The Best Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
Creamy, decadent and topped with a bacon and shallot breadcrumb crust, this is the Best Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese. Ready in less than an hour!
Ingredients
- 16 oz dry pasta
- 6 tbsp vegan butter separated
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic diced
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup bacon bits separated
- salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups non-dairy milk
- 8 oz vegan cream cheese
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 1/2 tsp turmeric optional*
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- fresh parsley for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.** Drain and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots and a pinch of salt & pepper to the pan. Cook until shallots are tender, but not browned (approx. 3-5 minutes). Remove from the heat.
- Combine breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of bacon bits and shallot/butter mixture in a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pan. Add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly.
- Stir in milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Once heated through and thickened, add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Add parmesan, veggie broth, turmeric, garlic salt, ground mustard, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of bacon bits and pepper. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning as needed. Add cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.
- Pour into a casserole dish and top with breadcrumb topping.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Increase heat to broil and bake until topping is browned. Remove from the oven, top with parsley and serve.
Notes
*The turmeric is just for coloring. If you decide not to use it, there will be no change in flavor, you just won't get that intense yellow color.
**You want to slightly undercook the pasta since it will continue to cook in the oven.
**When reheating, you may want to add some additional milk and butter to each serving to give it some additional moisture.