Stovetop Gluten-Free, Vegan Mac and Cheese [Nut-Free & with Soy-Free Option]

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This creamy and indulgent gluten-free, vegan mac and cheese comes together in just minutes right on the stovetop...no blender necessary! With a nut-free, velvety cheese sauce made of plant-based butter, chickpea flour, oat milk, nutritional yeast and vegan cheese, this gluten- and dairy-free twist on the classic dish is pure comfort food.

First, I have to tell you this recipe is not meant to be a healthier vegan version of traditional mac and cheese.

Instead, it's meant to be a dairy-free version of that buttery, creamy, cheesy dish so many of us enjoyed as kids.

But if you are looking for healthier versions, be sure to check out my plant-based mac and cheese, my cashew mac and cheese and my vegan pumpkin mac and cheese. 

OK, so now let's get back to the making of the not-meant-to-be healthy, super creamy, dreamy version of mac and cheese we have here.

What's great about this recipe is that there are no cashews to soak and no need for a blender since the sauce comes together right on the stovetop.

Ingredient highlights

To make the sauce, I used my vegan béchamel from my lentil lasagna as a base. The three main ingredients for the béchamel are:

• Chickpea Flour: This is my go-to gluten-free all-purpose flour replacement for making a roux in my recipes such as in my chickpea flour gravy. 
• Vegan Butter: My favorites are Miyoko's oat butter and Earth Balance (you can use the spread or the buttery sticks and if necessary, use the soy-free version).
• Oat Milk: Be sure to use full-fat oat milk as the lower fat versions are not thick enough. If necessary, use a certified gluten-free brand such as Oatly which is certified GF in the United States.

To turn the sauce from a béchamel into a "cheese" sauce, I added nutritional yeast and American-style vegan cheese slices.

For the cheese slices, I highly recommend using Chao Creamy Original .

Chao not only reminds me so much of the American cheese I loved as a kid, but it also adds a velvety texture to this mac and cheese that dare I say it...resembles a certain "velvety" block of "cheese" often referred to as liquid gold. 😉

Anyway, if you are not able to purchase Chao or are looking for a soy-free option, my second recommendation would be Daiya's American-style slices.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with how creamy, melty and tasty these slices are.

Other soy-free options you could try are Follow Your Heart's or Good Planet's American-style, although I haven't tried these myself.

To complete the sauce, the remaining ingredients are mustard, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and turmeric.

What's the best pasta to use?

In these photos, I used Jovial's brown rice shells but feel free to use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Other shapes I would recommend are elbows or rotini/spirals/fusilli (names vary depending on brand).

How to make this vegan stovetop mac and cheese - step by step

Cook gluten-free pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, start the sauce by first melting vegan butter in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted, whisk in the chickpea flour to make a roux.

Whisk until it resembles a thick paste and is golden in color. Any clumps will melt during the cooking and whisking process in the next steps.

Whisk in the oat milk.

Then, whisk in mustard, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and turmeric.

Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, whisk for 30 seconds and then remove from heat.

Promptly whisk in the nutritional yeast.

Then, add the cheese slices in broken up pieces.

Whisk or stir continuously until the cheese has melted. You can return the sauce to the stovetop over low heat if the cheese isn't melting. 

Taste test and add more salt, if desired.

After draining the pasta, add it to the sauce pan with the cheese sauce.

Stir to combine.

Ideas for serving

You can enjoy this dish as is or add some veggies if you'd like, such as spinach, kale peas or broccoli. My personal favorite is to add in broccoli or peas and top with some crushed red pepper flakes.

This creamy pasta can also be served as a side with your favorite mains. We love it with our baked BBQ tofu, baked tofu bites and marinated tempeh.

Storing and reheating leftovers

Store leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave until warmed throughout or in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently (note that the pasta may break apart using this method). 

For more veganized comfort classics, check out these next:

• Vegan Pot Pie
• Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Vegan Lemon Risotto

This post originally appeared on Watch Learn Eat on January 4, 2019. It has been republished to reflect both recipe and photo revisions. Changes to the story were also made. 

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