Creamy Vegan Mac & Cheese
This creamy coconut vegan mac & cheese is rich, comforting, and completely dairy-free. Made with classic elbow macaroni, full-fat coconut milk, and Daiya vegan cheddar cheese, it delivers a smooth, satisfying texture without complicated ingredients. It’s an easy stovetop recipe that works as a main dish or a flavorful side and serves as the perfect base for fusion add-ins like jerk mushrooms, rasta veggies, or curry chickpeas.
Ingredients
- 12 oz elbow macaroni (about 3 cups dry)
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1½ cups full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups Daiya vegan cheddar cheese , shredded
- ½ cup Daiya vegan mexican blend cheese
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¾-1 tsp salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup pasta water (to loosen sauce)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta We boiled the elbow macaroni in well-salted water until al dente, then drained and set it aside.
- Build the creamy base . In a saucepan over medium heat, we melted vegan butter, slowly whisked in the coconut milk, letting it thicken into a rich, silky sauce.
- Melt the cheese . Once the heat was lowered, we added the Daiya vegan cheese and stirred until fully melted and smooth.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper brought the sauce to life.
- Combine and serve The cooked elbows were folded into the sauce until fully coatedand creamy, and irresistible.
Notes
Final Thoughts
This Creamy Coconut Vegan Mac & Cheese is one of those recipes that reminds us why simple food done right always wins. It’s cozy, nostalgic, and flexible enough to become whatever you need it to be — classic, spicy, or fully fusion.
If you make it, tag @jerktavern so we can see your spin on it. We love seeing how our community makes these recipes their own.
Comfort food, the plant-based way 🤍
Nutrition
Calories: 2161kcalCarbohydrates: 271gProtein: 60gFat: 96gSaturated Fat: 70gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 597mgPotassium: 1861mgFiber: 14gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1571IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 152mgIron: 17mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
