Patrick Oconnell
Macaroni and cheese is a popular comfort food enjoyed by many. But is it possible to make this dish vegan? The answer is yes! Vegan mac and cheese can be made with a variety of plant-based ingredients, such as vegan cheese, milk, butter, and breadcrumbs. It can be prepared on a stovetop or baked in the oven, resulting in a creamy, cheesy, and dairy-free dish that tastes just like the real thing. With the increasing availability of high-quality vegan cheeses, it is easier than ever to create delicious and satisfying vegan versions of classic comfort foods like mac and cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Taste | Cheesy, creamy, tangy, nutty, spicy |
| Texture | Gooey, saucy, smooth, velvety |
| Ingredients | Vegan cheese, gluten-free flour, plant-based milk, breadcrumbs, vegan butter, cashews, sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast, spices |
| Brands | Follow Your Heart, VioLife, Daiya, Miyoko's, Chao, FYH, Tofutti, Kite Hill, GoVeggie |
| Preparation time | Less than 20 minutes |
| Storage | Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days |
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Vegan cheese sauce
Macaroni and cheese can be made vegan by substituting dairy cheese with vegan cheese. There are many vegan cheese options available in the market, such as VioLife, Daiya, Miyoko's, and Follow Your Heart.
Ingredients:
- Vegan butter
- Gluten-free flour or regular flour
- Vegan milk (unsweetened)
- Vegan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the macaroni pasta in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Meanwhile, start making the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a separate pot over medium heat.
- Once melted, add in the flour and whisk until a smooth paste forms.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking, and continue until there are no lumps.
- Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, then add the vegan cheese. Stir well. Vegan cheese may take longer to melt, so keep stirring over medium heat until it is fully incorporated and you have a thick, smooth, and cheesy sauce.
- Finally, add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until the pasta is fully coated.
You can also add some toasted breadcrumbs to the dish for extra texture. Simply melt some vegan butter and mix it with breadcrumbs of your choice.
Variations:
- For a spicy kick, puree the sauce with pickled jalapeños or chipotle pepper.
- For a nut-free option, use coconut milk, tapioca flour, nutritional yeast flakes, water, and salt.
- To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free flour.
- For a healthier option, use white beans instead of cashews for a creamier texture.
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Gluten-free pasta
Macaroni and cheese can easily be made vegan by substituting regular pasta with gluten-free pasta and using vegan cheese and butter. Gluten-free pasta is typically made from rice, corn, legumes, or vegetables. It is often challenging to find gluten-free pasta that has quality ingredients, cooks up perfectly, and gives the taste and feel of regular pasta. Some popular brands of gluten-free pasta include Jovial, Delallo, and Rummo. Jovial offers a wide variety of gluten-free pasta shapes, including elbows, bow ties, lasagna, penne, shells, spaghetti, and mafalda. Delallo also offers a variety of gluten-free pasta shapes. Rummo gluten-free pasta is made using a steam processing method called Lavorazione al Vapore, which creates a soft, balanced dough that is extruded through bronze dies to give the pasta a rough texture that bonds well with sauce. Rummo offers a gluten-free lentil and rice pasta that is a source of vegetable protein and low in saturated fat.
When making vegan macaroni and cheese, it is important to select a vegan cheese that melts well. Some recommended brands include VioLife, Daiya, Miyoko's, and Follow Your Heart. The pasta should be cooked in salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. For the cheese sauce, butter is melted in a large pot over medium heat, and then gluten-free flour is whisked in to form a smooth paste. Milk is slowly added while whisking to ensure no lumps remain. The sauce is then allowed to simmer for a few minutes to thicken, after which salt, pepper, and vegan cheese are added. Vegan cheese takes longer to melt, so it is important to stir continuously until a thick, smooth, and cheesy sauce is formed. Finally, the cooked pasta is added to the sauce and stirred until fully coated.
Some variations of the recipe include adding breadcrumbs for extra texture. To make the breadcrumbs, melt vegan butter and stir it together with breadcrumbs of choice. Additionally, some recipes suggest pureeing the sauce with pickled jalapeños or a chipotle pepper to make spicy vegan mac and cheese.
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Breadcrumbs
To prepare the breadcrumbs, melt 1-2 tablespoons of vegan butter and stir it together with 1/3-1/2 cup of breadcrumbs of your choice. You can also season the breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and Italian seasoning, to taste.
When adding the breadcrumbs to your mac and cheese, you can either bake the dish first and then add the breadcrumbs, or add them before baking. If you add them before baking, drizzle a little oil over the crumbs to make them golden and crisp.
Some people also like to put their dish under the broiler for a few minutes at the end of baking to make the breadcrumbs golden brown and extra crunchy.
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Vegan butter
Macaroni and cheese can be made vegan by substituting dairy products with vegan alternatives. This includes using vegan cheese, vegan milk, and vegan butter.
There are several options available for those looking to purchase vegan butter. Some popular brands include Earth Balance, Melt, Country Crock, and Violife. These vegan butters can be found at major grocery chains and health food stores. For example, Violife butter is available at Kroger and Trader Joe's, while Country Crock can be found at Kroger, Safeway, and Walmart.
In addition to store-bought options, vegan butter can also be made at home. A simple recipe for homemade vegan butter includes ingredients such as refined coconut oil, non-dairy milk (such as soy milk or almond milk), apple cider vinegar, and nutritional yeast. The coconut oil provides a neutral flavor and perfect texture, while the other ingredients come together to create a buttery flavor and color.
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Vegan cheese brands
Macaroni and cheese can be made vegan by substituting regular milk and cheese with plant-based alternatives. There are a variety of vegan cheese brands available that can be used to make vegan macaroni and cheese.
Violife, a European brand that has been around since the 1990s, offers dairy-free cheese that is also free from soy, gluten, lactose, nuts, and artificial preservatives.
Miyoko's Creamery is another popular brand that offers a variety of vegan cheese products, including a liquid cheese in a bottle and a vegan mozzarella designed to be poured over pizza.
Follow Your Heart is a brand that offers vegan cheddar shreds, which can be used to add extra cheesiness and creaminess to macaroni and cheese.
For a smooth and spreadable option, Misha's cheese is a cashew-, almond-, and shallot-based cheese that comes in a variety of flavors. It is perfect for dipping pita chips or bread into, or using as a butter alternative.
Darë Vegan Cheese offers a wide variety of dairy-free, lactose-free, and gluten-free vegan cheese options, including wedges, dips, and cheesecakes.
When choosing a vegan cheese brand, it is important to consider the ingredients and whether they align with your dietary preferences or restrictions. Some vegan cheeses are nut-based, while others may be potato- or starch-based. Reading the labels carefully is essential, especially for those with allergies or specific dietary needs.
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Frequently asked questions
No, traditional macaroni and cheese are not vegan because they contain dairy products. However, there are many vegan alternatives and recipes available.
There are several vegan mac and cheese options available in the market, such as Annie's boxed vegan mac and cheese.
There are many recipes for vegan mac and cheese that use plant-based milk, gluten-free flour, vegan butter, and shredded vegan cheese. Some recipes also include blended potatoes, sweet potatoes, cashews, and nutritional yeast to create a creamy, cheesy sauce.
Yes, you can make gluten-free vegan mac and cheese by using gluten-free pasta, gluten-free flour, and gluten-free bread for the crumb topping.
Some popular brands of shredded vegan cheese include VioLife, Daiya, Miyoko's, Chao, Follow Your Heart, and FYH.
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