I’m excited to announce the pre-order of my cookbook, SWEET POTATO SOUL. Purchase your copy today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indie Bound, or iBooks. Another version of this easy nut-free vegan mac and cheese recipe appears in the book. Vegan soul food for the win!!
Creamy, rich, comforting vegan mac and cheese without nuts? Yes, please. I’m allergic to cashews, so I rarely order mac and cheese when eating out. Over time I found simple ways to recreate the creamy texture of dairy- or nut-based sauces using wholesome ingredients. The secret here: humble white beans.
White kidney (cannellini) beans blend into a silky base when combined with non-dairy milk, a bit of arrowroot (a natural thickener), and nutritional yeast—producing a luscious, cheesy sauce. It’s surprisingly nutritious: white beans bring fiber, protein, antioxidants, and B-vitamins like folate. Nutritional yeast adds that savory, cheesy flavor and contributes protein and fortified B-vitamins, including B12 when fortified.
I used whole wheat elbow pasta, but you can substitute gluten-free pasta if preferred. Finish with some Fakin’ Bacon for a smoky crunch, and you’ve got a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal.
I also love my butternut squash mac and cheese recipe, but this white-bean version is quicker and easier to make—perfect for weeknights. 
Nut-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese | Easy Vegan Soul Food
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk or other plain non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, + more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon mellow miso, or white miso or chickpea miso
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast + more for garnish
- 1/2 cup cooked white kidney (cannellini) beans
- 1 package Lightlife Fakin’ Bacon tempeh bacon
- 8 ounces elbow pasta
- red chili flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the arrowroot with 1/4 cup of the milk in a small bowl, breaking up any clumps. Set aside.
- Warm the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté about 30 seconds, until it becomes slightly golden—be careful not to burn it.
- Pour in the remaining soy milk and add onion powder, salt, smoked paprika (if using), Dijon mustard, miso, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine and dissolve any miso or yeast clumps.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in the arrowroot-milk mixture.
- Stir continuously until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
- Add the cooked beans and stir for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and let the sauce cool until it’s safe to blend.
- While the sauce cools, pan-fry the tempeh bacon in a skillet with a thin coat of oil until crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Cut into small pieces when done.
- Cook the pasta al dente in well-salted water according to package directions (the elbows used here typically take 5–7 minutes). Drain and return pasta to the pot.
- Blend the cooled sauce until completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps remaining.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, extra nutritional yeast, or lemon juice to taste.
- Pour the “cheese” sauce over the pasta and stir to coat evenly.
- Serve hot topped with tempeh bacon pieces, red chili flakes, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.