Hey loves!

Like so many people I know, mac ‘n’ cheese was the first thing I ever learned to cook. I know I’m not the only one that was obsessed with those boxed mac ‘n’ cheese meals. They hold a special place in my heart.

However, I went from vegetarian to vegan a couple of months ago and didn’t even think about eating mac ‘n’ cheese until today. I just looked in my pantry and was like “hmm… I could really go for some mac ‘n’ cheese right now”. So, I veganized it of course!

This recipe is nut-free, tofu-free, potato-free and carrot-free. If you’re like me and have tried any of these methods of making a cheese sauce and didn’t care for the flavour, this recipe is for you! The flavour mimics regular cheese scarily and it has a slight stretch as well! It almost tastes like it’s not vegan, but trust me – it is! 😉

The good thing, too, is that if you’re vegan, you likely have the required ingredients already.

Sounds too good to be true? Read on!

INGREDIENTS

250g Pre-Cooked Pasta
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Almond Milk
1/2 cup Pasta Water
1/2 Onion, Diced
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp Italian Herbs
1 tbsp Tumeric
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast

That’s all the ingredients you need! The combination of spices is completely customizable, but the tumeric gives the mac ‘n’ cheese its traditional colour, so I’d say to keep that in unless you don’t mind white mac ‘n’ cheese.

Now, let’s get into how to prepare this dish.

METHOD

1. Start by adding your vegetable oil to a heated pot.
2. Combine with all-purpose flour and whisk together to form a roux. Don’t worry if it isn’t smooth. The milk will aid with that.
3. Add in your milk and pasta water and whisk away any lumps.
4. Let simmer for about a minute before adding your spices to the sauce.
5. After everything is thoroughly combined, add in your nutritional yeast flakes, give one last stir, and add your cooked pasta to the sauce, stirring to ensure that everything is coated.

I personally love to eat this alongside my infamous vegetable stirfry (recipe coming soon) for a filling and delicious meal that anyone can make! This is also an amazing meal-prep-friendly recipe and reheats well.

… and that is it for my first recipe on this blog! If you’d like to see me veganize another traditional dish, be sure to let me know, and that could be my next recipe! ; )

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xo, Courtney