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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!
Vegan Mac and Cheese Powder
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cashews, raw, (see notes for nutfree)
- 1/2 cup 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 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 mac or other small pasta
- 1 cup non dairy milk or water
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup 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 (not hot) non dairy milk and 2-3 tsp olive oil or vegan butter (optional) in a saucepan or blend and add to saucepan for creamier, start heat over medium, 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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. 
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. ❤️
thank you! midwestern mode – hilarious!
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.
So pumped with how this turned out!! Thanks for the recipe!
This is a game-changer! Such a great idea, I love that this gives me Kraft flashbacks.
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.
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!
Thanks!!
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.
I dont know why it would taste that way. Theres so much flavor from the herbs, spices and nutritional yeast. Did you change anything?
Can I use corn starch instead of tapioca starch?
yes, it wont be as stringy as tapioca makes it stringy, but shouldbe fine
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??
should work just fine
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!