in the fridge, I found myself giving this recipe another shot. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use it with vegan swaps or with regular dairy products and I included both in this post. My husband will eat vegan/dairy free cooking but definitely prefers the full milk options when he can get it! I have used several different types of noodles with this, and it seems to turn out well eat time. I did try adding the noodles dry to the sauce and cooking them "one-pot" style, but I was not a fan. It make work better for the dairy ingredients to try the one-pot style of making this dish, but I don't think the vegan ingredients hold up as well to a bunch of water being added in the middle of cooking.

I'm a huge fan cheesiness. Like strings of cheese dripping from your pizza slice as you pull away from the pie.

Knowing not everyone is on my level of cheese romance, I wrote the recipe a bit more mild than I make it. So if you are like me and would rather die than not have the cheesiest of mac and cheeses, add more cheese! If you like a kick of spice in you mac, add some hot sauce before the noodles, and swap the mozzarella for pepper jack cheese.

When you are adding the milk to your butter and flour mixture, go slow. I add about 1/8 to 1/4 of a cup at a time. This is a really crucial step in your cooking process and going too fast can cause your sauce to break. I also find that a miniature whisk works best to get all the flour combined, especially to get into the curves of a pot that a larger whisk might not be able to do. We use Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond Milk for this recipe.

I also think the cheese sauce could be used as a nacho cheese sauce. But I have not tried it personally yet. The vegan cheese does not stay as liquid as long when it cools as dairy cheese, so keep that in mind when trying this for nacho cheese. It would probably need to stay in a crockpot dipper pot or warming tray. Also keep this in mind if you are looking to make this meal ahead of time.

Vegan Mac and Cheese
Serves about 4
4 Tablespoons of vegan butter
3 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 cups of unsweetened unflavored almond milk
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
Salt and Black Pepper to taste (usually 1/4 teaspoon of each to start)
2 cups of shredded vegan cheddar cheese
1 cup of shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
8 oz. of cooked elbow macaroni or other small pasta noodle

1. Warm an empty sauce pan over medium heat for a few seconds. Melt all the butter in the sauce pan.
2. Add all the flour to the melted butter and whisk constantly until cooked, about 1 minute.
3. Add almond milk very slowly to butter/flour mixture, whisking constantly. The roux will become thick and bubbly, then more thin as you add more milk.
4. Add paprika, garlic powder, mustard, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine into sauce.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer for two minutes while continuing to whisk.
6. Add cheeses and stir until melted
7. Add pasta and stir till coated.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Mac and Cheese (Dairy Ingredients)
Serves about 4
4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
2 cups of milk
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
Salt and Black Pepper to taste (usually 1/4 teaspoon of each to start)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. of cooked elbow macaroni or other small pasta noodle

1. Warm an empty sauce pan over medium heat for a few seconds. Melt all the butter in the sauce pan.
2. Add all the flour to the melted butter and whisk constantly until cooked, about 1 minute.
3. Add almond milk very slowly to butter/flour mixture, whisking constantly. The roux will become thick and bubbly, then more thin as you add more milk.
4. Add paprika, garlic powder, mustard, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine into sauce.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer for two minutes while continuing to whisk.
6. Add cheeses and stir until melted
7. Add pasta and stir till coated.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

If looking to try the one pot method: start with uncooked macaroni or pasta. add 2 cups of water after step 5
6. Bring to a boil
7. Add uncooked pasta to pot and cook 2 minutes less than package recommends
8. Add cheeses and cook for 2 minutes, or until pasta is done and sauce is at the desired consistency.
Serve immediately and enjoy!