This vegan cauliflower mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, and on the table in 30 minutes. The sauce is made from simmered cauliflower and cashews blended with nutritional yeast, a little miso, and Dijon until it’s silky enough to coat every noodle. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and the kind of dinner that kids eat without asking what’s in it.
I’ll be honest: I’ve made a lot of vegan mac and cheese that tasted like a health food trying very hard. This one doesn’t. The cauliflower gives the sauce body without any starchy flour roux, the cashews make it rich, and the nutritional yeast and miso bring that savory, slightly tangy flavor you’d normally get from cheddar. A squeeze of lemon at the end wakes the whole thing up.
It also happens to be one of the easiest ways I know to sneak a vegetable into a bowl of pasta. Half a head of cauliflower disappears into the sauce, and nobody notices. If you liked the cashew cream in my Vegan Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, this is the same idea in its coziest form.
Make it for a weeknight dinner, a side dish next to roasted veggies, or a big batch for lunches. It reheats better than most mac and cheese, too.
Why This Recipe Is So Good
It’s genuinely creamy. Cauliflower and cashews simmer together until soft, then blend into a velvety sauce with no flour or thickeners.
Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Use your favorite gluten-free elbows (brown rice or chickpea both work) and the whole recipe fits vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.
One pot for the sauce, one for the pasta. Everything simmers in the same skillet, gets blended, and goes right back in.
Hidden veggies. About 3 cups of cauliflower per batch, and it tastes like comfort food, not a side salad.
Ready in 30 minutes. The cauliflower simmers while the pasta water comes to a boil.
Kid-approved and meal-prep friendly. It keeps for 4 to 5 days and reheats beautifully with a splash of milk.
Ingredients
The tools you’ll need are a large deep skillet or saucepan with a lid, a large pot for the pasta, and a high-speed blender. A high-speed blender matters here; it’s what turns the cashews completely smooth.
Smoked paprika, black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley, for serving
How To Make Vegan Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
From start to finish this takes about 30 minutes. Put the pasta water on first and everything lines up.
Step 1: Soften the shallot and garlic
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds more. You want them tender and sweet, not browned.
Step 2: Simmer the cauliflower and cashews
Pour in the almond milk and vegetable broth, then add the cauliflower florets and cashews. Bring it to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft and a fork slides through it with no resistance. Keep the heat at a low bubble; a hard boil can make almond milk separate.
Step 3: Blend the sauce until silky
Carefully transfer everything from the skillet into a high-speed blender. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Vent the lid (hot liquids expand) and blend for 60 to 90 seconds, until completely smooth with no cashew grit. Taste it. It should be a little saltier and tangier than you think, because the pasta will mellow it out.
Step 4: Cook the pasta
While the sauce blends, cook the gluten-free macaroni in the boiling water until just al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package says. Gluten-free pasta goes soft fast, and it keeps cooking in the sauce. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water before draining, then drain the pasta. Don’t rinse it; the starch on the noodles helps the sauce cling.
Step 5: Combine the pasta and sauce
Pour the sauce back into the skillet over low heat and add the drained pasta. Stir until every noodle is coated, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water at a time until the sauce is loose and glossy. It will thicken as it sits, so stop a little thinner than you’d like. Taste once more for salt.
Step 6: Serve and garnish
Spoon the mac and cheese into bowls and finish with a dusting of smoked paprika, cracked black pepper, and chopped parsley. Serve it right away while it’s at its creamiest.
Tips for Success
Cut the cauliflower small. Smaller florets soften evenly and blend smoother. If you’re using frozen cauliflower, add a few minutes of simmering time.
Don’t skip the high-speed blender. A regular blender can leave the cashews slightly gritty. If that’s all you have, soak the cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes before simmering.
Season the sauce boldly. Underseasoned sauce is the number one reason vegan mac and cheese tastes flat. Taste it after blending and add more salt or lemon if it needs it.
Use pasta water, not more milk, to thin. The starch keeps the sauce glossy and helps it hold onto the noodles.
Pick your pasta carefully. Brown rice elbows give the most classic texture. Chickpea elbows add protein but need a close eye, because they overcook quickly.
Serve it warm. Like any mac and cheese, it firms up as it cools. Stir in a splash of warm water or milk right before serving if it’s been sitting.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It makes a great grab-and-go lunch; my ultimate guide to meal prepping has ideas for building it into the week.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of almond milk or water, stirring until creamy again. In the microwave, add a splash of liquid and heat in 45-second bursts, stirring between each.
Freezing: Freeze the sauce on its own for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and toss with freshly cooked pasta. Frozen and reheated gluten-free pasta tends to turn mushy, so I don’t recommend freezing the finished dish.
Variations
Baked mac and cheese: Spread the finished mac in a baking dish, top with gluten-free panko tossed in olive oil, and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Nut-free: Swap the cashews for ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, or replace them with 1 cup peeled, diced Yukon gold potato and add it with the cauliflower.
Extra protein: Use chickpea pasta and stir in a cup of white beans, or top each bowl with crispy roasted chickpeas.
Add greens: Fold in a few handfuls of baby spinach or steamed broccoli during the final stir.
Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne to the blender and finish with hot sauce. For a roasted, smoky topping, pile on some Mexican Air Fryer Cauliflower.
No miso? Leave it out and add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of extra lemon juice. You’ll lose a little depth, but it’s still great.
FAQ
Does cauliflower mac and cheese actually taste like cheese?
It tastes cheesy, savory, and tangy, which is what most of us love about mac and cheese, but it isn’t an exact copy of cheddar. The nutritional yeast and miso do most of the “cheese” work, the Dijon and lemon add sharpness, and the cauliflower flavor fades into the background once everything is blended.
Can I make vegan mac and cheese without cashews?
Yes. Raw sunflower seeds blend into a similarly rich sauce, or you can use a peeled Yukon gold potato for creaminess. Both keep the recipe nut-free; just simmer them with the cauliflower the same way.
Is this cauliflower mac and cheese gluten-free?
It is, as long as you use certified gluten-free pasta and check your miso and vegetable broth labels. Some miso is made with barley, so look for one made from rice or chickpeas.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely. Blend the sauce up to 4 days ahead and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. It thickens when cold, so warm it gently with a splash of milk before tossing it with hot pasta.
Is vegan cauliflower mac and cheese healthy?
It’s a lighter, more nourishing take on the classic. You get a serving of vegetables, healthy fats from cashews, B vitamins from nutritional yeast, and no saturated fat from dairy. It’s still a pasta dish, so if you’re watching portions, pair it with a green salad or Crispy Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Will kids eat this?
In my experience, yes. It’s mild and creamy, and the turmeric gives it that familiar boxed-mac color. If your kids are sensitive to “grown-up” flavors, start with half the Dijon and skip the smoked paprika on top.
Final Thoughts
This vegan cauliflower mac and cheese is my answer to a comfort-food craving on a busy night: creamy, cheesy, packed with a hidden vegetable, and ready in 30 minutes. Make a batch, keep the leftovers for lunch, and let me know in the comments how it went in your house.
Creamy vegan cauliflower mac and cheese made with a blended cashew-cauliflower sauce, nutritional yeast, and gluten-free elbows. Ready in 30 minutes and kid-approved.
1lb (16 oz) gluten-free elbow macaroni (brown rice or chickpea)
Smoked paprika, black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 3–4 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add the almond milk, vegetable broth, cauliflower, and cashews. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 12–15 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft.
Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender. Add the nutritional yeast, miso, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Vent the lid and blend 60–90 seconds until completely smooth. Taste and adjust.
Cook the pasta 1 minute less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
Return the sauce to the skillet over low heat. Add the pasta and stir to coat, adding pasta water a splash at a time until glossy and loose.
Serve topped with smoked paprika, black pepper, and parsley.
Notes
Use certified gluten-free pasta, miso, and broth for a strictly gluten-free dish.
Nut-free: replace cashews with ½ cup raw sunflower seeds or 1 cup diced Yukon gold potato.
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 5 days. Freeze the sauce only (up to 2 months).
Nutrition is an estimate calculated with brown rice pasta and will vary with brands.
