Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese

Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese – the epitome of comfort food! Loaded with rich, cheesy and buttery goodness that'll have you coming back for seconds. It's perfect for weeknight meals or holiday entertaining.

Course Entree

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 400kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

16 ounces dried elbow macaroni , gluten-free if preferred
1 cup panko breadcrumbs , gluten-free if preferred
¼ cup vegan butter , divided
2-3 cloves garlic

Cheese Sauce

1 cup raw cashews , soaked in very hot water
2 ½ cups soy milk , unsweetened
1 ½ cups vegetable broth , low sodium
¼ cup lemon juice , fresh squeezed
3 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
¼ cup nutritional yeast
¼ cup jarred pimientos , drained
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
¾ teaspoon granulated onion
1 ½ teaspoons salt , more to taste
½ teaspoon paprika

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
To soak cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes, until softened. (*See note)
Place macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente & according to package directions (about 9-10 minutes). Drain and cool with water. Drizzle and gently toss with olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Now add the breadcrumbs and combine them together with your hands. Set aside.
Drain and rinse cashews (discard soaking water). Now place all the cheese sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until cashews have completely broken down and the sauce is smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat (I used the same pot I cooked the macaroni in). Now add minced garlic & sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
Pour in cheese sauce and cook for 4-5 minutes, until sauce thickens up. Stir often to prevent burning. Taste for seasoning, and add more if needed. Remove from heat. Pour the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and gently stir to combine.
Now evenly pour into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs and place in the oven uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until heated throughout and the breadcrumbs are golden (*Rotate casserole dish a few times for even browning). *Optional: You can broil the top for 2-3 minutes to make it super crispy, just watch very carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove from oven and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

Optional toppings: fresh-cut parsley, vegan parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, fresh-cracked pepper.

Cashews: To make things easier, you can prep ahead and pre-soften your cashews by placing them in cool water for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge Then they'll be ready to pop in the blender right away. * If you don't have a high-speed blender, the cashews might not completely break down and this could result in a gritty texture. You can try soaking the cashews longer for 12 hours or more.

Nutrition