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Vegan sweet potato mac and cheese is one of the best healthy comfort food meals! Your choice of pasta is tossed in a rich, creamy, and cheesy sweet potato sauce. The easy recipe is made with whole foods like cashews, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. It’s entirely dairy-free, oil-free, soy-free, and gluten-free friendly. It makes a great weeknight dinner for kids and adults!

vegan sweet potato mac and cheese inside a speckled ceramic bowl with breadcrumbs and a fork

Everyone loves mac and cheese. It’s certainly a favorite comfort food meal for many of us. But when you’re looking to consume a healthier diet, a big bowl of cheese and butter isn’t always the best option. So, this Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese makes for a delicious, nourishing replacement!

You’ll be shocked to learn this secretly-healthy mac and cheese recipe is packed with whole food ingredients. The vibrant orange sauce is made with sweet potatoes, raw cashews, and nutritional yeast. Secret flavor enhancers give it a salty and savory kick – like lemon juice, garlic, and mellow white miso paste. It all comes together nicely, creating a luscious pasta that’s reminiscent of classic mac and cheese.

Another great thing about this dish is that absolutely everyone can enjoy it. It’s made with no dairy, no soy, and no oil. Plus, if it’s needed, you can easily use a grain-free, gluten-free, or high protein pasta. This is probably one of the most convenient ways to get your kids eating more vegetables!

This sweet potato mac and cheese recipe is:

  • Vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, and oil-free
  • Rich, creamy, and “cheesy”
  • Easily made gluten-free or grain-free
  • Healthy & packed with wholesome ingredients
  • A nourishing, guilt-free comfort food!
a bowl of vegan sweet potato mac and cheese with breadcrumbs and a spoon

What is vegan sweet potato mac and cheese made of?

  • Pasta: Use any pasta of your choosing. I recommend keeping it simple with classic elbows or shells. If you need to, you can use a gluten-free or grain-free pasta.
  • Sweet potato: The star of the show! Boiled sweet potato is the key ingredient behind the vibrant orange, ultra creamy pasta sauce.
  • Cashews: This ingredient helps create a rich and creamy sauce. Make sure you use raw cashews, not roasted and salted cashews.
  • Water: Water thins the consistency of the sauce. You can swap it for nut milk, but it’s not necessary.
  • Nutritional yeast: This secret ingredient is frequently used in vegan cheese recipes because it has a “cheesy” flavor. Also, it’s loaded with B vitamins.
  • Tomato paste: This concentrated paste provides a savory, umami flavor. It also adds color to the sauce, making it brighter and more vibrant.
  • Lemon juice: Lemon adds a touch of tanginess that helps mimic the flavor of real cheese.
  • Mellow white miso paste: Similarly to tomato paste, this ingredient provides an umami flavor. If you can’t find it, you can omit it.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic provides more flavor than garlic powder, so I recommend using whole cloves.
  • Seasoning: A combination of onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder enhances the overall flavor.
bowls of ingredients for vegan sweet potato mac and cheese

How to make vegan sweet potato mac and cheese

For the full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

raw cashews soaking in water
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the cashews to a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cashews. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain the water.
chopped sweet potatoes boiling in a white le creuset dutch oven
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add chopped sweet potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender. After, drain the water. In a large pot, also cook the pasta according to the package instructions. After, drain and rinse.
soaked cashews, sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, miso paste, garlic, and spices inside a Vitamix blender
In a blender, add the cooked sweet potato, soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, lemon juice, mellow white miso paste, garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder.
vegan sweet potato pasta sauce blended inside a Vitamix blender
Blend ingredients on high speed, until completely smooth and creamy.
pouring vegan sweet potato sauce over cooked pasta inside a le creuset dutch oven
Transfer the cooked pasta back into the pot. Pour the “cheesy” sauce over the pasta. Gently toss to combine and warm.
a wooden spoon mixing vegan sweet potato mac and cheese inside a pot
Divide sweet potato mac and cheese amongst bowls to serve. Garnish with any toppings of your choosing, like toasted breadcrumbs or fresh herbs. Enjoy! 

Tips for making the best sweet potato mac and cheese

Use your favorite pasta. Any type of pasta or noodles will work for this recipe, so feel free to use your favorite. In terms of shape, I recommend keeping it simple with elbows or shells. If needed, you can use a gluten-free or grain-free variety. I love using chickpea pasta because it’s packed with protein.

Don’t forget to soak the cashews. This step is essential, so don’t skip it. Soaked cashews absorb water and become plump. This helps them blend into a smooth and creamy sauce.

Don’t skip the nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a commonly used cheese replacement in vegan and dairy-free recipes. Not only does it provide protein and B vitamins, but it also has a savory and cheesy flavor. It’s a super important ingredient – don’t omit it!

vegan sweet potato mac and cheese inside two ceramic bowls

How to store sweet potato pasta sauce

Although this recipe is best enjoyed immediately upon making it, you can store leftovers if needed. Simply transfer them to a tightly-sealed container and keep in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 2 days.

If you’d like to meal prep this recipe, I recommend preparing the cheesy sweet potato sauce ahead of time. Keep it stored in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator. Then, you can easily add it to cooked pasta when you’re ready to eat. Just reheat, garnish, and enjoy.

a close up of vegan sweet potato mac and cheese with a big serving spoon

More healthy sweet potato dinner recipes

If you try this Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

This post was originally published on October 25th, 2019. It was updated, with an improved recipe and new photos, on January 1st, 2024.

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Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: purelykaylie
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 5 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Cook, Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Vegan sweet potato mac and cheese is one of the best healthy comfort food dinners! The rich, creamy, cheesy pasta sauce is made with sweet potatoes, cashews, and nutritional yeast. It’s entirely dairy-free, oil-free, soy-free, and gluten-free friendly. The recipe is easy to make, and it’s a weeknight dinner idea for kids and adults alike. Plus, it’s a sneaky way to eat more veggies!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lb pasta of choice (gluten-free or grain-free if needed)
  • 3 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
  • 1 and 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp mellow white miso paste
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder

Instructions

  1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the cashews to a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cashews. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain the water.
  2. Meanwhile, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add chopped sweet potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until fork-tender. After, drain the water.
  3. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions. After, drain and rinse.
  4. In a large blender, add the cooked sweet potato, soaked cashews, water, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, lemon juice, mellow white miso paste, garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Blend on high, until completely smooth and creamy.
  5. Transfer the cooked pasta back into the pot. Pour the “cheesy” sauce over the pasta. Gently toss to combine and warm.
  6. Divide sweet potato mac and cheese amongst bowls to serve. Garnish with any toppings of your choosing, like toasted breadcrumbs or fresh herbs. Enjoy! 

Notes

  • Pasta of choice: I recommend using elbows or shells. If desired, you can use a gluten-free or grain-free variety.
  • How to store: This mac and cheese is best enjoyed immediately upon preparing. However, if you have leftovers, store inside a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 2 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 526
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Fat: 11g
  • Carbohydrates: 88g
  • Fiber: 9g
  • Protein: 20g

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