Make a paste of butter and “flour.” Add nut milk to make a creamy sauce. Layer up with pasta and vegan parmesan cheese. Voila! A vegan mac and cheese for the whole family.
Cook the pasta: Add the gluten free pasta and return to a boil. When the water is back at a rolling boil, turn the heat down. Add the salt, and simmer for 4 minutes exactly. This is gluten free pasta and doesn't do well if you over cook it. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Make the "roux:" Heat a deep skillet to medium high. Heat the butter and olive oil. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the tapioca flour (see NOTES) and whisk together in the oil until it starts to form a pasty ball.
Make the white sauce: This is not hard, but it's also not the time to multitask. Add about ½ cup of milk to the roux. It will loosen the the ball, and then it will seize back up. Continue adding milk in small quantities and stirring it in. I will become a wonderful rich sauce. When all the milk is added, pat yourself on the back. You did it and you are ¾ of the way to Mac 'n Cheese heaven.
Finish the white sauce: Stir in the broth, garlic base, miso paste, and nutritional yeast ("nooch" in plant-forward speak). Continue to heat, whisking constantly, until the béchamel thickens. Add the grated nutmeg the vegan cream cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly. You did it! Now let's create our casserole.
Assemble the casserole: Put half the pasta in the casserole dish. Pour half the sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle on half the faux parmesan cheese. Add all the vegan cheddar cheese on top of this bottom layer. Repeat for the second layer: The remaining pasta, sauce, faux parmesan. If you don't mind a little bit of gluten, bread crumbs add a nice crunch on the top, but they aren't mandatory.
Bake in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 25 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it rest on the counter about 20 minutes. Cut it into squares and serve.
Notes
Tapioca flour is easy to find. It is a good substitute for cornstarch or gluten flour, especially when you want something that is reminiscent of the stringiness of cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
The Kids’ Favorite Mac and Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
312.88
% Daily Value*
Fat
20.21
g
31
%
Saturated Fat
5.7
g
36
%
Trans Fat
0.02
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.41
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3.24
g
Sodium
1895.36
mg
82
%
Potassium
328.26
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
26.8
g
9
%
Fiber
5.27
g
22
%
Sugar
3.97
g
4
%
Protein
7.34
g
15
%
Vitamin A
468.3
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
4.75
mg
6
%
Calcium
75.95
mg
8
%
Iron
2.08
mg
12
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.