This easy vegan macaroni and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Using pureed silken tofu as a base makes it creamy and deceptively rich-tasting. Make this silken tofu mac and cheese for dinner, then reheat leftovers to pack into the next day’s container lunch.
This basic recipe uses only 5 ingredients (other than salt). This recipe simply relies on vegan cheese shreds for its cheesiness. A few brands that have great vegan cheese shreds: Daiya, Violife, and Follow Your Heart. Look for these in the supermarket and natural foods stores.
What to serve with vegan mac and cheese
These days, there are so many ways to make dairy-free mac and cheese, with some renditions even skipping the vegan cheese altogether. Instead, vegetables like potatoes and carrots are used, along with cashews other ingredients that add up to a surprisingly cheesy flavor.
Serve with a green vegetable or two. When vegetables aren’t actually part of mac and cheese, veggie companions are a must — a green vegetable (green beans, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts) and a simple salad or slaw.
Classic carrot-raisin salad is a good companion, too. It hardly warrants a formal recipe, but if you need a how-to: Combine about 8 ounces of grated carrots with 1/2 cup or so raisins. Add lemon juice and agave nectar or maple syrup to taste (start with about a tablespoon of each, and add more until the sweet-tart balance is to your liking) and a generous pinch of ground cinnamon.
Add some toppings: Following are a few suggestions for vegetable toppings for the mac and cheese that make it even more luscious. I highly recommend trying some of them!
TOPPINGS FOR VEGAN MACARONI AND CHEESE
Steamed wilted greens and dried tomatoes: Rinse a good-size bunch of chard or kale and chop finely (use stems or not, as you prefer). Or, use whole baby spinach. Simply combine in a medium skillet or saucepan and steam until bright green. Or you can do a sauté with olive oil or garlic for extra flavor. Spinach needs only a minute or two; chard and kale require 5 minutes or so. Serve over macaroni and cheese with sliced sun-dried tomatoes — preferably moist but not oil-packed.
Broccoli and red bell pepper: Broccoli is as good to for topping mac and cheese as it is served on the side. Finely chop a broccoli crown or two. Combine in a medium skillet along with a diced red bell pepper and just enough water to keep everything moist. Steam over medium heat, covered, until the veggies are tender-crisp.
Sautéed onions (with optional garlic): Chop a large onion (along with a few cloves garlic, if you’d like) and sauté in a small amount of olive oil over medium heat until golden brown. You can also add some bell pepper in addition to or instead of the garlic.
Mushroom and fresh herbs: Clean, stem and slice 8 to 12 ounces of cremini or baby bella mushrooms. Or use a combination of these brown mushrooms with a small amount of another variety like shiitake or porcini. Cook in a covered skillet with a water, over medium heat until tender. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, basil, or dill, or a combination. Drain well.
Crisp-cooked tempeh bacon is a great topping, too. Enough said!
Explore more …
- Easy tofu recipes
- Silken Tofu Recipes — Savory & Sweet
- Vegan Broccoli and Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Primavera Mac
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky; adapted from Plant Power by Nava Atlas.
Super-Easy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese
This basic vegan macaroni and cheese recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Using pureed silken tofu as a base makes it super easy, creamy, and deceptively rich-tasting.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, any short shape (like elbows, cavatappi, or rotini)
- 12.3-ounce package silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1/2 cup plain unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar-style vegan cheese shreds
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the tofu, vegan butter, plant-based milk, and vegan cheese in a blender. Process until perfectly smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce into the pot with the cooked pasta and stir together. Cook for 5 minutes or so over low heat, adding a bit more milk if the sauce needs to be loosened a bit.
- Season with salt and serve.
Notes
Variations
- See the various vegetable toppings before the recipe box.
- Add about 1/4 cup nutritional yeast to the blender to give a nourishing boost to the sauce.
- Macaroni and cheese with a hint of sweet potato or squash: Add 1/2 cup well-cooked, mashed sweet potato or butternut squash to the food processor or blender along with the silken tofu for added nutrition.
- Baked macaroni and cheese with crisp breadcrumbs: Transfer macaroni and cheese (plain or embellished as suggested above) to a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs. Bake at 400º F until the top is golden and crusty, about 20 to 25 minutes.
See lots more pasta and noodle dishes and easy ways to veganize classic recipes.
At 69 years old I have decided to eat vegan. It has not been easy. The most disappointing thing so far after 3 months is the vegan cheese has no vitamin value! None. The nutritional yeast doesn’t have any nutritional value and to be honest neither tastes good. I bought Violife, Better goods, CHAO and from Whole Foods I think it was called 740. I purchased NOOCHY LICIOUS nutritional yeast which is an oxymoron because it has no nutritional value. Am I buying the wrong brand names? I would love some guidance.
Hi Francine — I would say that Red Star and Bragg are two good reliable brands with naturally occurring protein and B12 — and good flavor! They’re available in most natural foods stores, some supermarkets, and online. But you’re right that vegan cheeses have little nutritional value — I think of them as flavorings for the more nourishing foods they’re combined with.
I commend you for going vegan at the age of 69, it’s never too late! If you want to ease into it, might I recommend my book 5-Ingredient Vegan (available in many library systems) and working your way up from there. Also my advice to anyone just starting out, make dishes you already know and like, but in vegan versions! Anything can be veganized these days. Plus plenty of vegetables and salads.