Vegan Macaroni Casserole

Total time1 hr

Prep time20 min

Cook time40 min

4.9

(12)

Creamy, bubbling, and topped with a shatteringly crisp panko crust, this casserole is the kind of comfort food that makes you forget you're eating something entirely plant-based. The secret to the rich, velvety sauce is a double-layered approach: soaked cashews blended smooth with vegetable broth form the base, then get folded into a vegan butter-and-flour roux with plant-based milk to create something genuinely thick and luscious. Nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, and a squeeze of lemon juice layer in that savory, tangy depth that makes the sauce taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Every piece of macaroni gets coated before the whole thing goes into a 375°F oven, where the edges turn bubbly and the breadcrumb topping goes deep golden brown. Resting the dish for five minutes before serving lets everything set up so you get clean, satisfying scoops rather than a runny mess. A scatter of fresh parsley at the end adds a little brightness and color that makes it look as good as it tastes. This recipe serves 6, so it's an easy choice for a weeknight family dinner or a potluck where you want to bring something genuinely crowd-pleasing.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the pasta

1 lb dry elbow macaroni
1 tsp salt

For the cheese sauce

1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours or in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drained
2 cups vegetable broth
½ cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup plant-based milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the topping

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp vegan butter, melted
¼ tsp smoked paprika

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook until just shy of al dente — tender but with a firm bite at the center, about 1 minute less than the package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

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