Recipes

Mac No Cheese

2 September 2020

Vegan mac and cheese used to be a bit of a joke — watery, flavourless, and nothing like the real thing. Not any more. This recipe uses cashews and nutritional yeast to create a sauce that is genuinely creamy, cheesy, and comforting. It takes 20 minutes and you will never miss dairy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 400g macaroni pasta (or any short pasta)
  • 150g raw cashews (soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drained)
  • 250ml unsweetened plant milk (oat or soy work best)
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. While the pasta cooks, blend the soaked cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a generous pinch of salt in a blender until completely smooth. This should take about 60 seconds on high speed.
  3. Pour the sauce into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously for 3-4 minutes until it thickens.
  4. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir until every piece is coated. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Tips and Variations

  • Make it crispy: Transfer to an oven dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil, then grill for 5 minutes until golden on top.
  • Add vegetables: Stir in steamed broccoli, roasted cherry tomatoes, or sauteed mushrooms.
  • Spice it up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce for a kick.
  • Nut-free version: Replace cashews with sunflower seeds. Soak and blend the same way.
  • Batch cook: The sauce stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of plant milk.

The secret is the nutritional yeast — it provides a naturally cheesy, umami flavour without any dairy. If you are new to nutritional yeast, it is available in most supermarkets and health food shops. Once you start using it, you will put it on everything. For more comfort food recipes, try our Mexican breakfast wraps.

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