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Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese is a baked mac ‘n cheese recipe, made with vegan shredded cheeses, vegan butter, elbow macaroni and topped with Panko breadcrumbs. Try out this cheesy, vegetarian side dish that has an easy way to make it vegan too.

Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese
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Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese

Hi Everyone, we have been trying to have more vegetarian and vegan dishes in our dinners & meals, and having a Vegetarian Mac n Cheese recipe in the rotation is so nice because it’s comfort food at its best.

I could go for mac ‘n cheese any day because it’s so good and satisfying.

After boiling the pasta and making the sauce on the stove, it only takes baking it in the oven with the bread crumb at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden.

How to Make this Vegetarian Mac n Cheese a Stovetop Vegetarian Mac n Cheese Version

All you have to do is skip the Panko breadcrumb topping step and also skip baking it in the 9×13 inch pan.

Once the sauce is done, all you have to do is mix the sauce and the cooked elbow macaroni pasta.

How to Make This Recipe Vegan

I love how this recipe has vegan cheese and vegan butter and is topped with vegetarian Panko breadcrumbs.

If you switch the Panko breadcrumbs to vegan Panko breadcrumbs and get vegan elbow macaroni.

Tips for Making the Elbow Macaroni

On the type of elbow macaroni pasta that I use (Nature’s Promise Organic Elbow Macaroni, 16 oz/1 LB/454g) for this recipe, it calls for 9-11 minutes, I suggest cooking it al dente since this will finish cooking in the oven for 30 minutes.

What Makes This Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese Recipe Different

This is a great entry-level, vegetarian Mac ‘n cheese recipe because it uses ready-made vegan cheeses that you can find at many grocery stores and it is very similar to making a traditional Mac ‘n Cheese recipe.

It doesn’t use cashews which is helpful if you are sensitive to nuts or brewers yeast.

Ingredients for Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese

1 box (16 oz/1 lb/454g) elbow macaroni *I use organic whenever possible, you can substitute the same amount of regular elbow macaroni for a vegan pasta
reserved pasta water *save that pasta water that you use to boil the elbow macaroni in, I remove the macaroni into a bowl using a slotted spoon
1 cup vegan shredded Mozzarella
1 cup vegan shredded cheese blend
1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan
1 cup coconut creamer
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, amount to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste

Topping

1 tablespoon Earth Balance
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs *you can substitute the same amount of vegan bread crumbs
Kosher salt, amount to taste for topping
Fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste for topping

Kitchen Tools

9×13″ inch baking dish
measuring spoons and cups
large serving wooden spoon
slotted spoon
large pot for boiling pasta
colander
*all helpful kitchen tools are linked in the recipe card at the end of the post

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If you make this Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese recipe and liked it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below, and let us know in the comments below.

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This post was originally posted 3/3/2020 and updated and republished on 9/1/2021

Vegetarian Mac n Cheese

Name: Vegetarian Mac n Cheese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Earth Balance; 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs *you can substitute the same amount vegan bread crumbs; Kosher salt, amount to taste for topping; Fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste for topping; 1 box (16 oz/1 lb/454g) elbow macaroni *I use organic whenever possible, you can substitute the same amount regular elbow macaroni for a vegan pasta; reserved pasta water *save that pasta water that you use to boil the elbow macaroni in, I remove the macaroni into a bowl using a slotted spoon; 1 cup vegan shredded Mozzarella; 1 cup vegan shredded cheese blend; 1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan; 1 cup coconut creamer; 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard; 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, amount to taste; 1/4 teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Mac 'n Cheese Base

1 box (16 oz/1 lb/454g) elbow macaroni *I use organic whenever possible, you can substitute the same amount regular elbow macaroni for a vegan pasta
reserved pasta water *save that pasta water that you use to boil the elbow macaroni in, I remove the macaroni into a bowl using a slotted spoon
1 cup vegan shredded Mozzarella
1 cup vegan shredded cheese blend
1/4 cup vegan shredded Parmesan
1 cup coconut creamer
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, amount to taste
1/4 teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste

Toppings

1 tablespoon Earth Balance
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs *you can substitute the same amount vegan bread crumbs
Kosher salt, amount to taste for topping
Fresh ground black pepper, amount to taste for topping

Instructions

Cook the Pasta

Cook the elbow macaroni "al dente" 9-11 minutes. You can add Kosher salt to the water, if you wish.
Strain the pasta, making sure to reserve the pasta water for making the cheese sauce. You can also use a slotted spoon for scooping the pasta out of the water.

Prepare the Panko Topping

While the pasta is cooking you can prep ahead the Panko breadcrumb topping. Simply melt 1 tablespoon Earth Balance in the microwave (15 second intervals until melted, depending on your microwave) and then combine with 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs until evenly mixed. Set aside until the Mac 'n Cheese is ready to bake.

Make the Cheese Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add in 1 tablespoon Earth Balance, add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt (or amount to taste), 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (or amount to taste), 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard and stir together until combined
Add 1 cup vegan shredded Mozzarella, 1 cup Vegan cheese blend of your choice, 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan, 1 cup coconut creamer, 2 cups pasta water and stir to combine. Using a whisk, stir until smooth and creamy.
When the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy, add in the cooked elbow macaroni and stir to combine. Pour the elbow macaroni-cheese sauce mixture into the 9x13 inch baking pan and sprinkle prepared Panko bread crumbs evenly on top, you can also sprinkle 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese on top and optionally season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Bake the Mac 'n Cheese

Bake the mac 'n cheese in a 350 degree F preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Serve hot, enjoy!

Notes

Notes on Cooking the Pasta: On the type of elbow macaroni pasta that I use (Nature’s Promise Organic Elbow Macaroni, 16 oz/1 LB/454g) for this recipe, it calls for 9-11 minutes, I suggest cooking it al dente, since this will finish cooking in the oven for 30 minutes.
How To Make This Recipe Vegan: I love how this recipe has vegan cheese and vegan butter and is topped with vegetarian Panko breadcrumbs. If you switch the Panko breadcrumbs to vegan Panko breadcumbs and get vegan elbow macaroni you can make this recipe 100% vegan.
For Storage: Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator, consume within 3 days.\
How to Make this Vegetarian Mac n Cheese a Stovetop Vegetarian Mac n Cheese Version: All you have to do is skip the Panko breadcrumb topping step and also skip baking it in the 9x13 inch pan. Once the sauce is done, all you have to do is mix the sauce and the cooked elbow macaroni pasta.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 214Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 258mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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Sara Maniez

Owner at Life's Little Sweets

Sara is an architectural designer turned work-at-home Mom. She lives in New Jersey by way of New England and New York, with her husband and 3 kids under 8. She loves design, being creative, and spending time with family and friends. She loves checking out local businesses and eats and being apart of the local farm to table community.

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Vegetarian Mac n Cheese

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Vegetarian Mac ‘n Cheese