Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

GFGluten Free

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This Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is so simple that you’ll want to make it all the time, and so delicious that you’ll have to! Gluten Free, Nut Free, and made with only 8 Ingredients.

If you were a child of the 90s, Mac and Cheese was probably a staple in your diet. I vividly remember mixing that neon orange powder into my fun-shaped noodles, trying to stir in every last bit (because a mouthful of that was absolutely the worst). Nowadays, I try to avoid boxed processed foods, and I definitely avoid dairy.

No one said anything about avoiding Mac and Cheese, though.

baked vegan mac and cheese in small white bowl

Here’s the hard part where I now have to convince you that this Vegan Mac and Cheese is the best. You see, there are about a million and two cheezy pasta recipes out there on the internet, each touting the same thing. There’s the cashew mac, the potato mac, the fat-free mac, the junk food mac…. You name it, it’s probably floating out there somewhere in cyberspace.

I’m actually a very humble person, but let me say this: I’m pretty sure I hit the nail on the freakin’ head with this one. Forget best of both worlds, this Mac is the best of all worlds. It’s thick, luscious, creamy, and nut free! So you don’t have to waste all your money on cashews and can share it with your friends with allergies. Oh, and I think it tastes pretty darn cheesy, too.

baked vegan mac and cheese in large dish

Not only is this Mac and Cheese AMAZING, but it’s affordable too! I actually posted a variation of this recipe in one of my budget-friendly Youtube recipe videos. However, this time it has an upgrade…because now it’s (1) baked, and (2) has a delicious and Gluten-Free Crumb Topping.

Let’s talk about that for a second, shall we?

baked vegan mac and cheese in small dish

Who knew that blending up sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt would create such a magical taste, man. So. Gooooood. If you follow the recipe, you’ll have some leftover crumble – but this is a good thing, in my opinion. Either sprinkle some extra on your pasta dish after you serve it, or save it for a later use! I think it would also be great as a vegan parmesan.

A Few Final Thoughts:

  • This recipe is easily made gluten free by using GF pasta, but if you can tolerate gluten, feel free to use any pasta that you desire. I usually use this chickpea pasta and love it.
  • If you are feeling lazy, you don’t have to bake this recipe. Simply make the cheese sauce, pour it over your cooked pasta, ét voilá! However, you are really missing out if you don’t make the crumb topping…just sayin’
  • I would really recommend sticking with Tahini for this recipe. You can use with another neutral “butter” like cashew or sunflower seed, but the Tahini really contributes to the “cheddary” flavor.
  • This recipe is best eaten fresh right out of the oven and will dry out with time. You could make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to one week, but I wouldn’t bake the pasta in advance.

baked vegan mac and cheese in white dish

If you’re looking for more comforting Vegan recipes, you’ll also love this One Pot Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff and this Loaded Vegan “Chicken” Noodle Soup! 

Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂

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Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese (Gluten Free, Nut Free)

This Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is so simple that you’ll want to make it all the time, and so delicious that you’ll have to! Gluten Free, Nut Free, and made with only 8 Ingredients.

  • Author: Caitlin Shoemaker
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cheese Sauce:

  • 1 cup Russet Potato, peeled and diced into 1″ cubes (about 1 medium)
  • 1/2 cup Carrots, chopped into 1/2″ pieces (about 1 medium)
  • 3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk (Almond, Cashew, or Hemp recommended)
  • 2 tbsp Tahini
  • 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 3/4 tsp Salt, plus more to taste

For the Crumb Topping:

  • 1/3 cup Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil while you peel and chop your Potatoes and Carrots. Place the chopped veggies into the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the Carrots are easily pierced with a fork.
  2. In the meantime, prepare the crumb topping. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well-combined, then set aside in a small bowl.
  3. Drain the Potatoes and Carrots, then set aside. Briefly rinse out the pot, then re-fill with water and bring to a boil again.
  4. Once boiling, add the Pasta and cook according to package instructions. As you will be cooking the Pasta again in the oven, I would recommend cooking it for the minimum amount of time, so it is al dente.
  5. Preheat your oven to 375F, then prepare the Sauce. Combine the Potatoes and Carrots with the rest of the remaining ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and velvety. Add extra Salt to taste, if desired.
  6. Drain your Pasta, but do not rinse it. Return it to the pot and pour the Cheese Sauce over it, stirring until well-combined.
  7. Spread the Pasta mixture evenly into an oven-safe 8″x8″ pan, then cover with a generous sprinkle of the Crumb mixture.
  8. Bake at for 8-10 minutes, then broil on HI for 2-5 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy. Be sure to watch carefully so it doesn’t burn!
  9. Carefully remove from the oven and serve immediately, topping with more Crumb Topping as desired.

Notes

  • If you are gluten-free, be sure to use certified GF pasta. I use Banza and would highly recommend it!

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This Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese is so simple that you'll want to make it all the time, and so delicious that you'll have to! Gluten Free, Nut Free, and made with only 8 Ingredients. #vegan #plantbased #glutenfree #nutfree #dairyfree #macandcheese #comfortfood #healthyrecipes #easydinner via frommybowl.com

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. Im not vegan but am lactose intolerant so i love this recipe! I make it at least once a week i LOVE it❤️ also I’ve tried it without tahini and it’s honestly just as good 👍

  2. this was soooo good! one of the top vegan mac recipes i’ve made 🙂 the tahini made it sooo creamy

    1. Yes, they freeze well and will keep in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months stored in multi-use freezer-safe containers or freezer-friendly baggies.

  3. Never ready review recipes but this one is delicious, comforting and so easy to make – it’s fantastic!

  4. I’ve been making this Mac and Cheese since it was released. I’ve tried many other recipes but non compare to this one! Highly highly recommend!