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vegan baked mac and cheese on a plate

Mom's Baked Mac and Cheese

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vegan mac and cheese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 518kcal
Author: Vegan Mac and Cheese by Robin Robertson
Creamy, cheesy, and dairy-free; this vegan version of the classic has a buttery-crumb topping and is sure to remind you of the classic baked mac and cheese you loved as a kid.
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Ingredients

Pasta

  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni
  • olive oil or vegan butter for preparing the baking dish

Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 cups nondairy milk plain, unsweetened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup vegan cheese, shredded optional

Topping

  • 1 cup Ritz Crackers finely crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon vegan butter melted

Instructions

Pasta

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or vegan butter. Set aside.

Sauce

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
  • Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Add the salt. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thick, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in the nutritional yeast, mustard, onion powder, and pepper and whisk until smooth. Cook for 5 minutes until thick. Reduce the heat to low. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add in as much of the 1 cup of the reserved cooking water, as desired.
  • Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir to combine.
  • If you choose to add in the vegan shredded cheese, fold it in now.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, paprika, and melted butter to combine.

To Finish

  • Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, top with the cracker crumb mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.

Notes

The shredded cheese is optional and not calculated in with the nutritional facts.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1301IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 3mg