This Vegan Mac and Cheese Powder brings the convenience of the box to your pantry, minus the dairy! The mix is made without cashews or soy, so you can prepare it however you like. From a quick weeknight mac to a richer, more loaded-up version, you'll LOVE having this versatile vegan cheese powder in the pantry.

A pot of vegan mac and cheese prepared with homemade cheese powder.

Why Vegan Cheese Powder Is a Must-Have

Knowing this instant vegan mac and cheese powder is in the pantry is kind of like having a super power.

When you first mix it together, you'll look at this unassuming, tan-colored powder in a jar and think, "How could this possibly create good vegan mac and cheese?"

But then you'll whisk the powder with non-dairy milk, briefly heat it on the stove, and watch it transform from Clark Kent into the most helpful, life-saving, luscious vegan mac & cheese sauce imaginable! 🦸

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Why Vegan Cheese Powder Is a Must-Have
Ingredient Notes
How to Make and Use Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder
Options and Additions
More Ways to Use Vegan Cheese Powder
Recipe
💬 Comments

Okay, I'm being silly (I just woke up and haven't finished my coffee yet). But seriously, with just the right balance of tapioca, nutritional yeast, and seasonings, the resulting sauce is so smooth and unbelievably creamy, cheesy, and even stretchy-ish, just like dairy mac and cheese!

You can also use the powder to thicken and add flavor to casseroles, soups, gravy, and other sauces.

Ingredient Notes

Here's some info you might need about the key ingredients. You can find the full recipe at the bottom of the post.

nutritional yeast - This is the key ingredient for cheesy flavor. Sorry, but there is no substitute. Any brand is fine, but keep in mind that the color varies. Fortified nutritional yeast is more yellow and creates a classic boxed mac look, while non-fortified brands (like Sari, my go-to) are more tan in color and create a lighter, more "white" sauce. The vegan mac and cheese in the photos used a mix of both.
Flour - Helps create a smooth, creamy sauce and gives the powder that classic stovetop mac and cheese texture. Regular all-purpose flour tastes most neutral. Gluten-free and oat flour also work. But since oat flour has its own unique thickening abilities, you only need half as much.
Tapioca starch - This adds stretchiness and helps the sauce stay silky and glossy instead of grainy. I don't recommend subbing other starches, like arrowroot or cornstarch. But if you must, just know the consistency of the sauce will be more gloopy instead of stretchy.
Lactic acid - If you don't want to buy this specialty product, I completely understand. As a substitute, you could add lemon juice or vinegar to your prepared sauce. Lactic acid is quite useful, though. I use it in my tofu cream cheese and healthy cream cheese frosting. It provides the tangy flavor associated with cultured dairy products and cheddar-style cheese sauces (plus a hint of funk). You can find it online or in some specialty baking shops.
Seasonings - Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and dry mustard add savory depth and round out the cheesy flavor without overpowering it.

How to Make and Use Vegan Mac & Cheese Powder

The recipe makes enough powder for about 12 ounces of dry pasta. I recommend doubling or tripling it since the powder keeps for months.

I kept the batch small so you can test it out first, then scale things up for your real-deal, pantry superhero batch.

Whisking together dry cheesy ingredients in a glass measuring cup.

Measure/Weigh

First, measure out all of the ingredients. Use a kitchen scale if you have one.

Blend

I highly recommend blending the mixture. Technically, you don't have to, but I've tried it both ways and the finer powder dissolves better and creates a much silkier sauce.

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Simmering non-dairy milk and cheese powder on the stove until thickened and creamy.

Cook

For each serving of vegan mac and cheese, use ¾ to 1 cup plain non-dairy milk and ¼ cup of the powder. Whisk together, then slowly bring to a simmer on the stovetop. As it's getting hot, be sure to whisk frequently to avoid lumps.

Cook your pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Folding cooked pasta into the creamy sauce.

Toss with pasta

Once your sauce is thickened and creamy and the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta and toss it with the cheese sauce.

Voila! Instant vegan mac and cheese! Taste for seasoning and enjoy.

Options and Additions

Don't be afraid to play around with the flavors and have fun customizing your vegan macaroni and cheese!

Type of Milk: I've tested the cheese powder with almond milk, soy milk, and a combo of soy + homemade cashew milk. They all work great! Obviously, cashew milk is the way to go if you want to bump up the creamy mouthfeel while keeping it oil-free and made from whole foods.

Add Some Fat: You can add richness with the type of milk you choose and/or by adding oil or vegan butter.

In my most recent batch (2 servings), I used half soy milk and half cashew milk that I made with ¼ cup raw cashews and 1 cup water. You can adjust the amount of cashews to make it as light or rich as you want.

Adjust the Acidity: Lactic acid is best used in moderation, just because of the nature of that flavor. So when you're making the sauce, you might find you want an additional source of tanginess. It's amazing what a squeeze of lemon juice can do for all kinds of homemade vegan cheese. If you don't have lemon, a tiny splash of any mild/white vinegar will do!