This Cashew Mac and Cheese is perfectly creamy and velvety without any dairy! It’s incredibly indulgent while also being completely vegan, oil-free, and easily made gluten-free.
Get your belly ready to ruuumble!
Because it’s time for a MAC ATTACK! 🥊
(Insert pounding fists and cheering crowd sound byte here)
In this corner, we have the cashews…yay!
In this corner, we have the blender…wooh!
Today, they join forces to create the ultimate contender for this pasta dish…cashew cheese!
So, if you’re ready for some entertainment of the tummy kind, don’t close this window.
We’ll be right back after a word from our sponsor…nutritional yeast.
“Thanks to me and my wizardly powers, you can make non-cheesy things taste cheesy. You’re welcome.”
OK, way to be humble there nutritional yeast.
Moving on…
So, what nutritional yeast failed to mention is that it is working along with non-dairy milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, turmeric and sea salt to flavor the cashew sauce.
And now without further ado, let’s get ready to BLEND!
Tips for Success
- If you’re using a powerful blender like a Vitamix, there’s no need to soak the cashews first. If you don’t have a Vitamix or comparable blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse them before using.
- I recommend using a nonstick pot for this recipe. When I tested it with a stainless steel pot, I noticed the sauce clumped up quickly and stuck to the bottom when I returned it to the burner. Therefore, if you only have a stainless steel pot, I suggest mixing the pasta and sauce on the counter and off of the heat.
- This dish is best enjoyed right after making it, so if you know you don’t need a whole batch, feel free to cut all of the ingredients in half.
What type of pasta should I use?
I prefer elbow macaroni, but you can try another shape like shells or rotini. Feel free to use wheat-based pasta or gluten-free.
I used brown rice pasta for the photos and video.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy this cashew mac and cheese as is or garnished with black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, non-dairy parmesan, or nutritional yeast flakes.
You can also mix in some veggies to make a heartier meal. My favorites are broccoli, peas, spinach, and kale – just not all at once lol.
Or, try it with stewed tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.
This pasta dish makes a great side for your favorite everyday main course or a delicious addition to your holiday table.
Storage
This dairy-free mac and cheese is best enjoyed immediately, as the pasta will soak up the sauce during storage. However, you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you find it’s too dry, feel free to mix in a splash of non-dairy milk when reheating.
Watch: How to Make Cashew Mac and Cheese Video
Cashew Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- High-Powered Blender
- 5 or 6-Quart Nonstick Pot (see note 2)
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni , or other pasta shape (I used Jovial brown rice elbows; feel free to use traditional pasta if not avoiding gluten)
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, (see note 1)
- 1 ½ cups filtered water
- ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, (I recommend soy, almond or cashew)
- 6 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
Optional
- Veggies to mix in such as: broccoli, peas, spinach, kale
- Toppings such as: black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, herbs, hot sauce, nutritional yeast flakes, vegan Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions using a non-stick pot.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the remaining ingredients to your blender, secure the lid, and blend on high-speed until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Note that it will be very thin, but it will thicken up after being mixed with the pasta.
- When the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot. Place the pot onto the hot burner, but keep the heat turned off. Pour in the cheese sauce and stir until thickened slightly. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you are using a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, there’s no need to soak the cashews. If your blender is not powerful enough, you can pour boiling water over the cashews and soak them 10 minutes. Then, drain and rinse them under cold water before adding to the blender.
- For best results, use a nonstick pot. If you do not have a nonstick pot and are using stainless steel, do not return the pot to the burner, as it will retain too much heat and the sauce will start to clump up. Place it on a pot holder on the counter, and then add the pasta and mix in the sauce.
- This mac and cheese is best enjoyed right away, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals until warm throughout, stirring in between. The sauce won’t be as creamy because the pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits. If you’d like, you can mix in a splash of plant-based milk when reheating it. If you don’t need as many servings, you can cut the recipe in half to minimize leftovers, if desired.
Nutrition
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed.