11 Mac and Cheese Recipes from Vegan to Tex-Mex (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan mac and cheese made of? ›

How to Make Vegan Mac and Cheese. First, make the vegan cheese sauce. Simmer sweet potatoes and potatoes until tender. Then, drain them, and add them to a blender with raw cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, water, and olive oil.

Ingredients: enriched macaroni product (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate (iron), thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin (vitamin b2), folic acid); sauce mix (coconut oil powder, gum arabic, modified food starch, sugar, yeast extract, fava bean protein isolate, salt, contains less than 2% of dried pineapple, ...

All vegan mac and cheese has its own flavor based on what you use for the sauce, but this one is pretty straightforward. Flavor-wise, the nutritional yeast drives the bus with a nutty, umami-ish, salty cheeze vibe, and the taste of the sauce will vary slightly with the type of milk you use.

Yet, with the rise of plant-based diets, many are seeking a mac and cheese substitute that aligns with their lifestyle. Nutritional yeast, cashews, and various plant milks are commonly used to recreate the creamy texture and savory taste.

Almond milk is a popular plant-based milk that's a great substitute for regular cow's milk. It has a nutty flavor, which can add a subtle richness to your mac and cheese. As it's used as a common milk substitute, you can simply put the same amount of almond milk as you'd put regular milk.

A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, meat, and fish, whereas a dairy-free diet bans all milk products but not necessarily any other animal products. While all vegan foods are inherently dairy-free, not all dairy-free foods are vegan.

The Kraft Heinz Not Company says it will continue expanding its plant-based offerings into several more categories in 2024, both in the U.S. and internationally. Speaking of international markets, Kraft Heinz actually launched a vegan mac and cheese in Australia in 2021.

The Kraft Heinz Not Company — the plant-based-food-focused joint venture formed in 2022 between the food giant and food-tech start-up The Not Company — is introducing, for the first time, two plant-based Kraft Mac & Cheese options.

The general everyday dry pasta in shapes like spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, fusilli, penne, orzo, jumbo shells, manicotti, lasagna noodles, and elbow macaroni are usually vegan. The fresh pasta sold in the refrigerated section usually contains eggs and is therefore not vegan.

Parmela Shreds

Parmela nailed it (don't ask us how). These cashew-based shreds not only taste like cheese, but they also melt perfectly. Varieties include Mild Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Fiery Jack.

Will vegan cheese ever taste like real cheese? ›

It's important to understand that vegan cheese, being made with different ingredients, typically does not taste exactly like traditional dairy cheese. However, it does replicate some of the flavors and textures that you might remember from dairy cheese and tastes great in its own right.

Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

You could substitute mayonnaise for butter in a macaroni and cheese dish. They both are fat rich, contain water and protein. However, you may find the flavor a bit different as mayonnaise also contains vinegar which can produce a tarter flavor. Balance this with cheeses you select, and you should be just fine.

The ingredients used in vegan cheese vary depending on the type of cheese being made and the desired texture and flavor. The most commonly used ingredients include plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, agar agar, tapioca starch, coconut oil, cashews, and chickpea flour.

Vegan cheese is usually made from soy, nuts, vegetable oils, and various other natural ingredients like peas or arrowroot. Vegan cheese is seen as a healthier alternative to cheese by some, and may reduce your risk of heart disease due to its lower content of fat.

Vegan cheeses are 100% animal-free and made using vegetable proteins. Usually, they're made from soy; nuts, such as cashews and macadamias; and vegetable oils, such as coconut oil. You can also find cheeses that derive from agar, tapioca, peas and arrowroot.

Vegan butter is a non-dairy butter substitute made from plant-based ingredients. It is typically made from a blend of vegetable oils such as coconut, palm, or soybean and other natural ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and even algae. This makes it a great alternative for those who: Follow a vegan diet.