Serves 6 Total time: 30 minutes | Active time: 20 minutes


Photo by VK Rees

This easy vegan broccoli mac and cheese is a one-pot wonder that everyone needs in their lives. The sauce takes two minutes and requires zero cooking…you just blend up cashews, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a few simple spices until you’ve got this gorgeous, silky, smoky cheese sauce that you will want to drink straight from the blender. 

You chop the broccoli small and toss it right into the pasta pot in the last few minutes to cook. Every bite is creamy and dreamy and packed with my favorite vegetable. (Yes, I am that basic.)

It’s the kind of easy vegan mac and cheese that works on a workday when you’re tired, or on a Saturday night when you’re feeding people and want to look like a hero. Kids love it. Picky eaters love it. The chipotle gives it just enough smoky heat to make it interesting without scaring anyone off, but you can use smoked paprika for zero heat.

A little backstory:

This recipe is from my cookbook I Can Cook Vegan, and it’s one of those recipes that just took on a life of its own. It’s been made by everyone from college students to grandmas, to grandmas in college, and the comments are full of people saying their picky kids went back for seconds. That’s the kind of energy I love to see!

Why this vegan mac and cheese works:

A lot vegan mac and cheese recipes ask you to do a lot…make a roux, cook a sauce on the stove, dirty three pots, question every choice that led you here. But this recipe lets you be. The sauce comes together in a blender while you’re waiting for the pasta water to boil. You cook the pasta, toss in the broccoli at the end, drain, stir in the sauce, and you’re done. One pot, 30 minutes, no drama.

It’s absolutely divine on its own, but if you want to bulk it up you can’t go wrong with grilled tofu, Barbeque Tempeh or even some Tofu Buffalo Wings. And if you don’t feel like cooking up a storm, some chick’n from the grocery store never hurt anyone’s dinner.

If you’ve never made vegan mac and cheese before, start here. If you’ve made a million of them, also start here.

BROCCOLI MAC AND CHEESE FAQ

Do I need to soak the cashews? If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, nope.. just toss them in raw and blend. If you’re using a regular blender, you’ll want to soften them first. Either boil them for 15 to 20 minutes and drain, or soak them in water for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Then blend as directed. It might take up to 5 minutes to get completely smooth, but you’ll get there.

How small should I chop the broccoli? Pretty darn small! Somewhere around the size of a pea to maybe at largest the size of a raspberry. It doesn’t have to be uniform. You want the pieces small enough that they cook quickly in the pasta water and distribute evenly throughout the mac.

Can I use frozen broccoli? Yes! Just chop it up small while it’s still frozen and toss it into the pasta pot the same way you would fresh. It might add a tiny bit of extra water, but the recipe is pretty forgiving. No need to thaw it first.

I don’t like chipotle. What should I use instead? If you like smoke but not heat, try smoked paprika. If you don’t want any smokiness at all, regular sweet paprika works too. You could also try a pinch of ground mustard or a teaspoon of miso paste for a more traditional mac and cheese vibe.

Can I use something other than cashews? If you have a nut allergy or just don’t have cashews on hand, try raw sunflower seeds. Boil them for about 15 minutes first, then blend as directed. The color will be a little more golden but the texture will be creamy and delicious. You can also check out my Sundried Tomato Mac & Cheese which uses coconut milk instead of nuts. 

What pasta shape works best? Small shells, chiocciole, or classic elbow macaroni are all great. Anything with curves and crevices and holes to catch the sauce. Bigger shapes like penne or rigatoni work too!

Can I make this ahead of time? You can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat, cook your pasta and broccoli, drain, and stir in the sauce over low heat. The pasta is best made fresh, leftovers are still tasty but the sauce absorbs into the noodles as it sits, so it won’t be quite as creamy. Add some broth when reheating.

Vegan Broccoli Mac And Cheese

Broccoli Mac & Cheese

Isa Chandra
A creamy one-pot vegan mac and cheese with a smoky cashew cheese sauce and tender broccoli in every bite. Ready in 30 minutes.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb small pasta chiocolle or small shells or, ya know, macaroni
  • 6 cups broccoli finely chopped

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup whole unroasted cashews
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon chipotle power
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot.
  • While the water is coming to a boil, make the sauce. Place all sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend for about a minute or two, or until completely smooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides every 20 seconds or so. (If you don’t have a high-speed blender, see tip above)
  • Cook pasta in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped broccoli. Boil until pasta is cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Drain pasta in a large colander and add immediately back to the pot. It should still be piping hot and wet with pasta water. Do not rinse and do not wait. This part is important because you need the wet, hot pasta to get the sauce creamy and awesome and clinging to the pasta.
  • Add the sauce to the pasta pot and use the rubber spatula to mix. Turn the heat on low and stir for about 2 minutes to get everything warmed through. Taste for salt and seasoning and serve.
Keyword 30 Minute Meal, One-Pot, vegan mac and cheese
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