We’re a little obsessed with mac ’n’ cheese. We’ve tried every packaged vegan version we could get our paws on over the past decade, and we’ve made dozens of varieties from scratch. This is the best of them all—a creamy, decadent mac ’n’ cheese that will have your friends begging for the recipe. This mac makes a great party dish, and we served it at Michelle’s baby shower, Toni’s housewarming, and many other family gatherings.
Yield: 6–8 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 21 minutes | Total time: 46 minutes
1 (16-ounce) package macaroni (or your favorite pasta)
½ cup vegan butter
½ medium yellow onion, diced
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed
½ cup vegan cheese shreds (optional)
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon paprika
1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the cooked pasta over a bowl to retain the pasta water and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the vegan butter. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and stir until the mixture thickens and becomes a roux, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Whisk 3½ cups of the reserved pasta water into the roux. Add the salt, soy sauce, garlic, turmeric, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and red chili pepper flakes (if using), and stir until the sauce thickens.
5. Stir the cooked pasta and steamed broccoli florets into the cheese sauce. Transfer the cheesy pasta into a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish. Top the pasta with the vegan cheese shreds (if using) and panko bread crumbs, and sprinkle with the paprika.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Turn the oven heat to broil, and broil for about 1 minute, until the top gets slightly crispy and lightly browned.
Meal Prepping Tips: If you’re preparing this mac for an event, you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate it after step 5. Pull it out to bake when you’re ready to party. You can also bake it and refrigerate your leftovers. This is a phenomenal bake-and-save casserole that’s as delicious on day five as it is fresh out of the oven.
My Tips