This Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese Powder is perfect to whip up mac and cheese within minutes when needed. It also makes a great gift! Add flavors and herbs for variations. Soyfree Vegan Mac and Cheese Mix Recipe. Glutenfree Nutfree Option. Jump to Recipe
You know when you need some mac and cheese fix super quickly and without having to think much about what to add when and how much! Or a Creamy Cheese Sauce to dip some veggies, This mix comes in handy!
Just mix or blend with non dairy milk, simmer and done. Add cooked pasta, sauteed veggies or salsa for a dip!
Saute some onion, garlic and veggies such as mushrooms to the cheese sauce for variation. Add some flavors such as chipotle pepper or cajun or garam masala. Play away!
You can use the mix to make a fabulous cheese sauce to dress roasted veggies or bowls or use as a dip! You can also make a casserole with it. Add more herbs of choice. Lots of options!
When the sauce is simmering, you can add additional flavors like some miso, lemon and/or soy sauce. Add some sriracha or chili garlic sauce or Gochujang for variation. Fold in some salsa and taco spice for a fajita style cheese sauce. Perfect to have around while travelling/camping!
If you want to use nuts other than cashews, such as almond, use a 1/3 cup nuts and add 2 tbsp more flour as most other nuts are not as creamy.
Tips to make a smooth cheese sauce
- You want to process or blend the mixture a few times with scraping and mixing in between. Check in between to feel the mixture if it is too gritty with pieces of nuts. Process more until themixture becomes more powdery with just a slight grittyness.
- Blend the mixture with the non dairy milk in a blender so the nuts blend in even more, before adding to the saucepan.
More gifts for the Holidays
- Cowboy Cookies in a Jar.
- Kitchari Mix in a Jar – Put in instant pot or saucepan and done.
Lets make this easy mac mix and gift it out to everyone who loves a good cheese sauce! This recipe is adapted from Miyoko’s Cheese Mix.
Above is scant 1/2 cup chipotle mac mix with non dairy milk. Below is 1/3 cup mac mix with water.
Vegan Mac and Cheese Powder
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (64.5 g) cashews raw, (see notes for nutfree)
- 1/2 cup (22 g) nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp flour ( all purpose or use oat flour for glutenfree. rice flour will work too, but it adds a slight grittyness)
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch or other starch
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1.5 tsp (2 tsp) salt (2 tsp for saltier or adjust later when you make the sauce)
- 2 to 3 tsp paprika , a mix of smoked and regular or all smoked
- 1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper
To make Mac & Cheese:
- 1 cup (4 oz) mac or other small pasta
- 1 cup (240 ml) non dairy milk or water
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup (6 to 8 tbsp) of mac and cheese powder from above
Instructions
To make the Powder Mix:
- Process everything in a food processor or blender until powdered. It takes 2-3 mins. Blend/process or a minute, scrape sides and blend again. (Check in between to feel the mixture if it is too gritty with pieces of nuts. Process more until the mixture becomes more powdery with just a slight grittyness.)
- Add other flavor profiles such as chipotle, cajun, garam masala and mix in (optional). See notes for options.
To make mac:
- Cook 1 cup of dry pasta according to instructions on the package in salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Combine 1/3 to 1/2 cup of mix with 1 cup of water or non dairy milk and 2-3 tsp olive oil or vegan butter (optional) in a saucepan or blend and add to saucepan for creamier, and bring to a boil. Add cooked pasta (and optionally sauteed veggies such as mushrooms, broccoli etc) and cook for a min, taste and adjust salt and flavor. (You can add 1 tsp miso or soy sauce and/or lemon juice for additional flavor. Garnish with oregano, pepper flakes if needed.) Cover and let sit for another 2 mins. (For saucier, use 1/2 cup mix. You can add a tbsp more of the powder to the simmering sauce, if it isnt as thick as you like).
- To make cheese sauce to drizzle over roasted veggies or salad or baked potato, blend 1/2 cup mix with 1 cup non dairy milk.Add to a pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few mins to thicken.
- To Store: Store in a glass jar or ceramic airtight container. On the counter away from heat for upto a month. Refrigerate for freshness and longer life.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Mary
My husband and I think this recipe is brilliant! As is your vegan parm. And several others….! Last night we needed a quick bite, so I made rice pasta shells and a very scant 1/2 cup of this (sans smoked paprika), with unsweetened soy milk and a handful of frozen mixed veggies. PERFECT. Very midwestern in low-spice mode.
Thank you so very much for your recipes, from two long time vegetarians. ❤️
Vegan Richa Support
thank you! midwestern mode – hilarious!
Anna
Definitely my new favorite Mac n cheese recipe. It was perfect. I added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to add a sparkle of flavor.
Gina
So pumped with how this turned out!! Thanks for the recipe!
Amy W
This is a game-changer! Such a great idea, I love that this gives me Kraft flashbacks.
Susan Parran
I’m looking for low-fat versions for mac & cheese, so since the cashews have lots of fat I couldn’t use them. I dehydrated some butternut squash and cauliflower and added that instead, as well as a pinch of xantham gum. It made more than I thought it would and I had to adjust the other ingredients a little at a time until it looked right, but it came out really yummy. I like mine to look day-glow orange like Kraft dinner, so I added a little tumeric.
Emily
OMG! This mix was soo good!I added the miso that elevated the flavor amazingly. Kids licked off their plates!
I am gifting it to so many people!
Richa
Thanks!!
Leah
I made this recipe exactly as instructed but it does not taste at all like mac n cheese. What I did like was that the spice mix makes more than 1 serving to store for later. Unfortunate though, I wont be using it again. It tasted more like garlic noodles more than anything. I’m sad because I really wanted this to work.
Richa
I dont know why it would taste that way. Theres so much flavor from the herbs, spices and nutritional yeast. Did you change anything?
Eck
Can I use corn starch instead of tapioca starch?
Richa
yes, it wont be as stringy as tapioca makes it stringy, but shouldbe fine
janice e keck
Just thinking the day after my 1st excursion into vegan cheese with this recipe.. what if?? If added this – a TBSP or so into my veggie burger mix??? What do ya think??
Richa
should work just fine
janice e keck
SO.. we are “veginers”.. (LOL I thought this was cute for us folks getting into the lifestyle) this is a very interesting sauce base.. made as posted but ! as we are working to restock our pantry needed to make a few changes.. used cornstarch.. and as a creative cook,, thinking.. a dash of turmeric would add color.. and white pepper would give “ooomph” without the speckles.. Added fresh ground at the end.. Also the sugar seemed off putting.. i counteracted this with a splash of apple cider vinegar a few healthy dashes of Trappeys hot sauce.. very chili con queso!
Ruth spivak
Thanks. I just made this and it was a hit with the family. Delicious and easy.
Richa
awesome!
Ruth Spivak
Do I have to soak the cashews?
Richa
no this is a dry mix with dry raw cashews, which get blended to make a powder
Nina
Great recipe… Which non dairy milk do you use in your recipes? I’ve tried unsweetened almond in several recipes, but it taste sweet to me. Also, is the mustard powder like Colman’s Hot Powder (UK) ? Thanks
Richa
just use water and higher amount of the mix.The cashews in the mix make it creamy enough. you can add moreof the mix if you feel it isnt thickening enough.
Kim
Love this! We made an instapot broccoli mac and cheeze with this:
Serves 6-8
3.5 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup this cheese mix
1 head of broccoli chopped into 1inch pieces
1 box of penne (we used lentil)
2 tablespoon vegan ‘butter’
2.5 cup water
Whisk milk and cheeze powder. Build in instapot: broccoli, butter, water, cheese & milk. Stir together. Poor dry pasta ontop. Do not stir in pasta, but pasta should be wet. Cook for 10min. Release pressure and enjoy!
Richa
awesome! i would thinkk 10 mins is a bit long for pasta. What kind of pasta are you using?
Kim
Hi! It was a high protein lentil/wheat mix. We also have a different brand pressure cooker than the instapot so it may only be 7min for the instapot.
Susan
Sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to try it!
Rebecca
Hi Richa,
If I weigh my nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup is 22 grams. For this recipe, would you go by weight or by volume then?
Thank you!
Richa
I usually cook with cups and the widget picks up calculated values from the database. so i would say go by cups.
Rebecca
Thank you!
Nasimul Alam
Hellow Richa…It’s one My fav dished now cause I tried the last weekend its taste like amazing…
Thank you so much for your fantastic recipes…
Michaela
This recipe was amazing! Just tried it last night and it was the best vegan mac and cheese recipe I have tried so far. Thank you!
Richa
yay!!
John David McCormick
This is a great way to be ready to make mac and cheese, or cauliflower and cheese, at a moments notice. What a brilliant recipe. Thanks for posting this. Finally got around to making it today. Fantastic.
Richa
Thanks!
Amritha
Hi Richa,
The recipe looks great. May I ask what food processor/ blender you use? (I have a Vitamix).
A post on the equipment you use in the kitchen would be helpful!
Thank you for all your great recipes.
Richa
I use a mini kitchen aid and a 7 cup hamilton beach food processor. For blenders i use nutritbullet the most andsome few times blendtec.
Tracey
This recipe looks amazing! How many grams is 1cup dry pasta?
Richa
3 oz or 100 gms (weight will vary slightly depending on the type of pasta)
Tracey
Ok, thank you!
Stacia
If I am using cashew or almond flour instead of the whole nuts, what amounts would I use?
Richa
same amount.
Teresa Wersan
looking at the nutritional listing and the sodium is very high for this recipe . . .
Richa
yes because its for a 1/3 cup of the mix, that will make sauce for 2 to 3 serves with the mac. So divide it depending on how you use the sauce. so that would be either 428 mg sodium (if you get 2 servings) or 273 mg sodium(if you get 3 servings)
Lynn
This was the first vegan mac & cheese I’ve had that actually tasted good. I had some broccoli in the fridge I needed to use up so I cooked that up and added it to the mac & cheese. It was delicious! Thank you for giving me back a comfort food of my youth!
dani
For the Calorie Breakdown does that include adding milk and oil? Thanks 🙂 I love it!
Richa
it doesnt include the pasta, milk and oil as the amount used may vary. The nutrition is just forthe powder mix. The 1/3 cup powder mix will probably serve 2 -3 when made. You can divide the number by 5 to get the values per tbsp.
Elizabeth
Simple enough to make. I like it! Storing the extra makes it super convenient to really whip up Mac n Cheez in the future.
Brenda
Trying to eat more whole wheat instead of white flour. Could I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose for the nut-free option?
Richa
that would add a lot of wheat flavor and make the mix very gummy on cooking. use a mix of seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower, some whole wheat flour and some starch.
Cassandra
What is shelf life of cheese powder?
Richa
1 month on the counter. 2-3 months in the refrigerator.
Cassandra
How long is shelf life. For cheese powder??
vivek garg
1 month and longer of refrigerated
Shir
Tried it tonight for dinner and wowwwwww this is SO good and so easy!! My 3 kids and husband all loved it too ! Thanks so much!
Richa
yay
Marcel
Today I made and ate this, and I really love it. Very easy, quick and absolutely delicious!
Richa
Thanks!
Raquel Smith
this is genius!! Raising vegan kids is a struggle sometimes…so thank you for this!
I mixed in some edamame and my boys LOVED it.
Richa
yay!!
Deb
This was so good. Hard to stop eating the whole batch. Will definitely make again.
Richa
awesome
Mel
I made this, this week. It turned out fantastic. I used walnuts instead of cashews and me and my family loved it!!
Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Richa
awesome!
Jana
Just made this and its absolutely delicious!!
Richa
yay!
Sandy
I have never been able to get exited about nutritional yeast. Is there anything you can think of to be used in it’s place?
Richa
in the dry mix that would be difficult to substitute. I dont like too much nutritional yeast either, but this works for me.
You can make a cheese sauce with no nutritional yeast. Try this one and add 1 tsp miso and 1/2 tsp natural mustard and that will help with the the cheesy flavor. https://www.veganricha.com/2017/02/garlicky-korean-mac-cheese.html
Mark
Also, try to change your brands of nutritional yeast- there is a surprising variation in flavour and intensity.
I generally use about 2/3 of the recommended amount and add more if needed. I also suspect that a tiny amount of miso powder might fill in some of the flavour gaps.
Dee
Will full fat or lite coconut milk work or will the coconut flavor overpower it?
Richa
it might work. it will have some coconut flavor like a somewhat curried mac, which is good too. depends on personal taste preference.Maybe do half water andhalf coconut milk and definitely add some more paprika
Dee
I used water. It’s delicious.
Richa
awesome!
Pongodhall
Happiness in a jar, thanks richa
Richa
definitely!
Lori
What do you mean by other starch? If I don’t have tapioca?
Richa
corn starch or potato starch will work too. Arrowroot works too but adds a slight flavor
Riekje
Sounds Nice! No need to soak the cashews?
Richa
no, they are dry to make the powder. Soaked cashews will make a paste and that will spoil for storage
Riekje Roelfsema
Thanks!
Rebecca
This is both genius and delicious. It’s also exactly what I needed in my life! Thank you so very much ❤️
Richa
awesome!
Patricia hamm
Are the cashews raw ?
Richa
yes
Zach
Would roasted/salted cashews work?
Richa
they might add a slightly more nutty flavor, but should be ok. Maybe use a 1/3 cup and add 3 tbsp more flour to thicken.
Susan
This looks great! I want to make it for myself. Anything to simply mealtime is great! Thanks for all you do. I have both of your cookbooks and I love them!
Richa
awesome!! thankyou for getting both!
Skip
How can I pin this?
Richa
there is pin button when you hover on each image and also a social bar on the left on desktop view and bottom and top on mobile with the “P” button which pins
Heather
How many cups foes this recipe make?
Richa
about 1 1/3 cup.
Bonnie Pettyjohn
Would it work if I used Almonds instead of cashews? My son is highly allergic to cashews but can eat almonds. Seems like many vegan recipes call for cashews. I’ve always wondered if they could be replaced with something else.
Richa
yes you can use almonds. Almonds arent as creamy, so use 1/3 cup almonds(blanched peeled if possible) and add 2-3 tbsp more flour
Brenna
Genius! I’ll use this both at home and when I travel!
Richa
thanks!
Linda
I don’t have a food processor. Can the mix be made in a Vita Mix instead?
Richa
yes use vitamix
John David McCormick
I made it in a Krups coffee grinder because I didn’t want to clean the big food processor.
Bajan mum
What a great idea! I often fancy Mac and cheese, your magic powder will mean I get to have it even quicker. Thanks 💙
Kirsten
I would love to make this but my daughter is allergic to tree nuts (including cashews). Do you think it would work to substitute pumpkin seeds in place of the nuts? Thanks!
Richa
yes, see notes. youll need either all flour or some pumpkin seeds and flour
Colleen
I just made it with pumpkin seats and it’s TERRIFIC. Thank you for providing a nut free option!
Archana
Richa, I made this recipe today and I loved it! This is about as close as it can get to the taste of Mac & cheese! Although my son didn’t take to it (I suspect it’s because of the paprika) I have fallen in love with this taste and will continue to prepare this with little less spice for my son. Thank you so much!