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The Only Vegan Cheese Sauce You Need – For Mac and Cheese!
Mac and cheese is no doubt a classic comfort food that everyone seems to love (and most of us millennials grew up eating it- remember Kraft Dinner?). But what if you're vegan or simply trying to reduce your dairy intake? Fear not, because this vegan cheese sauce will make a cheesy macaroni dish that will leave you just as satisfied as the original.
When we decided to go plant-based, the one dish we knew we needed to replace was mac and cheese. We tried all the vegan cheeses on the market and eventually, after lots of experimenting in the kitchen, I figured out how to make the most amazing vegan cheese sauce that is perfect for mac and cheese!
This vegan cheese sauce is made with simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen. It's easy to make, and it's perfect for busy weeknights when you need a quick and easy meal. Best of all, this sauce is creamy, cheesy and absolutely delicious! It is by far one of my kid's favorite meals made of whole foods and guilt-free real ingredients! You're going to love it!
Check out this video to see how creamy it is!
Why Vegan Cheese
Did you know?!
The biologic purpose of cow's milk is to grow their babies from 100 lbs. to 1000 lbs. in the first year of their life. Honestly, I only made this connection after I got pregnant and was breastfeeding my own babies.
Contrary to popular and cultural beliefs, cow's milk is not the ideal beverage for human consumption — with one main concern being the high levels of circulating IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), which is thought to be a potent stimulus for cancer cell growth, particularly hormone driven cancers like prostate and breast cancers.
Dairy Cheese is one of the most commonly consumed foods in the Standard American Diet (SAD). It is one of the highest sources of saturated fat, cholesterol & sodium in the SAD, therefore can potentially increase risk for multiple chronic illnesses like heart disease, obesity and more. Busting common dairy myths can be a post all on its own! For now, if you want to learn more, I recommend picking up Dr. Neal Barnard's book the book “The cheese trap” . It’s mind-blowing.
The Good News
This doesn’t mean you can’t have cheese. It just means you skip or limit the dairy cheese. My favorite vegan cheese sauces are the ones you can make at home, like the one I'm about to share, because they are whole food plant-based, kid approved, easy to freeze, inexpensive, and can be used in a variety of ways. Store-bought vegan cheese alternatives are convenient and can be used occasionally, but they can also be expensive and highly processed with minimal nutritional value.
Whole Food Highlight - Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast or "noooooch" is a vegan condiment made from deactivated yeast cells. It is yellow in color and has a cheesy, nutty, and savory taste.
Per the USDA, one tablespoon of nutritional yeast provides 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein! Nutritional yeast is often fortified so it can be a great source of B-vitamins, including thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), and pyridoxine (B6). It is also a good source of iron, zinc, and selenium. Nutritional yeast is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and soy-free.
Some of my favorite ways to use nutritional yeast are in -
- Homemade vegan mac and cheese
- Sauces & dressings like queso or ranch
- Soups like broccoli "cheddar"
- Sprinkled on popcorn
Nutritional yeast is a pantry essential for any plant-based kitchen! I like the Bragg's and Bob's Red Mill brands. P.S. Brewer's or Baker's yeast are not the same thing as Nutritional yeast!
More Food for Thought
Fun Ways to Use This Sauce
There are so many ways to use this vegan cheese sauce! Here are some of my favorites:
- Traditional Mac and Cheese or Baked Mac and Cheese Casserole
- Lasagna
- Nachos for game night
- Pizza
- Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas or burritos
- As a sauce on top of roasted veggies
- Dip for veggies or crackers
Pasta Pasta!
You can use your favorite good old elbow macaroni for this recipe or for an added boost of protein I love to use lentil-based macaroni like the one from Tolerant Foods . It tastes just like good old macaroni except you get 25 grams of protein AND 11 grams of fiber for 1/2 a cup of pasta (WOW!). It is made from organic green lentil flour with the same great taste and texture of traditional pasta (I promise!!)
Equipment
This is an easy recipe that requires minimal equipment. You will need a steaming pot for the vegetables. If you don't have a steamer, you can use a pot with a lid and place a wire basket or colander in the pot to hold the vegetables. Alternatively, you could boil them however steaming helps retain more of the nutritional content. I love using my instant pot for steaming vegetables because honestly just fast and easy without me having to stand over the stove. Then I usually just add the remaining ingredients and use an immersion blender to make the sauce in the same pot.
You'll also need a powerful blender or immersion blender to ensure a smooth sauce. If you are looking for a good blender recommendation, I'd go with the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Blender or the Vitamix Immersion Blender.
Recipe
The Best Vegan Cheese Sauce Ever!
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
What You Need:
2 steamed medium russet potatoes
2 steamed medium carrots
1 cup-soaked cashews (soak in boiling water for 20-30 mins) or can sub for 1 box silken tofu
1 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground mustard
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1.5 cups low sodium veggie broth
Optional: Jalapeños or chili for garnish and veggies (broccoli, peas, mushrooms, etc.)
What To Do:
- Soak cashews in a bowl with boiling water
- Steam the potatoes and carrots on a stovetop steaming pot or the instant pot. Alternatively boil them in a pot until cooked.
- Sautee the onions in 1 tbsp water or oil until soft. Then add garlic. Cook for 2-3 mins until fragrant. Add water as needed to deglaze.
- Let everything cool down. Don’t blend while hot! Once cooled, add the cashews, spices, and broth. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust salt and pepper as needed
- Add more broth to thin it out if desired. Adjust salt/pepper to taste.
- Add macaroni, desired amount of sauce, cooked veggies (broccoli, peas, mushrooms, etc.) and mix.
- Serve and enjoy!
This vegan cheese sauce is a great way to add flavor and creaminess to your favorite dishes. It's healthy, easy to make, and tastes delicious! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do. You'll never know this vegan cheese sauce is dairy free! For more plant-based inspiration, download this free plant powered toolkit today for my 10 key principles on getting more plants on your plate!
Be sure to try this easy, yummy recipe and share with your family, friends and social networks. Let me know in the comments below how you liked it!
Hi friend, I'm Coach Simran MD!
Lifestyle & Wellness Coach, BRCA1 Previvor, Mama
I empower women at high risk of cancer, with or without genetic mutations, through optimizing their lifestyle & mindset while creating a vision to reclaim their life.
Want to chat more? Schedule a free clarity call today!
