Vegan Mac and Cheese Powder

Close up of extra creamy vegan mac and cheese in a pot.

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings:4 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

This versatile vegan cheese powder lets you customize your mac and cheese however you like! Heat it up with your favorite plain non-dairy milk, and add richness with a little olive oil or vegan butter. Or keep it oil-free with homemade cashew or sunflower seed milk.

Yield: makes 1 cup powder (enough for about 10 oz dry pasta, or 4 to 5 servings of prepared mac and cheese). I recommend doubling or tripling the recipe since the powder is so handy and keeps for months.

Adapted from Miyoko Schinner's Well-Crafted Vegan Macaroni & Cheese Mix in The Homemade Vegan Pantry.

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

To make the vegan cheese powder:

1 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour - regular or gluten-free; see Notes
3 tablespoons tapioca starch
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
1¼ teaspoons lactic acid powder - see Notes
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon paprika - regular or smoked

To prepare vegan mac and cheese (per serving):

2 ounces dry macaroni - (1 cup)
¾–1 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as soy, almond, or cashew; see Notes
¼ cup homemade vegan cheese powder

Optional addition for richer mac and cheese:

1 tablespoon vegan butter - or 2 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

To make vegan cheese powder:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and pulse several times until fully incorporated and powdered. Store in an airtight jar in the pantry or refrigerator until needed.

To prepare vegan mac & cheese:

Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and briefly rinse.
Rinse the pot with cold water and let it stand for a minute to cool down. Alternatively, combine the milk and powder in a separate bowl, then pour it into the pot. Off heat, pour the non-dairy milk and vegan cheese powder into the pot, and whisk to combine. Turn on the heat to medium, and whisk while cooking until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta to the pot and stir to combine with the sauce. Add a splash of milk if it's too thick, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Flour: I first tested this with oat flour, similar to Miyoko's original recipe that calls for oats. But I decided to go with all purpose for a more neutral flavor and to keep the recipe as simple and accessible as possible. Since oat flour has its own unique thickening qualities, if you do use it, you can reduce the amount by half.

Lactic acid: If you don't want to buy this specialty product, I totally get it. As a substitute, you can add lemon juice or vinegar to taste when preparing the sauce.

Milk: Experiment with different milks and fats to find your favorite combo. I like to use a blend of soy milk and homemade cashew milk. Plain almond milk + vegan butter also make a delicious mac and cheese.

Store your vegan cheese powder in the pantry for up to 6 months or in the refrigerator for even longer - possibly up to a year.

Nutrition