Ingredients
- 8 ounces Shell Pasta
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 0.25 cup, chopped Onion
- 0.5 cup, peeled and chopped Carrots
- 1 cup, peeled and chopped Potatoes
- 2 cups Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
- 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Tapioca Flour (Starch)
Panko Topping
- 0.5 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
- 0.5 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves
Directions
Creamy, dreamy vegan mac and cheese with a crunchy panko topping!
A classic recipe turned vegan.
You won’t find any real cheese in this mac and cheese but it’s still has that creamy and thick sauce and a hint of cheese flavor.
Curl up and get cozy with a bowl of this comfort food!
This mac and cheese recipe is very easy to make and sneaks in a couple of vegetables.
After cooking the veggies it’s all blended together with the rest of the ingredients to make a smooth and silky “cheese” sauce!
The addition of potato adds a body to the sauce while the carrot adds flavor and color!
Nutritional yeast not only adds seasoning but also a hint of cheese flavor.
It is highly nutritious vegan food product with various potential health benefits. It can be used to add extra protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to meals. Studies even suggest that nutritional yeast may help protect against oxidative damage, lower cholesterol and boost immunity!
Any shape of short pasta will work great in this recipe.
I prefer a shell that will hold that creamy sauce!
Elbow macaroni is the most traditional. Other shapes I like are pipe rigate, cellentani, fusili and rigatoni.
To combine the best of both worlds, the creamy pasta gets sprinkled with a crunchy panko topping.
The panko breadcrumb topping is made in the skillet which avoids the additional oven baking time.
The added step of baking can also dry out the pasta, which is why I prefer to avoid the oven for this recipe.
Whether you are plant-based, dairy-free or just love a bowl of creamy noodles, this recipe is for you.
Serve it to a cheese lover, don’t tell them it’s cheese free and they will most likely never know!
Snap a picture of your creamy vegan mac and cheese before you eat it and share it with me on social media!
Steps
1 Done | Cook The VegetablesHeat a sauce pot over medium-high heat then add the olive oil. Next, add the peeled and chopped shallot, carrots, and potatoes. Stir and sauté for 3-4 minutes then add ½ cup of water, cover the pot and simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fully cooked, about 5-8 minutes. |
2 Done | Make The Sauce & Cooke The PastaAdd the cooked vegetables and any remaining water to a high-speed blender along with the unsweetened non-dairy milk, sea salt, black pepper, mustard, nutritional yeast, corn starch, and tapioca starch. Blend until smooth then return to the sauce pot and set aside. Bring a big pot of water to a boil then season with 1 Tablespoon of salt. Add the shell pasta and cook until al-dente. Heat the sauce in the sauce pot over medium heat and stir frequently while the sauce heats up and thickens. Drain the cooked shell pasta then pour over the cheese sauce, stir to combine. |
3 Done | Make Panko ToppingFor the crunchy panko topping, add the ingredients to a small skillet and toast on medium heat until the butter has fully melted and the panko breadcrumbs are lightly golden. |
4 Done | ServeAdd some of the creamy mac and cheese to bowls then sprinkle with some of the panko topping. |
