Let’s face it, a really good gluten free vegan macaroni & cheese recipe is hard to come by. Sure there are a couple boxed mixes, but nothing to look forward to, and certainly none that’s remotely healthy.
But THIS … this gluten free vegan macaroni & cheese recipe is something special! The key is in the vegan cheesy sauce that’s just as good served as a vegan nacho “cheese” sauce. I could seriously eat it out of the bowl.
Let’s get realistic here folks, the boxes of processed macaroni noodles and fake cheese powder aren’t really “real” anyway, so don’t start turning your nose up at my GFCF version. You’re going to have to trust me on this, though. Take a look at the ingredients — no way could this work, right!? Wrong! It’s MAGIC!
We served this magical gluten free vegan mac and cheese dish again this weekend to a group and after they had all gone back for seconds we asked if anyone could guess what was in it. That stopped folks in their tracks because they had of course assumed it was cheese. Or vegan cheese, I suppose.
Hardly! “There was no cheese or vegan cheese harmed in the production of this dish!”, we announced. Which stumps people who have just enjoyed a plate of something called macaroni and cheese (and loved it.). After some worthy guesses about spices and such, they pretty much gave up, which is the way it should be with magic, don’t you think?
Like I said, you’re going to have to trust me and try it for yourself! It’s actually a much healthier dish all around, and all the parents who’ve tried it have loved it too! (We actually ran out of chips to dip in the cheesy sauce at my cooking demonstration – everyone loved it!)
Cheesy texture, great taste, GFCF and healthier?! What’s not to love?!
Oh and it’s basically whipped up in your blender or food processor, so there’s that.
It’s pretty fun to throw this recipe together.
There’s lots to love here, folks! Your new favorite gluten free vegan macaroni and cheese recipe is just waiting for you to try it!
Gluten Free Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
This gluten free vegan macaroni and cheese recipe is one of those recipes you could call MAGIC. There's just no way these healthy ingredients could actually combine together -- without cheese -- to make these savory cheesy sauce, but somehow they do. I guess you'll just have to try it for your self!
Ingredients
- 2 medium white potatoes (14.5 ounces/420 grams), peeled and diced
- 1 large carrot (2.5 ounces/75 grams), peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup cashew, almond, peanut or sunflower nut butter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil of choice (I used safflower)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown Mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 teaspoons gluten-free nutritional yeast or brewer’s yeast*
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¾ cup water
- 12-16 oz. gluten-free macaroni noodles (Bi-Aglut® GF Elbow Noodles; Ancient Harvest Quinoa® Elbow Noodles; Barilla® Gluten Free Elbow Noodles; Tinkyada® Brown Rice Elbow Noodles, etc.)
- OR corn chips for nachos (or to crush and sprinkle on top or baked macaroni)
Instructions
In a large non-stick skillet, cook the potatoes, carrot and onion in olive oil and 1 cup water. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Do not let the vegetables dry out; if they are cooked but water remains in the skillet, remove the lid to allow the excess water to cook off. Once they are fork tender, transfer to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
Add nut or seed butter, salt, garlic, oil, mustard and dried mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast pepper and water. Pulse until fully integrated. Taste and add more of any particular ingredient to adjust taste to your preference. Thin with more hot water, if necessary.
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain. Add sauce, stirring to evenly coat noodles. If desired, sprinkled crushed corn chips on top and bake for 10 minutes at 400° F to crisp the top.
Serve warm, tossed with gluten-free macaroni noodles or use as a nacho cheese dip or spread!
To drizzle over chips, thin the sauce with hot water until it is the consistency you desire.
(Approximate nutrition for each serving: 192 calories, 15g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 307mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 2g sugars, 3g protein, 5Est GL.)
Notes
*Be sure to buy only gluten free nutritional yeast or brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast is only gluten-free if made from molasses.
I have linked a few brands for you below:
Anthony's Gluten Free Brewer's Yeast (from molasses)
Bragg Gluten Free Nutritional Yeast
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I need this blender because my one smokes when I use it. I suddenly went from almost no use to high use adding veggies to my 2 veggie-hating kids and husband’s food. One of my favorites is adding black beans to savory sauces and my old blender just can’t handle it. Also, the food therapy has worked and my son now wants to make and drink fruit smoothies. Ice and frozen fruit is also not my friend.
pinned it and liked you forever now.
When will the drawing be? I know it ends at midnight tonight but when do we know who won???
I’d love to have the blender to make oat flour, smoothies, frosty beverages made with Rum, soups, anything at all, really. I love my KA mixer, and would like to have a blender that would hold up so well to heavy use.
Like you on facebook forever – and LOVE your products in real life
Hi Jules! I (already) liked you on fb (and already get your emails), and I just liked KitchenAid, too. I tweeted about this contest, and I also facebooked it, even though that wasn’t a request from you. I don’t have pinterest (nor have the desire to be…as I’m a Mom who already is consumed enough by facebook, email, news, etc…and can’t be absorbed by, yet, another trendy fun site! Doh!) Anyhow, I would love a new blender, especially this one! My daughter (age 3) and I are intolerant to gluten, dairy, beans, meat, and way too many other things!
But we make the best of it and my blender is an old school one from (gasp) the 70s. We use it daily and push it to the max. A high powered KitchenAid would do the trick! I have replaced the pitcher for my old one…but the gears are certainly going downhill. We eat mostly greens and fruits (low glycemic) and our diety is primarily green juice and smoothies…and any conconction I can create in a blender! My favorite lately is blending blueberries wiht olive oil and either apple cider vinegar or coconut vinegar to make a salad dressing. Thanks for considering and for your wonderful mac and “cheese” recipe! I shall try it this week!! XO
I already like you on Facebook! I would love a new blender to use since mine is so old (i’ve had it for many years) and it just doesn’t have “it” anymore. We’ve done so much in ours, crepes being the latest it would be fun to try different things with a blender that is up to the challenge!
I really need this blender to make delicious smoothies for my GF daughter. She is really burned out on breakfasts ever sinced being misdiagnosed by the doctors when they told her “just eat some toast…you’ll feel better…” I think if we had a great KitchenAid blender like this, we could make fabulous breakfast smoothies!
I have “liked” you on FB for a while, and now I “like” KitchenAid as well. I’m also pinning this to my Pinterest account. I hope this gets me lots of entries! Pick me please! 
I would love this product in order to make healthy fruit smoothies for my children and I this summer! My 4 year-old and I are gluten-free and we plan to buy fresh fruit at our local fruit stand!!
I liked Jules Gluten Free on Facebook!!
I liked KitchenAide on Facebook!!
Who doesn’t love a great mac-n-cheese recipie? The most obvious reason I need this blender is because mine died. I would love to upgrade since kitchen appliances are my weakness and I’d also love to give homemade almond flour a try since I got a new almond flour cookbook for mothers day! I love all the info you provide for us “special needs” folks!
I already “like” you on Facebook and I plan to make fruit smoothies and milkshakes. My celiac kid’s favorite!
Hi Jules! I have liked you and your products everywhere over the last year or so and have run out of “likes”!! LOL I really need this blender because I no longer have a blender since a separation from my husband. I keep thinking about getting a new one to help make my GF cooking easier, but there always seems to be something more important that I need to put money towards. Keep up all your great work for GF awareness…you continue to encourage celiac patients like me everywhere who had given up on food!
I just tweeted the contest as well! I”m LittleTomato
I also get your blog emails… very good timing, I was just telling a friend about the wonderful dairy free cheeses and things that can be made… I shared your cheesey post with her
and I LIked KA on FB too.
I’d love to win this blender!!!.. and this cheesy sauce recipe would be among the first of my creations.. that and margaritas.. =)
I LIked you on FB
I can’t wait to try the vegan Mac and Cheese. I already like you on FB, I will tweet it our for sure and I could always use a blender. I love my protein shakes.
and i like kitchen aide on fb too
If I had this blender, I would make my own coconut butter and so much more!
I like you on FB