The ultimate comfort food just got a major upgrade in this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese!
Your eyes are not deceiving you, this really is Dairy-free Mac and Cheese
No, really. It is. There is absolutely ZERO cheese involved in this recipe which is partly why it’s so brilliant. The other reason is that is PACKED with vegetables. Um hmmmmm. Veggies!
And you’ll never know they’re in there. This Dairy-free Mac and Cheese is so silky, rich, creamy and cheesy that it fooled even my most discerning, veggie-sniffing daughter. Not kidding, this kid can smell a hidden veggie from miles away like a customs dog on the hunt for pineapples and cigars.
The day I developed this recipe was the first official ‘real snow’ of the season here in Boulder. The girls came running into the house just as I was pulling the bowl of mac and cheese off the table by the window where I’d been photographing it and they immediately started to inhale it. Still in jackets, hats and snow boots. And there may have been a fight over the last noodle, too.
Naturally, I asked: “Is it good?” They both nodded and smiled. Satisfied with their answer, I turned to walk into my office and heard my oldest say to my mom as I left the room: “That wasn’t REAL mac and cheese. I don’t know what it was but it was good.” YASSSSSSS!
Mom: 1, Veggie-sniffer-outer: 0
The secret is in the sauce
Okay, enough about my on-going endeavor to hide all the veggies – you came here to learn how to make the BEST Dairy-free Mac and Cheese, right?
Well, the secret (as you might imagine) is veggies. Taking a cue from an old vegan cookbook I leafed through at a thrift store this summer I combined butternut squash, cauliflower, onions and garlic to create a silky smooth puree in the perfect shade of orange. Then to make it tangy and savory like cheese I used nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a bit of dijon mustard (like we did here in this Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce) and voila!
Super creamy, non-dairy, nut-free cheesiness if now yours to pour all over your favorite gluten-free pasta (or roasted cauliflower if you’re looking for a grain-free and/or lower carb option).
A food-allergy sufferers dream come true
Whether it’s dairy, soy, gluten, eggs or corn that can’t tolerate, you can make this recipe work for you. Even our plant-based friends can partake in this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
#macandcheeseforeveryone
Put the ultimate comfort food back on the menu with this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese!
Video: How to make dairy free mac and cheese
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Dairy-free Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. coconut or avocado oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
- 3 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegan)
- 1 ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Scant ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 – 1 ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta of choice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan with lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions start to soften.
- Add garlic, stir and cook another 30 seconds to a minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add squash, cauliflower, and broth and bring to a steady simmer.
- Once simmering, cover pan with lid and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15-18 minutes. You may need to lower the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and prevent it from boiling.
- When veggies are very tender, transfer to a blender. Add the lemon juice, mustard, salt, and nutritional yeast and blend until very smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before pouring over your favorite cooked pasta (or roasted vegetables).
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6th recipe
- Calories: 376
- Fat: 7g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Carbohydrate: 71g
- (Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 7g)
- Protein: 12g
Dietary
What’s your favorite thing serve with Mac and Cheese? Are you a vegetable hider too? Share in the comments below.
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I’ve recently been put on a dairy and soy free diet for as long as I continue nursing my 2 month old. I’m missing comfort foods so much it’s painful. This sauce was so delicious I’ve already told friends about it. My husband is not very adventurous with food, especially when it includes vegetables or anything deemed healthier. I didn’t tell him there was actually no cheese in the dish until after he ate it and said how good it was! Ha!
Followed the recipe exactly. Turned out amazing. I plan on keeping this recipe on hand and definitely making it for my baby when he’s older. Thank you!
This is amazing! So great to hear you enjoyed this recipe and I love the bit about your husband not even realizing it was dairy free. I do that with my husband quite often. haha! And thanks for sharing with friends 🙂
Just like a previous commenter, I recently had to go dairy-free for my nursing baby. I also have a 2 year old, so mac n cheese is a staple in our house, and I’ve been jealous watching him eat it. I made this recipe tonight, and it’s totally delicious and satisfies the comfort food craving! As a bonus, my 2 year old also ate it and unknowingly probably got a week’s worth of veggies. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
This is so great! Glad you were able to satisfy that craving and boost your kiddo’s veggie intake at the same time.
Can you tell me if the “cheese” freezes well? I’d be looking to make the sauce in bulk, and freezing it for quicker use when kiddo wants mac n cheese.
Hi Christy,
Honestly, I can’t say if it freezes well since I haven’t tried it. My guess is that it would be fine but may need to be whisked a bit to bring it back together once it’s thawed. If you try it, we’d love to hear how it works for you.
I froze half of this recipe, and it defrosts perfectly! I just added it to the cooked, hot pasta and warmed it up in the pan for a few minutes before eating. Perfect!
Awesome. Thanks for letting us know how it turned out – we’ve recently had others asking about freezing it so this is super helpful!
Made it really had to correct the seasoning and add other spices and seasonings to it as the recipe is very bland.
Hi Adam,
I’m sorry to hear that yours turned out so bland – good call on adding spices to suit your individual taste.
Hi! I am allergic to yeast, is that a necessary ingredient?
Hi Ashley,
The yeast is not necessary as far as texture, etc. It just adds a nice savory (or ‘umami’) flavor that’s much like cheese. You could get the same result from adding a little dijon mustard and perhaps a tiny bit of tamari or something like Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.