This classic vegan mac and cheese is ultra cheesy, saucy and creamy. Topped with breadcrumbs and baked until golden brown and crispy. Seriously satisfying.
This classic baked vegan mac and cheese is everything you want a mac and cheese to be.
It’s creamy, saucy, ultra cheesy and topped with a delicious crispy breadcrumb topping and baked to perfection.
This is really a ‘classic’ vegan mac and cheese recipe in the sense that a classic mac and cheese usually involves a bechamel sauce with heaps of cheese added to it, and then it’s placed into a dish and topped with breadcrumbs and baked.
And that’s really very close to what we did here.
We made a vegan bechamel sauce and added all sorts of cheesy flavorings to it in lieu of actual cheese so that even non-vegans will find this cheesy as all heck, and then we topped it with delicious breadcrumbs and baked it. Just like the classic version.
How To Make Vegan Mac and Cheese
This vegan mac and cheese is ultra cheesy yet we did not use one shred of actual vegan cheese in it. So if you’re living somewhere where it’s hard to find vegan cheese in the supermarket, no worries, this recipe is for you.
I did try a version with some vegan cheese added to the sauce, and quite honestly I just didn’t think it worked as well as the version without, so this is it.
I created a bechamel sauce with some vegan butter, all purpose flour, coconut milk and vegetable stock and once that was thick and creamy like a white sauce should be, I added some cheesy flavorings in the form of dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
The spices in this sauce really make it, you won’t have any doubt that this is a cheese sauce. We used our cheesy garlic vegan alfredo sauce as major inspiration for this.
Add the cooked macaroni to your big pot of sauce and toss it all together and then transfer into a 9×13 baking dish, top with breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes until beautifully golden brown on top.
Super easy and extremely satisfying.
How To Make Vegan Breadcrumbs
I made my own breadcrumbs for this which is easy and works great!
I toasted 3 thick cut slices of white bread and then broke them into pieces and put them into the blender. Blitzed them into breadcrumbs in the blender. Transferred to a bowl and added some melted vegan butter and tossed them up with it and then placed on top of the mac and cheese.
You can use brown or whole wheat bread but white bread actually works best for this recipe.
Ingredient FAQ
What can I use instead of vegan butter? You can use a dairy-free margarine which is basically the same thing. Just read the ingredients of the margarines and find one that is dairy-free. Alternatively you can make your own homemade vegan butter and use that in this recipe.
What kind of coconut milk did you use in this recipe? I used full fat coconut milk that comes in cans. That created the richest sauce for this recipe. Definitely do NOT use any kind of coconut milk that is sweetened, that would not work in this recipe. It needs to be canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk. If you’re not a coconut fan then see below!
How can I make this vegan mac and cheese without coconut milk? You can use soy milk instead of coconut milk, the end result is slightly less rich but you can definitely do it, I have tested it this way and it was great. I have not tested any other plant milks and while almond milk may work fine, my only worry is that it will create a sauce that is a little thin.
Can I leave out the nutritional yeast? The nutritional yeast really brings it with the cheesy flavor in this sauce! But yes you can leave it out without it ruining the recipe, but I do recommend you leave it in.
Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipe Q&A
Like the best comfort food ever! It’s super cheesy and so close to the ‘real thing’ you might not even know it’s vegan. Seriously!
The sauce can be made gluten-free if you use a gluten-free all purpose flour blend instead of the regular flour. And then of course you can use a gluten-free macaroni. You would also need to use gluten-free bread for the crumb topping, or alternatively you could add vegan cheese to the top instead of breadcrumbs.
Yes! If you need to make it ahead of time you can make up the sauce and macaroni up to 2 days before and mix it up and assemble in the 9×13 dish. Cover with foil and keep refrigerated. Then when you’re ready to bake it, add the breadcrumbs and bake. In this case, since it is going into the oven cold from the fridge, add an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes you can! This freezes very well.
What Goes With Vegan Mac and Cheese?
If you’re thinking of what to eat with vegan mac and cheese then there’s some great sides that go perfectly with this!
If you’re thinking in terms of comfort food then our vegan garlic bread or vegan cornbread is a perfect addition.
Some vegan coleslaw or a delicious vegan kale salad or black bean and corn salad would also go very well. If you’re looking for an appetizer then something like our vegan tomato soup or vegan tomato basil soup would fit the bill perfectly.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Our vegan butternut squash mac and cheese recipe is made with butternut squash and cashew nuts! It’s quite different to this one, and it’s not baked but it’s so good.
- Our vegan pesto pasta will not disappoint and is a wonderfully quick and easy recipe.
- Our vegan pasta bake is perfect for when you want to feed a crowd. Our vegan pasta salad is an ultra quick 15 minute recipe that you will love! And if you’ve ever been a fan of spaghetti bolognese then our vegan bolognese will be right up your street!
- And then our recipe for the easiest vegan lasagna is totally divine but we also have a recipe for the best vegan lasagna which is fancier but oh so worth it!
- Also check out our vegan mushroom stroganoff and our vegan mushroom pasta.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Classic Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
For the Cheese Sauce:
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
- 6 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 5 cups Coconut Milk 3 cans (1200ml), Unsweetened*
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock (240ml)
- 3 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes (60g)
- 3 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 3 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
For the Macaroni:
- 16 ounces Elbow Macaroni (450g)
For the Breadcrumb Topping:
- 3 Thick Slices White Bread Toasted, or 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons Vegan Butter Melted
Instructions
- Add the vegan butter to a pot and let it melt. When it’s melted add in the all purpose flour and stir it vigorously with the melted butter.
- Then pour in the cans of coconut milk and the vegetable stock. Use a hand whisk to whisk out the lumps. Keep whisking until it starts to boil and then keep whisking for a few minutes after it has boiled until it thickens. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so it doesn’t have to be all the way there when you remove it from the heat, as long as it has thickened considerably from when you started.
- Remove it from the heat and add in the dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and whisk in. Now your sauce is ready, you can prepare your macaroni.
- Cook your macaroni according to the package directions and then rinse and drain.
- Add the cooked macaroni into the pot of sauce and toss it up with the sauce.
- Then transfer the macaroni and sauce to a 9×13 baking dish and smooth down.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prepare the crumb topping by breaking up the 3 thick slices of toasted white bread and placing into the blender. Pulse blend until you have crumbs. Then transfer to a mixing bowl, and add in the melted vegan butter and toss up the crumbs with the melted butter.
- Place the breadcrumbs evenly over the top of the macaroni cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crispy.
Video
Notes
- If you want to replace the coconut milk with a different non-dairy milk such as soy milk then you definitely can. We have tested this recipe with soy milk and it works great.
- The coconut milk must be canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk. I would never use a sweetened coconut milk for any recipe and have never used it. Canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk is the way to go. There is a link to a good brand in the ingredients list. Alternatively, use soy milk (as per instructions above).
- If you have someone to help you then you can work on the sauce and they can cook the macaroni at the same time. But the sauce is very ‘hands-on’ so if you’re on your own it works best to just focus on the sauce and then do the macaroni. But if there are two of you it will save considerable time to do both at once.
- You don’t have to use macaroni, you can use a different pasta but of course it should be one that is suited to this kind of meal, like penne or shells and not something like spaghetti or linguine. If your package of macaroni comes in 18 ounce (500g) bags, then that’s great, just use it all.
- If you’re using store-bought breadcrumbs then just eyeball it for the right amount to use so that it easily covers the top of your mac and cheese. In the case of panko breadcrumbs the amount to use is 1 cup.
- Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months.
April says
This is the best V. Mac I have had, other than a vegan mom and pop restaurant in Nashville. I love making this dish, for everyone because it’s something we all can enjoy together. Please trust me on this, I have many different types of young and mature “eaters” to please from my 7 year old son who is disabled and feeding tube dependent- still learning to chew and swallow, to my step daughter who is a cows milk cheese fanatic, my 77 year old father who is a meat and potatoe guy, and finally my husband- who is pickier than all those combined…we all love this dish! Thank you for posting it- as a vegan 1 year in, I greatly appreciate the comfort foods.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome April! I’m so happy to hear this. Thanks for the wonderful review! 🙂
Christa says
I just made this recipe for a potluck dinner and it went over very very well (even with the omnivores!) I was a little worried when I made the sauce just cause it packed a big punch (that could be the smoked paprika and the amount of nutritional yeast, which I’m not super used to yet!) but once I added the pasta and the crumb topping (I also cut up some cherry tomatoes and mixed it in with the pasta before baking!) it all came together wonderfully! Will be making again!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Christa. 🙂
Rachel Marx says
Oh his recipe is top notch and hands down the best vegan Mac and cheese I have ever tried. I found this recipe a few months ago and have made for every family gathering since. This is a big hit with non-vegans as well and making a double batch is the perfect amount. Always enough to share && keep some for myself lol. I do substitute half soy or almond milk with half coconut milk (just for less calories). Also, major key – I add 3 fresh and minced jalapeños and mix them in right before I bake. Mmmmmm, I will be making some again for Christmas. Thank you for this delicious recipe, I am clearly obsessed! 🙂
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks Rachel! xo
Mike B. says
I used 5 cups of almond milk and it turned out great! I just used 2/3 cup vegan butter rather than 1/2 and boiled it slightly longer to make it creamier and thicker. Unrelated, I also sprinkled vegan cheese between the pasta and breadcrumbs to melt. Yum!
Fred says
Hi! If using soy or oat milk for this recipe, should it be regular or unsweetened? Would Edensoy Original work? That is what I usually buy. Considering making this for Christmas. Thanks!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Fred, the Edensoy should work perfectly! I usually just use a regular soy milk and don’t usually buy unsweetened, but of course it shouldn’t taste sweet, if it’s a sweet tasting one then it would impact the final result. But Edensoy should be great. 🙂
Erae says
This dish is the BEST! Thank you so much. I was a little skeptical about the coconut milk but decided to make the recipe as written with no modification the first time making it. Other than adding some more spices next time, such as freshly ground cumin or a little bit of freshly grated nutmeg, I will make no other modifications as this recipe has already been quite perfected.
Alison Andrews says
So glad you loved it! Thanks for the amazing review. 🙂
Rachel T. says
I was going to make this for a party but I got sick so I just made it for myself instead… I’m so glad I didn’t have to share because it’s the best vegan mac and cheese I’ve ever made! I used store bought bread crumbs because I already had them, but they didn’t really brown on top. I’ll have to try the homemade ones next time!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! So glad you loved it! Thanks for the wonderful review. 🙂
Chris Vincent says
I am on a new diet where I am not allowed oil or butter. I just found your recipe and I can’t wait to try it! Is there anything I can use with the flour in the beginning?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Chris, hmm, I think I would probably use a different method if I was doing it that way. I would probably bring the coconut milk and vegetable stock to a boil and then make a slurry by mixing 3 Tbsp of cornstarch with a little cold coconut milk or water and then whisk that in stirring vigorously until thickened. Then continue with the recipe as written. All the best! 🙂
Maria Shayna says
I thought this recipe was incredible! It was smoky and creamy and delicious. I think I added too much pasta to spread it out and it dried it out a little. I also added some Miyoko’s vegan mozzarella made from cashews and I enjoyed the combo. I could eat this over and over again! ????
Alison Andrews says
So glad you enjoyed it Maria! Thanks for the wonderful review. 🙂
Will says
I’ve been searching for a really good Mac and “cheese”. This is it! I left off the bread crumbs and added some vegan Gouda to the sauce. It was amazing! Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Fantastic! Thanks so much for the great review Will! 🙂
Cynthia says
We made this for Thanksgiving and followed the recipe as posted. It turned out delicious! Although we have to admit ours tasted more like a sort of creamy Alfredo pasta rather than a Mac and cheese. I’ve only been off cheese for a few months so maybe my brain remembers cheese and I was expecting too much? It was still delicious and wonderfully creamy and the breadcrumbs on the top were perfect (we did crush the toast with a roller and tear apart because we were using the blender for another recipe). We’ll definitely use this recipe next time we’re in the mood for a super creamy and delicious pasta. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Cynthia, so glad you enjoyed it even if it wasn’t quite like what you remember. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Sheryl says
This is an awesome recipe. I was shocked!! Added a little turmeric for color. Very creamy and didn’t dry out. This has been added to my pin “vegan tried it and liked”
Alison Andrews says
Glad you enjoyed it Sheryl! Thanks for posting and the great review. xo
Sal says
This was DELICIOUS! It had that creaminess of mac&cheese and a slight cheese taste! I used oat milk instead. I will be making again and again!!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks so much Sal! 🙂
Tony A says
How much bread crumbs should I use if I use packaged bread crumbs instead of bread slices?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Tony, about a cup and a half. All the best! 🙂
Karlee says
Looks delicious! I have to avoid soy, coconut, legumes (among other allergies). Can this be made using olive or avocado oil in place of the vegan butter? I am planning to use oat milk in place of the coconut/soy milk. Recipe looks delicious!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Karlee, yes definitely olive oil works great as a sub for the vegan butter. All the best! 🙂