The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese with Nutritional Yeast

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Creamy, cheesy-tasting macaroni made with cashews and nutritional yeast, perfect for a satisfying plant-based comfort meal. This American-inspired vegetarian recipe (vegan), ready in about 30 minutes, pairs elbow pasta, raw cashews, nutritional yeast for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 American cuisine 380 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The blender we’d make this in → Best Blenders for 2026: Top Picks + Smoothie Season Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Cook 8 oz elbow pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Step 2: Soak 1/2 cup raw cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender with 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 cup water. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth and creamy.
  3. Step 3: Return drained pasta to the pot, pour in the cashew sauce, and stir over low heat for 3-4 minutes until sauce coats the pasta evenly and thickens slightly.

Related recipes