Dairy-Free Stovetop Mac and Cheese
This dairy-free stovetop mac and cheese gets a rich, melty sauce from vegan cheddar, oat milk, and a little coconut milk, and it's on the table in 35 minutes.
Recipe by Andrew Tibbs, the Non Dairy Dude in Dairy-Free Dinner Recipes and Dairy-Free Pasta Recipes
Published
Dude Note
This was the first recipe I taught myself after cutting dairy. A weeknight with no mac and cheese felt like a personal insult. I made an embarrassing number of gluey, gummy batches before I figured out what was going wrong. The fix that actually mattered: a splash of starchy pasta water stirred in right at the end. Don't skip it. I did, for months, and paid for it every time.
This dairy-free stovetop mac and cheese is what I make on a weeknight when I want the classic version, not a project. No oven, no soaking cashews overnight. About 35 minutes start to finish. The sauce begins as a plain vegan butter and flour roux, then gets thinned out with oat milk and a splash of canned coconut milk. That combination is what keeps it glossy and pourable. Skip the coconut milk and you'll end up somewhere drier and grainier.
Most vegan mac and cheese recipes lean entirely on nutritional yeast for flavor. This one doesn't. I use real dairy-free cheddar shreds for the melt: Violife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart all work fine here. Nutritional yeast still makes an appearance, but just a tablespoon, for depth. It tastes like the mac and cheese you actually grew up with. Lemon juice and a spoonful of Dijon keep it from going flat or one-note.
It's egg-free by default and easy to make gluten-free. My kids eat it without complaint, which in this house counts as a five-star review. Want it baked and bubbling instead? I've got a dairy-free baked mac and cheese for that.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 ozelbow macaroni
- Salt for pasta water
Sauce
- 4 tbspvegan butter
- 4 tbspall-purpose flour
- 2 cupsunsweetened oat milk
- ½ cupcanned coconut milk
- 2 tbsplemon juice
- 1 tbspnutritional yeast
- 2 tspdijon mustard
- 1 tsponion powder
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1 tspsmoked paprika (optional)
- ½ tspturmeric (optional, for color)
- 1½ tspsalt
- ½ tspblack pepper
- 8 ozshredded vegan cheddar
- 8 ozvegan mozzarella or parmesan
Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.
- 2
Make the roux: In the same pot over medium heat, melt the vegan butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells slightly nutty.
- 3
Add the liquids: Slowly whisk in the oat milk, then the coconut milk. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken, about 4–5 minutes.
- 4
Season the sauce: Stir in the nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- 5
Melt the cheese: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded vegan cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- 6
Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until every piece is coated.
- 7
Serve: Dish into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chives, or dairy-free breadcrumb topping.
How we make it dairy-free
- Butter → Swap in vegan butter to build the roux that thickens the sauce.
- Whole milk & cream → Use oat milk plus a splash of canned coconut milk for a creamy, glossy sauce.
- Cheddar → Use dairy-free cheddar shreds (Violife, Daiya, or Follow Your Heart) for real melt.
- Cheesy depth → Add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and some Dijon for savory background, not a nooch-forward taste.
Tips & Variations
Extra creamy: Blend in soaked cashews or a cooked potato for added body.
Spicy kick: Add a few dashes of hot sauce or ½ tsp smoked paprika.
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free elbow pasta and substitute the all-purpose flour with a GF flour blend.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best dairy-free cheese for mac and cheese?⌄
Shred-style dairy-free cheddars melt the smoothest. Violife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart all work well. Add them on low heat and give them a minute to soften before you decide whether the sauce needs a little more liquid.
Can I make it without coconut milk?⌄
Yes. The coconut milk adds richness, but you can use more oat milk or a couple tablespoons of dairy-free cream cheese instead. If you do use coconut milk, choose full-fat canned (not the carton kind) and an unsweetened, unflavored variety so it stays savory.
How do I reheat dairy-free mac and cheese?⌄
The sauce firms up once chilled. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of oat milk, stirring until it loosens back into a creamy sauce. Avoid high heat, which can make dairy-free cheese greasy.
Can I make this gluten-free?⌄
Yes. Use gluten-free elbow pasta and swap the all-purpose flour in the roux for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Everything else in the recipe is already gluten-free.
Dairy-Free Stovetop Mac and Cheese · https://nondairydude.com/recipes/dairy-free-stovetop-mac-and-cheese
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