If there’s one thing I’m going to do, it’s keep making new vegan macaroni and cheese recipes. It’s the first thing I think when I look at any ingredient: will that mac and cheese nicely?
There’s no mystery why; vegan mac and cheese is a bowlful of bliss. Every creamy bite tastes as yummy as the last one, and for a while the world is calm and you are filled with cheese. I even have a special mac and cheese spoon: a tablespoon with a big orange handle. A therapist would probably call it self-soothing, I just call it dinner.
But beyond the emotional support spoon, vegan mac and cheese is endlessly adaptable. Want a one-pot vegan mac and cheese loaded with broccoli? Done. Need a nut-free version? Easy. Looking for something baked and cozy for Sunday night? I’ve got you. It’s one of the most flexible comfort foods out there, easy to bulk up with veggies, protein, or whatever you need that day.
On a practical level, vegan mac and cheese can also be a true one-pot meal, which might be everyone’s favorite two words in cooking. Blend the sauce, drain the noodles, mix it all together. I don’t even use a colander. I would rather risk third-degree burns than wash another dish.
But it’s not just me and my orange spoon. According to a national survey, 54% of Americans report eating macaroni and cheese weekly. This is my not shocked face. So if you, too, are standing over the stove thinking about your next bowl, know that we are all in this together.
Which brings us to this round-up of the best vegan mac and cheese recipes on my site. From classic cashew-based to nut-free sunflower, smoky chipotle, baked, allergy-friendly, and everything in between. There’s something here for everyone. And yes, they all contain a little nutritional yeast, because of course vegans are gonna nooch.
Broccoli Vegan Mac and Cheese (One-Pot, Cashew-Based)
This is the most popular vegan mac and cheese recipe on my site! An easy one-pot broccoli mac and cheese with a creamy cashew-based sauce and a blissfully short ingredient list. My readers clearly love a veggie-packed comfort meal as much as I do.
Sun-Dried Tomato Vegan Mac and Cheese (Dairy-Free, Coconut Milk Based)
What can’t a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in oil do? This creamy vegan mac and cheese gets its richness from coconut milk, making it allergy-friendly and totally dairy-free. It’s the most umami of the bunch, thanks to concentrated tomato flavor and a little miso.
Nut-Free Sunflower Vegan Mac and Cheese
A completely nut-free vegan mac and cheese made with sunflower seeds instead of cashews. I created this over a decade ago for one of my favorite recipe testers, and it’s still going strong. It’s a slightly more wholesome take, with carrots blended right into the sauce for natural color and thickness. And yes, if you want to swap sunflower seeds into other cashew-based recipes, you absolutely can by using the method in this recipe.
Baked Cashew Vegan Mac and Cheese (Mac & Shews)
The secret is sauerkraut. This baked vegan mac and cheese has a deeper, more complex flavor thanks to that tangy backdrop. It’s a little more labor-intensive, but if you want a cozy Sunday-night casserole situation, this is your girl.
Smoky Chipotle Vegan Mac and Cheese with Roasted Brussels Sprouts
If you’re craving a hot, smoky bite, this chipotle vegan mac and cheese delivers. The creamy cashew sauce gets a kick from chipotle, and roasted Brussels sprouts add toasty texture and depth. Roast them while the pasta cooks, you’ve got nothing else to do.
There are a few more on here as well, plus a brand new one coming up in my new cookbook. Which have you tried?
HAPPY MACKING, EVERYONE!
