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    Home » Dinner

    How To Make The Creamiest Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese

    • DF
    • GF
    June 1, 2023, Updated December 18, 2023 by Lauren 2 Comments

    Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that is loved by many. However, for those who are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, traditional mac and cheese can be off-limits. But fear not, because with a few simple swaps, you can still enjoy a delicious and creamy bowl of mac and cheese without any dairy! This is my favorite Mac recipe- The Creamiest Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese!

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Dairy-free Mac and cheese

    Why You'll Love This Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese Recipe

    It's delicious and creamy!

    It's allergy-friendly for people who have a dairy allergy.

    It's kid-friendly!

    Homemade Mac and cheese is the BEST.

    Equipment Needed

    All you need for this recipe is a pot and a pan.

    Ingredients Needed for The Creamiest Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese Recipe

    Gluten-Free Pasta: My personal favorite is the Jovial brand. I love ordering all of my gluten-free and dairy-free staples from Thrive Market because they have great prices and they deliver right to your doorstep. If you use my link, you can get 40% off your first order.

    Cashews: Cashews are a great way to make this recipe super creamy! If you cannot tolerate cashews, feel free to swap for macadamia nuts (lower histamine option) or seeds (nut-free option). These should be soaked for 2-3 hours.

    Carrot: This adds in some nutrients and also gives it color!

    Garlic: I basically add garlic to everything and it gives the sauce delicious flavor!

    Olive Oil: I always make sure that I am using a high quality and organic extra virgin olive oil.

    Nutritional Yeast: If you have never used nutritional yeast, it adds a cheesy flavor to the sauce!

    Spices: I used onion powder, chili powder and salt!

    Dairy-Free Milk: You can use any milk you choose here!

    Lemon: This gives the sauce a lighter and fresh taste!

    How to Make The Creamiest Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese

    Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Combine remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender until creamy. Pour over pasta and enjoy! So easy!

    Substitutions and Variations

    To make this recipe nut-free, swap out the cashews for your favorite seed.

    Storage

    Store this creamy dairy-free mac and cheese in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can this recipe be made nut-free?

    Yes, this recipe can be made nut-free if you swap the cashews out for your favorite seed.

    Can this recipe be frozen?

    If you are wanting to freeze this recipe, I would recommend freezing the sauce separately in blocks and heating it up when you are ready to consume.

    Related Recipes

    Make sure to try these gluten-free and dairy-free meals next:

    Easy Chicken Mango Spring Rolls

    Summer Sausage Cobb Salad

    Burger Bowls

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    Crispy baked mac and cheese with bacon bits and fresh parsley.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    How To Make The Creamiest Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese

    No dairy? No problem! This mac and cheese is creamy and dairy-free.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Dinner, Lunch
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 300kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 box gluten-free pasta
    • 1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours
    • 1 carrot, boiled
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tsp nutritional yeast
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder
    • Dash salt
    • 1/2 cup dairy-free milk
    • 1/4 lemon, juice
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Cook gluten-free pasta according to box.
    • Combine remaining ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.
    • Pour sauce over pasta.
    • Enjoy!!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    More Dinner

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      Low Histamine Red Pepper Pasta
    • sweet potato gnocchi with garlic cream sauce
      Easy Gluten Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi
    • vegan pumpkin mac and cheese
      Vegan Pumpkin Mac And Cheese
    • herby chicken
      Herby Chicken

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cira

      August 29, 2023 at 11:51 pm

      This was amazing!!! I added hot sauce to leftovers to change it up. My only struggle was that I couldn’t get it creamy like your picture. It was more dry. How can I fix that?

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Vegan Buffalo Mac and Cheese says:
      August 25, 2023 at 4:40 pm

      […] If you’re a mac and cheese lover like me, here is another mac and cheese you may like. This one, by Lauren Less is a creamy, dairy free and gluten free mac and cheese! https://lesswithlaur.com/how-to-make-the-creamiest-dairy-free-mac-and-cheese/ […]

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




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    Hi, I’m Lauren! I lived most of my life eating anything my heart desired until I was suddenly diagnosed with several food allergies around age 25. I currently manage wheat, dairy, egg, sesame, maple, soy, buckwheat and peanut allergies.

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