Vegan Stovetop Mac & Cheese
There are a lot of vegan Mac & Cheese recipes out there… But here’s the thing: When we want Mac & Cheese, we want it fast. And we want it to be affordable, too. Our take on this classic comfort food is a little different than many of the (delicious) recipes we’ve seen! Using affordable pantry staples, this recipe comes together nearly as fast as boxed Mac & Cheese. It’s quick, easy, and super cheesy.
Cashews are a staple ingredient for many creamy vegan sauces. Unfortunately, they are also quite expensive and can be difficult to source ethically—mainstream cashew supply chains have high human and environmental costs. We are excited to explore and share ideas for alternatives in some of our recipes. This recipe, for instance, is nut-free! Creamy and delicious vegan sauces can be accessible, allergy-friendly, and extra compassionate.
Oats and pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) work together to create a creamy, stringy cheese sauce while garlic powder and smoked paprika create depth. Nutritional yeast, miso, onion powder, and apple cider vinegar mingle in sharp cheesy harmony. Short noodles with plenty of crags and crevices that sauce can cling to are essential! We highly recommend fusilli, penne rigate, and campanelle.
To really elevate this recipe with “What do I have in my pantry already?” energy, we’ve included instructions for making improvised breadcrumbs by mixing herbs with crushed-up pita chips. This quickly became a favorite in our house! (Hot tip: chip-crushing can be cathartic after a long day.) You could totally use some regular ol’ Italian breadcrumbs if you have those around, use crackers instead of pita chips, or add herbs on their own—thyme is our favorite herbal addition in this one.
What are you waiting for? If you start filling your pot now, you’re less than half an hour from the joy of Mac & Cheese!
Tips & Info
Miso
We use red soy miso for a sharp, round flavor. It also contributes to the cheesy color of the final sauce! If you’re using a different type that has a lighter color, you can add ⅛-¼ teaspoon of turmeric to get that creamy yellow tint to the sauce. Or just rock a beige mac. We support you.
No miso? No problem. Try using tomato paste and doubling the salt instead. (Look, we’ve even used ketchup in a pinch. Not an endorsement, but we didn’t come here to judge you.)
Add what you want to this recipe! Canned diced tomatoes, drained and sauteed a bit before the pasta & sauce go back in the pan? Frozen peas? Shelled edamame? Green onions? Whatever floats your boat. Sounds delicious. Good idea!
If you don’t have a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix), whole ingredients like grains and seeds can be more difficult to blend completely smooth. That said, we’ve gotten this sauce to a perfect consistency without flipping our Vitamix all the way to “high,” so it should work alright in most blenders. If you’re concerned about your blender’s performance, you can soak the seeds in water overnight or boiled water for 10-15 minutes before blending to pre-soften them.
Vegan Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Power Plant | David Griffin-Luna | 2.1.20
Time: 25-30 minutes | Feeds: 2-3 as a meal, 4-6 as a side
(We don’t know how hungry you are!)
Equipment:
Ingredients:
Sauce
LiquidsDry
Pasta
Pita Chip Crumbs
OR
Instructions:
Mac & Cheese
1) Fill a pasta pot with 2-3 quarts of water and place it on high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, measure the sauce ingredients into the blender—beginning with liquids. Once the water is boiling, salt well (This is your chance! Season the pasta!) and cook your pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.2) While pasta boils, blend the sauce until smooth (a few minutes). If you’re making the breadcrumbs or another topping, as described below, do that now! If not: Get distracted on Instagram, do last night’s dishes, and/or forget to text your friend back while you wait for the pasta to cook.
3) Drain pasta and return it to the pot off the heat, stir in the blended sauce, and return the pot to the stove over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a flexible spatula until desired consistency (creamy-stringy-cheesy) is just forming, between 3 and 6 minutes. Be very attentive here—You don’t want to burn the sauce to the bottom of your pot.
4) Remove from heat & serve immediately with any toppings you desire! Fresh ground black pepper strongly encouraged..
Pita Chip Crumbs
Do this part during or after the blender process while the pasta is boiling!1) Prepare a mixing bowl and the bottom of a mug or mason jar—or a food processor—or a mortar and pestle (fancy!)—for crushing the chips.
2) Combine pita chips and dry herbs in vessel of choice. Smash/crush/grind/pulse until fine… Or fine enough to pass, ‘cause you don’t have all night and you need this dang Mac & Cheese.