If there ever was a comfort food, mac and cheese it is!! And this is truly the best of the best! It’s creamy. It’s cheesy. It’s got a delicious crunchy topping. It’s heaven on earth!! AND it has absolutely no dairy in it! Oh how I’ve dreamed about mac and cheese since I became a vegan. Cheese is the only thing I’ve missed since I became a vegan, but it’s just not worth it. I was so so happy when I found Daiya cheese. Vegan cheese can be scary. For the most part it’s not good…with the exception of Daiya. This stuff is seriously revolutionary! Anyhoo, here’s the recipe for mac and cheese!
Vegan Mac and Cheese (makes about 8 generous servings)
Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound elbow pasta (I use whole wheat)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 cups soymilk or almond milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 1/2 Cups Daiya Vegan Cheese, cheddar style
Breadcrumbs (I like whole wheat Panko bread crumbs for this)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente; drain and reserve.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until there are no lumps.
Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, if using, and cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Toss pasta with cheese mixture. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or individual dishes.
Top pasta with breadcrumbs. Bake until top is golden, about 30 minutes.
