Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese Bites

Creamy, cheesy, vegan mac and cheese bites, perfect for your next party or potluck. Made with simple ingredients like cashews, nutritional yeast, and vegetable broth. These bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food, but it's not always the most vegan-friendly dish. This recipe came about as an attempt to create a vegan mac and cheese that was just as cheesy and satisfying as the traditional version. After a few iterations, I finally came up with a recipe that I'm really happy with. It's made with simple, whole-food ingredients and it's gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

Prep time: 15 | Cook time: 20 | Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
3. While macaroni is cooking, soak cashews in hot water for 15 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse cashews.
5. In a blender, combine cashews, vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.
6. Blend until smooth.
7. Drain macaroni and add to blender.
8. Pulse until combined.

Why It Works

• Soaking the cashews in hot water helps to soften them and make them easier to blend into a smooth sauce.
• Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor and texture to the sauce.
• Lemon juice adds a bit of tanginess and brightness to the sauce.
• Garlic powder and onion powder add flavor and depth to the sauce.
• Smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor that complements the cheese flavor of the sauce.