Dairy Free Mac and Cheese

Lactose sensitive Mac and Cheese lovers rejoice! I wish I had tried this earlier. I have family members who are sensitive to dairy, and only just recently tried to make this substitute. If you have a blender or food processor, it couldn’t be easier.

Cashew Cream

The magic is in the cashew cream. It sounds a lot more complicated and decadent than it really is – it’s just cashews soaked in water and then blended. Cashews especially turn particularly smooth when they are pureed, unlike some other nuts. I am now keeping a jar of cashew cream in the fridge or freezer so I will be able to make a variety of dairy free sauces and dips at any time. In some ways it reminds me of my peanut butter sauce. It’s that versatile.

Nutritional Yeast

The cheesiness comes from the nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is “deactivated yeast”, and has a strong flavor that is described as nutty, cheesy, or creamy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. When added to the neutral cashew cream, it has the flavor of cheese with the texture of dreamy creaminess.

Vinegar

I’ve seen recipes calling for regular old white vinegar, and others who have used rice vinegar, and even others use lemon juice. If you do try it with something else, let me know how it turns out! Comment below or contact me.

Dairy Free, Vegan Mac and Cheese

The consistency of this creamy dish is rich, and the flavor of the vinegar mixed with the nutritional yeast hits the spot with a savory cheesy punch.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, vegan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Soaking time 30

Total Time 30

Servings 4

Author Peggy

Ingredients

1 cup raw cashew
1 1/2 cup water or broth
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 servings pasta shells or macaroni
1/4 tsp turmeric optional for color

Instructions

Soak raw cashews for 45 minutes in water, enough to cover nuts. Hot water allows the cashews to soften faster, in a fraction of the time.
Once the cashews are soft, put cashews, nutritional yeast, vinegar, garlic salt, and onion powder into the blender, reserving the soaking water for additional liquid to thin out the sauce.
Blend until smooth and combined, adding water as needed until you reach a pourable but creamy consistency.
Pour over cooked noodles and fold.

Notes

I make cashew cream in bulk and store it in a jar so I can just grab a few spoonfuls and mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl by hand.
For easier cleanup of my blender, I make my cashew cream a little thick, pour out as much as possible, then add water to the blender to get whatever is left sticking to the bottom and sides and combine it with the thicker cream. That cashew cream is white gold! Scraping and licking the blender jar is also an option, though not the cleanest.
I use a high powered Vitamix blender, but have been told a food processor works just as well. Choose the tool that works for you.

Peggy

Peggy is a freelance web consultant and fitness and lifestyle blogger. When she isn't helping other businesses grow their online presence, she enjoys experimenting with her workouts, nutrition, mindset, and other life hacks to help her live a happy, healthy, vibrant life with her husband and two boys. Follow her on https://flexitfit.com and https://thisabcmom.com.

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