Creamy dairy-free mac and cheese
This creamy dairy-free mac and cheese is the kind of dish that disappears from the pot fast. Elbow macaroni is coated in a silky oat milk sauce made with sautéed onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and white miso, then finished with melty vegan cheddar and mozzarella.
It’s familiar, comforting, and loved by kids and adults alike, so it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or casual get-togethers with friends. Top each bowl with vegan Parmesan and fresh basil right before serving, and don’t be surprised when everyone goes back for seconds.
Preparation Time: 40 minutesIngredients
Pasta
- 2.5 cups dry elbow macaroni
- 4 quarts (about 4 liters) water, for boiling
- 1 tablespoon salt, for the pasta water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, for tossing the cooked pasta
Cheese sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegan butter, for the vegetables
- 0.25 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 0.25 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons water, added gradually as needed
- 1.5 tablespoons vegan butter, for the roux
- 2.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups unsweetened, unflavored oat milk
- 0.25 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar
- 0.5 cup shredded vegan mozzarella
- 1 salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 reserved pasta water, as needed
To serve
- 1 3–4 tablespoons grated vegan Parmesan
- 1 fresh basil, finely chopped
Preparation
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Return it to the pot and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil to keep it from sticking while you make the sauce.
- Soften the Vegetables: Melt 2 teaspoons vegan butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook for 5–7 minutes, or until soft, adding the 3 tablespoons water gradually as needed to prevent sticking. Add the garlic and cook for 40 seconds more. Set aside.
- Make the Roux: Gently warm the oat milk in a separate pan without letting it boil. Melt 1½ tablespoons vegan butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1–2 minutes, keeping the roux pale.
- Thicken the Sauce: Briefly remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually whisk in the warm oat milk. Return to medium-low heat and cook for 3–5 minutes, whisking, until smooth and lightly thickened.
- Blend the Sauce: Let the sauce cool slightly. Carefully blend it with the sautéed vegetables, nutritional yeast, white miso, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg until silky smooth. Use a heat-safe blender and vent the steam safely.
- Melt in the Cheese: Return the sauce to the saucepan over low heat. Gradually stir in the vegan cheddar and vegan mozzarella until melted, without letting it boil. Add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until creamy, then season with salt and black pepper.
- Combine and Serve: Fold in the macaroni. Serve immediately with vegan Parmesan and freshly chopped basil.
Tips
Use unsweetened oat milk: Vanilla or sweetened versions will throw off the flavor, so double-check the carton.
Add the cheese in batches: Stir in about a quarter of the cheese at a time, and wait until it disappears before adding more.
Keep the heat low: Vegan shreds melt best slowly. If the sauce boils, it can get too thick or turn uneven.
Adjust the sauce at the end: If it looks too thick, add reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time.
Taste before you salt: Miso and vegan cheese all add salt, so taste before adding more.
Make ahead: Refrigerate the sauce in a covered container, then rewarm it gently with a splash of oat milk and fold in freshly cooked pasta.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within two hours of cooking and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm a portion over low heat with a splash of unsweetened oat milk or water, stirring and adding more liquid as needed. Add fresh basil after reheating.
All of the wording comes from the post’s ingredient notes, cheese-melting section, tips, FAQs, and storage section. The labels are new, and I trimmed sentences to keep each tip short.
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