27 Must-Try Vegan Mac and Cheese Recipes (2024)

Here's what you can expect from each category:

1. Classic Vegan Mac and Cheese (5 recipes) -
   All-around amazing, cheesy, vegan comfort food is the name of the game with these 5 recipes. Whether stovetop or baked, most of these recipes incorporate vegan butter and/or store-bought cheeses.
2. Creative Flavors (9) -
   Similar to the recipes in the above category, most of these could be considered decadent but with a creative spin on the flavors and methods.
3. Whole-Food Plant-Based (9) -
   This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you avoid store-bought vegan cheeses and prefer cheese sauces made from whole foods, use the Table of Contents links above or below to jump straight to this category! All of these recipes are oil-free and most of them incorporate veggies for added nutrition.
4. Quick and Easy Vegan Macaroni & Cheese (4) -
   Looking for a quick weeknight vegan mac and cheese to please hungry kiddos (or yourself)? You'll LOVE these super simple recipes.

Ingredient Notes

There are a handful of ingredients that are really helpful to always have on hand so you're ready anytime the mood for vegan mac and cheese strikes!

In case some of these ingredients are new to you, this will hopefully give you some insight into why these ingredients are so commonly used when making vegan mac and cheese and how you can make substitutions, if needed.

Raw Cashews

Did you know cashews contain more starch than most nuts and seeds? So in addition to their neutral, buttery flavor and high fat content, it's the starch that makes cashews so great for creating creamy sauces. You'll really notice the thickening once the cheese sauce is heated.

But if you avoid cashews, there are plenty of other ways to make amazing vegan cheese sauce. For example, this Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese uses raw sunflower seeds instead of cashews and is still impossibly creamy!

And in the WFPB category below you'll find recipes that use chickpeas and/or vegetables for added creaminess.

Nutritional Yeast

This inactive yeast is often included in vegan cheese recipes because of its umami-rich, cheesy quality. Some people think they don't like nutritional yeast, and if that's you, I have just one question....

Have you tried the non-fortified nutritional yeast by Sari Foods? It isn't fortified with B12 or folate like most other brands of nutritional yeast, and they flavor is so much better.

Sari is the only nutritional yeast (aka nooch) I buy now. It is a little more expensive, but it's totally worth it. Also, be sure to try it in this DIY Chicken Broth and Bouillon Powder.

Miso

Miso is traditionally made from fermented soybeans but soy-free options can also be found. We're HUGE fans of including miso in our vegan mac and cheese because it adds another interesting level of saltiness and umami.

For vegan mac and cheese avoid the darker, more boldly flavored red miso and choose mellow white. Or if you can find chickpea miso, that one is especially great for cheeses.

Vinegars and Lemon Juice

Since cheese is fermented and has a naturally tangy quality, a variety of different acids can be used to give dairy-free cheeses and sauces a more authentic, cheesy flavor. Typically these will be pale-colored vinegars like champagne, apple cider, white distilled, or rice vinegar.

It's always a good idea to try a recipe as written before you start experimenting, but if you need to swap out one vinegar for another, in my experience it probably won't make or break the recipe. Just be sure to measure carefully and don't overdo it.

Lemon juice adds a lovely and appealing cheesy quality all its own. So if you come across a recipe that calls for lemon juice, go ahead and pick up a fresh lemon at the store if needed. It's worth it.

1. Award-Winning Vegan Mac and Cheese

This is our go-to mac and cheese recipe. It's ultra creamy, garlicky, 100% savory, and sort of like a grown up version of your childhood favorite! I like to add sautéed kale or broccoli for a bit of color and added nutrition. Make it gluten-free with your choice of pasta. Includes a nut-free option, too!

2. Vegan Mac and Cheese (Baked and Stovetop)

This one by Larisha and Andrew of Make It Dairy Free is everything you want in a decadent vegan mac and cheese. Bonus: it also includes beans and is allergy-friendly!

3. Baked Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

This ultimate, comforting mac and cheese by Becky of Glue and Glitter features a classic vegan béchamel sauce plus store-bought cheese. I love that you only need 8 simple ingredients to whip this one up.

4. Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese

Calling all garlic lovers! This super creamy stovetop vegan mac from Eat With Clarity features homemade vegan cashew parm and two heads of roasted garlic.

5. Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese With Cracker Topping

With this one, Kristina of Spabettie was going for a comfort food recipe just like mom used to make.... and I'd say she nailed it! This is a classic vegan baked mac and cheese recipe with a buttery Ritz-style cracker topping that also happens to be gluten-free.

1. White Truffle Mac and Cheese

If you're not sure how to select a good quality white truffle oil, or even where to find one, not to worry. Timothy will point you in the right direction. Mississippi Vegan's White Truffle Macaroni and Cheese is the stuff of dreams, with roasted garlic and three types of vegan cheese.

2. Ultimate Mushroom Mac and Cheese

For true mushroom lovers, this recipe is a marriage between my stovetop mac and cheese (in the Classic category) and this Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup. It calls for both dried and fresh mushrooms, plenty of garlic, and a bit of rosemary for an umami-rich vegan mushroom mac and cheese worth savoring.

3. Cheesy Udon Noodle Bowl With Brussels Sprouts

Talk about creative! How about a little Asian flair with your cheesy noodles? This recipe from Cadry's Kitchen is a big bowl of comforting goodness, with udon noodles, sriracha, tamari, and miso. Ready in 25 minutes!

4. Green Chile Mac 'n Cheese

With roasted poblanos and a very pantry-friendly sauce, this green chile mac from Thyme & Love is a slam dunk! Gluten-free, too.

5. Smoky Mac-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Smoky plus sweet is always a winner, but smoky, sweet, AND cheesy? Even better! This smoky mac from Jackie of Vegan Yack Attack is a party in your mouth and can be on the dinner table in about an hour. Bonus: the sauce includes a hidden veggie.

6. Jalapeno Cheddar Mac and Cheese

This recipe from The Cheeky Chickpea is like queso meets mac and cheese and needs to be in your bowl ASAP. It's made with pickled jalapeños, green chilies, and Rotel. Come to Mama.

7. Squash Mac and Cheese With Curried Okra

Growing up in the South, I've always thought of okra as comfort food, so I think this pairing is genius! Very Vegan Val's recipe includes pan-seared okra seasoned with curry powder plus a squash-cashew sauce.

8. Lemon Poblano Mac and Cheese

A quick stovetop mac gets a burst of flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice. Spabettie's recipe then takes it to the next level with roasted poblano peppers. Ready in 25 minutes!

9. Fried Vegan Mac and Cheese Hearts

What do you do with leftover mac and cheese? Well, obviously you form it into hearts, give it a crispy coating, and turn it into the cutest fried food ever. Click below to get the recipe from Vegan Dollhouse.

1. Plant-Based Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

This creamy plant-based mac and cheese from Nutriciously features a homemade cashew sauce and crunchy broccoli florets. Using simple ingredients like potatoes, carrots and nutritional yeast, it’s low in fat, healthy, and really approachable.

2. Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese

This allergy-friendly macaroni and cheese by me, My Quiet Kitchen, takes just 25 minutes to prepare and is made with affordable, pantry-friendly ingredients. It's low in fat, creamy, and 100% savory, and there are no veggies to cook in advance. Sometimes we like to add garlicky, sautéed kale to this one.

3. Easy Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Rosa of This Healthy Kitchen found a great way to sneak extra veggies into her kiddos' mac and cheese. This sauce is loaded with butternut squash, making it super nutritious and flavorful. The color blends perfectly, so there's no reason for picky eaters to question a thing! You'll love the simplicity of this recipe.

4. Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

This nutritious mac from Jenn of the blog Veggie Inspired is soy- and gluten-free, luxuriously creamy, and kid-approved! Lemon juice, dijon, and a hint of smoked paprika perfectly balance out the natural sweetness of the squash.

6. Oil-Free Baked Mac & Cheese

This classic plant-based mac and cheese from Teresa of A Plantiful Path is made with easy ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen. It gets its color from a bit of carrot, paprika, and turmeric, and is baked to cheesy perfection!