I played around in my kitchen until I perfected my recipe for Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder! And it it the best!!
Why is boxed mac & cheese so good? Because it's convenient, quick, it patiently waits for you in the cupboard until hunger strikes, and it tastes gooooood. I've miss boxed mac & cheese in my life. Now there are definitely vegan boxed mac & cheese's available in health food store and online, and I've tried a few myself but I was always underwhelmed and thought I could probably do better. And so I did.
How fun is that!? It's all the fun. And it's oh so creamy, cheesy, vegan yummy, pasta perfection. ~drool~
Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder is super duper easy to make. Just add all the ingredients to a jar and shake. That's it! You can make as much or as little as of this mac and cheese powder as you like, and store it in the cupboard until a vegan mac and cheese craving strikes.
My recipe makes about 1 cup of powder which is enough for 4 cups of uncooked macaroni noodles (about 4 boxes). But feel free to multiply or reduce the recipe as you see fit. Then just store your jar of Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder in your pantry until ready for use.
Bonus points: my Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder recipe is completely nut-free, soy-free, oil-free, and with a gluten-free option. Making this recipe very allergy and whole-food plant-based friendly (just depending on which flour, plant-based milk, and pasta you choose to use).
The secret ingredient in this recipe is lemon pepper which adds a nice little sharpness to the creamy sauce, which really makes for a cheesy taste. Mix that with cheesy nutritional yeast, flour for thickening and for creaminess, and spices for flavouring and colour. Oooeee is this so simple and SO tasty.
It's convenient, quick, cupboard stable, and it tastes really, really, gooooood!!
Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and whisk while cooking until the sauce thickens, 2 - 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the pot along with the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
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Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder
Servings: (makes 1 cup of powder)
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Ingredients
To make homemade vegan mac & cheese powder:
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, (sub whole wheat or all-purpose gluten-free flour if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
To prepare vegan mac & cheese:
- 1 cup uncooked macaroni noodles, (gluten-free if preferred)
- ¾ cup plant-based milk, (such a s soy or almond)
- ¼ cup prepared Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder
Instructions
To make the vegan mac & cheese powder:
- Add all of the ingredients to an air-tight container. Stir or shake well to combine. Store in your pantry until needed.
To prepare vegan mac & cheese
- Cook the macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta. Return the pot to the stove (heat off) and pour in the plant-based milk and ¼ cup of Homemade Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder and whisk together. Turn the heat back on to medium-high heat and whisk while cooking until the sauce thickens, 2 - 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the pot along with the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
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Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Serena says
This is one the best vegan recipes around. I think I make this dish almost every week adding a different veggies every times and it never disappoints. Make sure you use soy milk though, the other kinds make the dish taste a bit bland in my opinion.
Rose says
Could you use this for scalloped potatoes?
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Try this recipe instead! Cheese Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Susan says
Could I use oat flour instead of all purpose?
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes, I've personally tried it with great success!
Stephanie says
I have been using this recipe for awhile and my whole family loves it. My kids eat it up and I make it at least once a week, It’s so easy and I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Susan F barron says
Just made this and enjoyed it very much. I had to use less salt than called for due to a dietary restriction but I did not miss it! The sauce came out a bit thinner than I expected but that is most likely how it is supposed to be. Any suggestions on how I could make it a bit thicker would be appreciated. This is a keeper!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We're so glad you like it! If you prefer the sauce to be a little thicker, cut the plant milk down and thin gradually if you find it too thick.
Carol says
Hi Jess,
When I did chef’s training, we were encouraged not to drain pasta too well and even to save a bit of the water. By incorporating some of the starchy water, sauces will thicken and coat the pasta.
Perhaps that will help with this reader’s issue.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great sugggestion, Carol!
Chad says
Yummy!
Cynthia says
Easy, incredibly creamy, and so satisfying! I made this for my vegan son and we both enjoyed it immensely. The mix and recipe would make a thoughtful gift item!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks for your review!
Betsy says
Could this powder be sprinkled on popcorn, or does it have to be used as a sauce?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yes you could do that but I would omit the flour. Enjoy!
LucyLu says
I made this recipe last weekend to have available for a quick meal option. I made the mac and cheese recipe using this spice combination as per the instructions and found it to be quite delicious and satisfying when I was craving a cheese flavor. I absolutely love the convenience of having everything measured out and ready to go ahead of time. I will definitely be making this again and prepping a double batch.
Stacey says
This came out great! I added TVP bacon bits and it was a smash hit with the family. Tomorrow I plan to put this delicious sauce over a baked potato.
Eve Norwood says
Great to have in the pantry. Easy to make and easy to prepare as a cheez sauce. I can get dinner on the table in 15 minutes!
Angie Jones says
Such a wonderful recipe for an amazing cheesy ingredient. I have used this with veggies as well as with pasta and very happy with the results.
Agnes Chrismer says
Since I've been making this powder I take it with me to some restaurants to add flavor to my vegys and or olive oil garlic pastas. This makes my meals so much more interesting. Thank you
G Babcock says
The recipe doesn't sound that great. Actually, it look kinda odd. But I was for mac & cheese. And... this recipe is AMAZING!!
(I should know better than to doubt the incomparable Sam Turnbull !!)
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hahaha! Wonderful!
James says
Delicious! I love combining with frozen broccoli and peas!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Great additions!
Tonni says
My son loves regular mac n cheese, but ALSO loves this recipe, and asks for this instead.. often! <3
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We love that!
Laura says
Yes Ma’am! Absolutely better than anything else I’ve tried for a “Krappy Dinner” substitute. And I mean that in the most affectionate way, whichever Cdn brand of regular boxed Mac we’re talking about. Yours is Defo better and no margarine to boot! Thank you for the lemon pepper magic ingredient. I found it at Walmart. Ha!
Classic additions of chopped veggie weenies, and some frozen peas when I returned the pasta to the pot to heat up, and sliced fresh tomato on top, cuz my mum taught me to add some stuff, but really the best by its cheesy, saucy self.
Pretty container purchased for this new staple.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes yes yes! To all of that! I love frozen peas in mine too. 🙂
Rebecca says
This is the only Mac n cheese powder I use. I’ve tried other recipes but this is by far the best tasting and satisfying recipe for me! I make a large batch of this recipe to cook up whenever I want a quick meal especially on work nights. So glad I found this recipe! ❤️
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Terrific! We're thrilled to hear it!
Kathleen says
This is SO good!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yay!
Jessie says
Love this recipe! I'm trying to stop using white flour, though. If its purpose is to thicken, do you think cornstarch or arrowroot powder could work?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Jessie, yes that cold work although I'm not sure the exact quantity of either because I haven't tested it. However whole wheat flour should work fine if that fits your needs. 🙂
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Carla says
I made this with the Morena sugar and it was just fine. Morena is all I keep in the house and use for all my cooking and baking needs. I also find Morena sugar at the Dollar Tree!!