Description
This Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder recipe offers a delicious, dairy-free alternative to traditional mac and cheese. Made with nutritional yeast and a blend of spices, it’s a quick and easy recipe that can be mixed with cooked pasta and plant milk to create a creamy, flavorful vegan mac and cheese. Perfect for those seeking a comforting, plant-based meal with a cheesy taste.
Ingredients
Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder (or granules)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric (for color)
Pasta and Sauce
- 2 ½ cups macaroni (uncooked, approx. ½ cup per person)
- 1 ⅔ cups plant milk (⅓ cup per person)
- 1 cup Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder (3 tbsp per person)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (1 tsp per person)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (½ tsp per person)
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder: Measure and mix all the dry ingredients—nutritional yeast, plain flour, salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground black pepper, and turmeric—in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Store the Powder: For a long shelf life, transfer the mixed powder to a dry jar and keep it in a cool, dark place to maintain freshness.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well. If making the camping version without plant milk, reserve some pasta cooking water to use in place of the plant milk.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the drained pasta to a saucepan. Add the plant milk (or reserved pasta cooking water), the prepared vegan mac & cheese powder, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Thicken the Sauce: Stir the mixture over low heat continuously until the sauce thickens and achieves your desired creamy consistency. Avoid boiling to prevent curdling.
- Serve: Once thickened, serve immediately while warm and enjoy your creamy vegan mac and cheese.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1 cup of vegan mac & cheese powder, enough for 5 servings of mac and cheese.
- You can store the mac & cheese powder separately for future use and combine with pasta and plant milk whenever needed.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the plain flour with gluten-free flour.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to taste for a tangier cheese flavor.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more plant milk or pasta water to loosen it.
- This recipe is adaptable for camping by using pasta cooking water instead of plant milk.
