Nothing speaks to me like mac and cheese and for many it\’s our go to comfort food. However, if you’re allergic to dairy, lactose intolerant, or vegan by choice, what’s can you do?

Thankfully we have our friends at VegNews Magazine to come to our rescue. This is their number one mac and cheese recipe of all time. Make it once and you’ll know why.

I have reprinted this recipe in it’s original form, because I honestly can’t think of changing anything. Any changes to this recipe would only diminish it. Thank you to chef Allison Rivers Sampson for her wonderful interpretation of this classic.

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 quarts Water
1 tablespoon Sea Salt
8 ounces Macaroni
4 slices of Bread, torn into large pieces
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup Earth Balance
2 tablespoons Shallots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red or yellow Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Carrots, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup Onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup Water
1/4 cup raw Cashews
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon Garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente. In a colander, drain pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a food processor, make breadcrumbs by pulverizing the bread and 2 tablespoons margarine to a medium-fine texture. Set aside.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, add shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

In a blender, process cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup margarine, mustard, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Add softened vegetables and cooking water to the blender and process until perfectly smooth.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta and blended cheese sauce until completely coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 12 casserole dish, sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs, and dust with paprika. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top has turned golden brown.