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 like Kitchen Aid on facebook.
I would love to win this blender because my old one broke. I was laid off from my job, so don’t have money to buy a new blender.
When I win this blender (sending out positive vibes!), I will use it to make this recipe and to make green smoothies, nut butters, hummus, and lots more yummy recipes.
I already like you on facebook!
Hi! I’d love to try this recipe for my daughters however we have nut allergies. Do you think sun butter could be a substitute for the almond/cashew butter? Any suggestions? We are unable to use soy butter..another allergy. Could we eliminate it? Thanks!
EA – someone else asked me that same question! I just haven’t had time to try it myself, but I would think SunButter would do just fine. If you get to try it before I do, let me know how it turns out!!
Can I substitute Earth Balance for the nut butter in this recipe? If not, what can I substitute for nut butter in Mac-n-Cheese recipe?
Sandy – can you use Sunflower nut butter or Soy nut butter instead? You really need a flavor and texture like those – butter or Earth Balance won’t be the same.
Oh my goodness…I forgot to add that I liked those things which I hadn’t already (already have liked everything Jules-related), I tweeted your contest, and liked and posted it on Facebook!
Jules,
I would absolutely love to win the KitchenAid blender. As a single mom who balances teaching, finishing a Master’s degree and nearly 100% cooking from scratch due to gluten intolerance and allergies, I would appreciate this time saver.
I made gluten-free, home-made pasta today with my Jules flour…does that make me a forerunner?
I liked Jules on FB
I need a good blender as I only have a small one. Lots of smoothies would be made.
I like KitchenAid on FB
I liked KitchenAid; I liked your flour; I blogged and told you why I needed this blender (so I can cook like you do!)!!!! I don’t Tweet or Pin, and I Liked you on Facebook a long, long time ago!!!!! Hope this puts me in the running for the blender!
Keep up the great work, Jules!
I like you on facebook. Wish there was a love button too!
I liked kitchenaid and I pinned the contest. I don’t tweet but Im going to figure it out:) I would love a decent blender to grind up flours and help make your mac and cheese. My 6 year old really misses his fave food!
I liked you on Facebook.
My son & I went on a elimination diet and found out what foods we are sensitive to. What a expirience that was. We have been making good food choices and have eliminated gluten from our diet. We now only dring goat milk (dairy shares) and reduced sugar. We both feel so much better. A blender would be so helpful in aiding in quick morning drinks, the hardest meals for our family to eat. But we all love to juice & blend. I could really use a nice kitchen appliance like this. Thank you
Shannon
smontoya@pacific.net
Boy! do I need this blender. My daughter and I have gone gluten free starting last week. I can find things for me to eat easy enough but to feed a hungry picky teenager is another story. I would first use this blender to make the sauce for this wonderful sounding macaroni and cheese recipe you have come up with, and hope it fills my girl up!!! I have ordered your cookie mix and flour blend and can’t wait to try it.
Our family would love the opportunity to win this amazing blender. We have four children and have never had a child with food allergies until our youngest daughter(2) came, and boy did she have some! She is allergic to dairy, all nuts, gluten, and soy! Thanks to your blog and mailing list we are able to make amazing meals and dishes that can accomodate her many food allergies and still taste super yummy to the rest of us. Thank you for all that you do to help our family and the many others like us.
I don’t have a blender! This would allow me to do so much more,like turning nuts into flour or other items into a paste/smooth consistent usable form.
I liked you on Facebook, Liked KitchenAid on facebook.
The joy of Mac and Cheese is it comes in one box and requires little or no effort or thought. I was hoping you had created this product as a prepackaged item.
I would love to have a new Kitchen Aid Blender (my old one is cracked)! My new favorite thing to make for my kids in the blender is “Strawberry-Lemonade Slushies”!!!
I liked KitchenAid on FB!