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Jump to recipeHere we are, back again with recipe number three in my Mac Attack Recipe series! If you missed it and love carbs like me, I highly recommend going back to last week’s Mac Daddy Grilled Cheese. It can be made with the first recipe, or if it sounds more appealing, today’s gooey Quick Stovetop Mac recipe would be just as delicious!
“I love macaroni and cheese. I could eat it every meal of every day.”
-Cobie Smulders
Yes, Cobie! Who couldn’t!? The classic pairing of pasta and cheese is right up there with peanut butter and chocolate! It’s like a warm hug after a rough day. It is truly a bowl full of comfort.
After starting off with my go-to “Not-So-Basic” mac, I thought I should reign things in a little and make a mac that features real, fake cheese. It still doesn’t contain any dairy, but this recipe is designed to, maybe, ease dairy fans into the world of dairy-free mac and cheese.
VEGAN Cheese? … WHAAAT?
There are so many vegan cheeses on the market these days, and I’ve eaten a lot of vegan cheeses in the last 7 years. They continue to evolve and get better and better! The trick to this quick stovetop mac and cheese is to use a variety to really balance out the flavors. In addition to going with a couple of vegan cheeses, I add a little bit of dairy-free cream cheese to make it super creamy. I like to add a little bit of apple cider vinegar to this one too. It provides the tang necessary to help cut the richness of the sauce and keep it from feeling too heavy!
If you can’t find Daiya or Chao vegan cheeses in your local grocery, natural food store, or Whole Foods, see if you can get Amazon Fresh, groceries delivered to your door! I’m a huge fan of Amazon Fresh, and they just announced they are starting to deliver your Whole Foods order in 2-hours! (Limited availability at the moment but expanding soon!)
Like the “Not-So-Basic” Mac, this Quick Stovetop version is a great basis for the other recipes in this series! Try them both and see which one you prefer. Use it wherever “basic macaroni” appears in my future recipes. Next week’s Easy BBQ Mac is one recipe to use your favorite of my basic recipes. Now, let’s make some macaroni and cheese!
Ingredients
- 1-lb Small Shaped Pasta (elbows, mini shells, cavatappi, pick your favorite!)
- 1 TBSP Earth Balance (dairy-free margarine)
- 1 1/2 TBSP AP Flour
- 2-3 cups Non-Dairy Milk (use rice or soy to keep this recipe nut free)
- 3.5 oz Chao Creamy Original (1/2 a package), slices chopped into smaller pieces
- 4 oz Daiya Dairy Free Cream Cheese
- 8 oz Daiya Cheddar Shreds
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tsp Granulated Garlic
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
- 2 tsp Hot Sauce
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package directions and drain.
- In large saucepan, melt Earth Balance over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in 2 cups milk, whisking until smooth. Heat to a low boil.
- Add Chao to the milk mixture stirring until melted. Whisk in Daiya Cream Cheese and Cheddar Shreds until smooth and melted.
- As the cheese sauce comes together, add in Apple Cider Vinegar, granulated garlic, onion powder, and 1 tsp of dijon mustard. Mix to combine thoroughly.
- Remove from heat and stir in additional dijon mustard and nutritional yeast.
- Pour sauce over pasta, mixing well to coat the noodles. Serve warm.
