Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

This vegan sweet potato mac and cheese is ultra creamy, comforting, and perfect for the fall season! The recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and made with wholesome ingredients. You’ll enjoy this healthy twist on the classic comfort food we all love.

Everyone loves mac and cheese. It’s a comforting, classic, childhood favorite for many of us. But, we aren’t all able to consume a giant bowl of shredded cheese and butter anymore. Whether you’re vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, or just looking to consume a healthier diet, this recipe is for you!

This vegan sweet potato mac and cheese is creamy, satisfying, and totally guilt-free with only nutritious ingredients. It’s a secretly healthy mac and cheese that brings comfort food to a whole new level. It has the indulgent texture and flavor of traditional mac, but actually contains no cheese at all.

What is vegan mac and cheese made of?

You can create vegan mac and cheese several different ways, but this recipe is based off of sweet potato, cashews, and nutritional yeast. Each of these ingredients contribute to a creamy, cheesy dairy-free sauce.

Here are all the ingredients in this vegan sweet potato mac and cheese:

• Sweet potato
• Cashews
• Nutritional yeast
• Tomato paste
• Lemon juice
• Garlic cloves
• Seasoning/spices
• Elbow noodles

How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

Let’s get right into it!

First, prepare pasta according to the package. I recommend cooking the pasta al dente because it will further cook when combined with the cheese sauce. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, soak the raw cashews. This step should not be skipped as it’s necessary for creating the creamiest sauce. To soak the cashews, simply bring a few cups of water to a boil. Then, pour the boiling water over the cashews. Soak for 30 minutes. After, drain the water completely. Set aside.

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While the cashews are soaking, peel and chop the large sweet potato. Boil the cubed sweet potato for 15-20 minutes or until soft and tender. You can determine the softness by pricking the sweet potato with a fork. After, drain water. Alternatively, you can bake or microwave the sweet potato and remove the skin afterwards.

Next, combine all ingredients (except the pasta, of course) to a high-speed blender. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed. Depending on the power of your blender, you may have to scrape the sides down in between blending to achieve a totally smooth sauce.

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It’s time to assemble the vegan sweet potato mac and cheese! Add the cheesy sauce and cooked elbow noodles to a pot. Stir to combine and heat for a few minutes until warm. Serve with toasted breadcrumbs (optional).

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Kaylie’s Tips:

• Use your favorite pasta. Any type of pasta or noodles will work for this recipe – feel free to use your favorite. I used a protein-packed, gluten-free elbow pasta made from chickpeas. It tastes the exact same as traditional pasta but it’s way healthier! I highly recommend trying it.
• Always soak the cashews. This step is essential for creating a creamy sauce. When soaking, the cashews retain water and become plump in size. This helps them blend later on.
• Do not omit the nutritional yeast. What is nutritional yeast? Nutritional yeast is a commonly used cheese replacement in vegan recipes. Not only does it provide protein and B vitamins, it has a cheesy flavor that contributes greatly to this vegan sweet potato mac and cheese.
• Although I recommend consuming this recipe immediately after making it, you can store leftovers in Tupperware in the refrigerator. Be sure to cool the mac and cheese before storing it. It will be more similar to baked mac and cheese upon reheating and should keep for 2 days.

If you love this Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese, you may also enjoy:

• Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
• Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup

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