The ultimate comfort food just got a major upgrade in this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese!
Your eyes are not deceiving you, this really is Dairy-free Mac and Cheese
No, really. It is. There is absolutely ZERO cheese involved in this recipe which is partly why it’s so brilliant. The other reason is that is PACKED with vegetables. Um hmmmmm. Veggies!
And you’ll never know they’re in there. This Dairy-free Mac and Cheese is so silky, rich, creamy and cheesy that it fooled even my most discerning, veggie-sniffing daughter. Not kidding, this kid can smell a hidden veggie from miles away like a customs dog on the hunt for pineapples and cigars.
The day I developed this recipe was the first official ‘real snow’ of the season here in Boulder. The girls came running into the house just as I was pulling the bowl of mac and cheese off the table by the window where I’d been photographing it and they immediately started to inhale it. Still in jackets, hats and snow boots. And there may have been a fight over the last noodle, too.
Naturally, I asked: “Is it good?” They both nodded and smiled. Satisfied with their answer, I turned to walk into my office and heard my oldest say to my mom as I left the room: “That wasn’t REAL mac and cheese. I don’t know what it was but it was good.” YASSSSSSS!
Mom: 1, Veggie-sniffer-outer: 0
The secret is in the sauce
Okay, enough about my on-going endeavor to hide all the veggies – you came here to learn how to make the BEST Dairy-free Mac and Cheese, right?
Well, the secret (as you might imagine) is veggies. Taking a cue from an old vegan cookbook I leafed through at a thrift store this summer I combined butternut squash, cauliflower, onions and garlic to create a silky smooth puree in the perfect shade of orange. Then to make it tangy and savory like cheese I used nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a bit of dijon mustard (like we did here in this Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce) and voila!
Super creamy, non-dairy, nut-free cheesiness if now yours to pour all over your favorite gluten-free pasta (or roasted cauliflower if you’re looking for a grain-free and/or lower carb option).
Veggies are the secret to this ultra creamy Dairy-free, Nut-Free Mac and Cheese #realfood Click To Tweet
A food-allergy sufferers dream come true
Whether it’s dairy, soy, gluten, eggs or corn that can’t tolerate, you can make this recipe work for you. Even our plant-based friends can partake in this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
#macandcheeseforeveryone
Put the ultimate comfort food back on the menu with this Dairy-free Mac and Cheese!
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Dairy-free Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main-dish, Side dish
- Cuisine: Paleo, Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. coconut or avocado oil
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash, fresh or frozen
- 3 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegan)
- 1 ½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Scant ¾ tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 – 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 16 ounces gluten-free pasta of choice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan with lid, melt oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions start to soften.
- Add garlic, stir and cook another 30 seconds to a minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add squash, cauliflower and broth and bring to a steady simmer.
- Once simmering, cover pan with lid and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15-18 minutes. You may need to lower the heat slightly to maintain a steady simmer and prevent it from boiling.
- When veggies are very tender, transfer to a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before pouring our your favorite cooked pasta (or roasted vegetables).
Notes
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th recipe
- Calories: 376
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 12g
What’s your favorite thing serve with Mac and Cheese? Are you a vegetable hider too? Share in the comments below.
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Alexis says
October 24, 2017 at 10:28 amIs nutritional yeast safe for those who have psoriasis? Thanks!
Stacie Hassing says
November 4, 2017 at 8:19 amYup, you will be fine with nutritional yeast.
Jenalie says
November 7, 2017 at 7:40 pmYum! any suggestions for Something to sub out nutritional yeast for those that cant have it? Thanks! 🙂
Stacie Hassing says
November 10, 2017 at 6:01 amIf you can tolerate cheese, you could add cheese (or dairy-free cheese) and if not, you could increase the dijon mustard and lemon juice to taste.
Ashley says
January 4, 2018 at 10:36 amIsnt ghee dairy like butter? My son is allegic to dairy the milk proteins i want to make sure
Jessica Beacom says
January 4, 2018 at 2:17 pmHi Ashley,
Yes, technically ghee is dairy since it’s made from butter. However, very high quality ghee is often 99.9-100% free of lactose, casein and whey making it suitable for SOME people with dairy allergy (depending on how sensitive they are).
If you have never challenged your son with ANY dairy then I could recommend replacing the ghee with coconut or avocado oil instead.
alicia says
January 8, 2018 at 4:50 pmDo you just add the veggies to the blender or all of the contents of the pot (broth included)?
Jessica Beacom says
January 9, 2018 at 8:59 amYes, you add everything from the pot (veggies and broth) to the blender so it’s important to use just the amount of liquid called for in the recipe and not add any extra.
Laura says
January 16, 2018 at 7:44 amThank you for your recipes! What are your families favorite gluten free pasta?
Jessica Beacom says
January 21, 2018 at 3:26 pmYou’re welcome, Laura!
At my house we like Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Penne and spaghetti, Banza pasta (all the shapes), Annie Chun’s rice noodles and Lotus Foods Brown or Black Rice Ramen. We also like the gluten-free pastas from Jovial for manicotti and lasagna.
Stephanie says
April 19, 2018 at 7:37 amI’ve recently been put on a dairy and soy free diet for as long as I continue nursing my 2 month old. I’m missing comfort foods so much it’s painful. This sauce was so delicious I’ve already told friends about it. My husband is not very adventurous with food, especially when it includes vegetables or anything deemed healthier. I didn’t tell him there was actually no cheese in the dish until after he ate it and said how good it was! Ha!
Followed the recipe exactly. Turned out amazing. I plan on keeping this recipe on hand and definitely making it for my baby when he’s older. Thank you!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
April 20, 2018 at 6:07 amThis is amazing! So great to hear you enjoyed this recipe and I love the bit about your husband not even realizing it was dairy free. I do that with my husband quite often. haha! And thanks for sharing with friends 🙂
Amanda says
April 21, 2018 at 5:18 pmJust like a previous commenter, I recently had to go dairy-free for my nursing baby. I also have a 2 year old, so mac n cheese is a staple in our house, and I’ve been jealous watching him eat it. I made this recipe tonight, and it’s totally delicious and satisfies the comfort food craving! As a bonus, my 2 year old also ate it and unknowingly probably got a week’s worth of veggies. 🙂
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
April 24, 2018 at 12:28 pmHi Amanda,
This is so great! Glad you were able to satisfy that craving and boost your kiddo’s veggie intake at the same time.
Christy says
May 8, 2018 at 11:50 amCan you tell me if the “cheese” freezes well? I’d be looking to make the sauce in bulk, and freezing it for quicker use when kiddo wants mac n cheese.
Jessica Beacom says
May 23, 2018 at 8:12 pmHi Christy,
Honestly, I can’t say if it freezes well since I haven’t tried it. My guess is that it would be fine but may need to be whisked a bit to bring it back together once it’s thawed. If you try it, we’d love to hear how it works for you.
Adam Webb says
June 4, 2018 at 9:02 pmMade it really had to correct the seasoning and add other spices and seasonings to it as the recipe is very bland.
Jessica Beacom says
June 6, 2018 at 8:16 pmHi Adam,
I’m sorry to hear that yours turned out so bland – good call on adding spices to suit your individual taste.
Ashley says
June 14, 2018 at 5:10 pmHi! I am allergic to yeast, is that a necessary ingredient?
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
June 19, 2018 at 10:53 amHi Ashley,
The yeast is not necessary as far as texture, etc. It just adds a nice savory (or ‘umami’) flavor that’s much like cheese. You could get the same result from adding a little dijon mustard and perhaps a tiny bit of tamari or something like Bragg’s Liquid Aminos.
Daralynn Gilliam says
July 25, 2018 at 4:36 pmMy experience with DF mac n cheese it’s dry and stiff the next day instead of creamy like regular Mac n cheese. Also DF man cheese lack flavor .
Jessica Beacom says
July 30, 2018 at 9:13 pmHi Daralynn,
I don’t think you’ll have that problem with this DF mac & cheese. Since the sauce is veggie-based, rather than made with highly-processed ‘cheez’ powders, it stays nice and creamy when reheated the next day.
Daralynn says
July 27, 2018 at 7:30 amIs Dijon mustard gluten free? I’m making this for my daughter whom has a gluten and dairy allergy.
Jessica Beacom says
July 30, 2018 at 9:11 pmHi Daralynn,
Though most brands of Dijon mustard do not contain gluten-containing ingredients, per se, they MAY be produced with vinegar derived from wheat or could be subject to cross-contamination during processing resulting in > 20ppm of gluten.
Your best bet is to use a certified gluten-free brand such as Annie’s or Organicville which are widely available in larger grocery stores and on Amazon and Thrive Market.
Sue says
August 16, 2018 at 9:26 pmI made this and it was delicious! I had quite a bit of extra sauce and wonder if you know if it freezes well?
★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
August 17, 2018 at 7:52 amGreat to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you should be able to freeze the extra sauce. What I would suggest is that when you’re ready to enjoy it again, to thaw it out, heat it up and then blend it up again to make it nice and smooth.
Griselda Perez says
September 12, 2018 at 12:13 pmWow! It did look tasty. I must try this recipe.
Stacie Hassing says
September 15, 2018 at 3:13 pmIt’s so good! Let us know if you give it a try!
Sam says
September 15, 2018 at 12:00 pmThank you so much for this delicious and simple recipe! My little boy cannot have dairy or soya. He normally hates all sauces. He wolfed this all down without a word (as did my husband).
I added 1/2 tbsp more nutritional yeast, a pinch of cayenne pepper and a couple of twists of black pepper. I topped it with toasted gluten free breadcrumbs.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
September 15, 2018 at 2:54 pmThanks for sharing your feedback, Sam. Thrilled to hear your little boy is a fan!
Rod Johnson says
September 30, 2018 at 7:15 pmI’m anxious to try dairy free mac n cheese.
Jessica Beacom says
October 1, 2018 at 1:40 pmHi Rod,
We hope you enjoy it!
Donna says
October 1, 2018 at 12:58 pmDoes it matter if the veggies are frozen vs.fresh?
Jessica Beacom says
October 1, 2018 at 5:17 pmHi Donna,
You can use either fresh or frozen since you’ll be cooking them to make the sauce.
Lindsey says
October 19, 2018 at 8:25 pmMy toddler loved this! I think I may add some smoked paprika to it for more flavor but I’m so pleased that he ate his and my share, too!
★★★★★
Kimberly Amundsen says
October 30, 2018 at 4:35 pmCan I use acorn squash or just leave out the squash all together? I grabbed the wrong squash and no time to go back to the store!
Jessica Beacom says
October 30, 2018 at 7:44 pmHi Kimberly,
I”m not sure you could leave out the squash and get the same texture or flavor. You could try using acorn though it’s hard to peel, in which case, I’d recommend slicing it into quarters, steaming it and then scraping it from the skin. You can then add this to the cauliflower once that’s been cooked.
Jayme says
November 4, 2018 at 12:17 pmMy daughter 21 months has just been diagnosed with dairy intolerance and she is not a veggie fan either. She ate two bowls and then picked of our plates as well! Will most definitely be cooking again! Just wondering ifnit will reheat well once frozen??
Stacie Hassing says
November 14, 2018 at 10:19 amSo great to hear! And yes, you could freeze this recipe. To re-heat – remove a single serving from the freezer the night before, let it thaw out in the fridge, and reheat however you please (oven, stove top or microwave).
Lynn says
November 9, 2018 at 7:27 pmThank you, can’t wait to try this recipe. Our family has a dairy allergy so hoping this is a good replacement for my 7 year old.
Stacie Hassing says
November 14, 2018 at 10:12 amHope you enjoy(ed) it!
Cathy says
November 16, 2018 at 1:05 pmThis is so awesome! I’ve been trying to shift my mac&cheese obsessed daughter off dairy, but she wouldn’t touch any of the dairy-free box versions. I started by mixing this half&half with some Annie’s – no complaints. Now she’s happily eating 100% this. Also, in answer to some earlier comments, it does freeze well, but separates a bit and doesn’t look quite as smooth once thawed. I solved it by adding some avocado oil and some arrowroot starch (equal parts, about 1 tsp/cup of sauce). Truth be told I also added some avocado oil and arrowroot starch to the original batch, just to give it some of the stretchiness and plastic sheen (LOL) of the box stuff, and, of course, to get some good fats in.
Stacie Hassing says
November 17, 2018 at 7:20 amThis is so awesome! Glad to hear you found a dairy-free Mac & Cheese alternative for you daughter! And thanks for sharing your feedback and suggestions about freezing and reheating. Appreciate it!
Cherie says
November 21, 2018 at 8:53 pmCan you used sweet potatoes instead of squash???
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
November 26, 2018 at 1:51 pmHi Cherie,
I’m guessing you can. You may need to add a bit more liquid to get the consistency but it should be an easy swap.
Laura says
November 23, 2018 at 5:41 pmWe love this recipe! It’s REALLY good with some taco meat and a little salsa… Reminds me a lot of the Velveeta dip I grew up enjoying.
Stacie Hassing says
November 28, 2018 at 7:49 pmAmazing! And love the addition of taco meat…yummmm!
Tricey C says
November 25, 2018 at 1:40 pmI want to try this recipe, especially since I’m definitely not a fan of cheese but I love pasta. Does this recipe taste like cheese or just mimic the consistency? I would love to have this recipe doe next holiday with traditional macaroni and cheese, I wonder if my fs family will be able to tell the difference.
Jessica Beacom says
November 28, 2018 at 8:54 pmHi Tricey,
The sauce has the same tangy, savory, salty (umami) flavors of cheese but it’s not a dead ringer for the real deal (though in my opinion, neither is the powdered cheese in the box). That said, it’s pretty close but lacks the mouthfeel of real, melted cheese. I’d suggest giving it a try before the holidays and halving the recipe to make a smaller batch to see what you think. Keep in mind, you may need to tweak the amount of salt, yeast, and mustard to suit your palate as we all experience flavors slightly different.
Dee Dee says
December 25, 2018 at 10:33 amJust made this for Christmas! It’s aahmazing!! I will definitely be making this again! Thanxs for this yummy recipe.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
December 25, 2018 at 4:24 pmSo great to hear, Dee Dee! Merry Christmas!
Michelle Moore says
January 23, 2019 at 1:55 pmI followed the direction exactly. Absolutley delicious!! Thank you for bring comfort food back into my restrictive diet life!!
Jessica Beacom says
January 24, 2019 at 12:44 pmYou are so very welcome, Michelle!
Lupe says
January 31, 2019 at 10:40 amI’m highly allergic to both the avacado and coconut oils. Can I just use olive oil?
Jessica Beacom says
January 31, 2019 at 9:01 pmYes, you can use olive oil. A light tasting one would be preferable.
Jill says
February 3, 2019 at 12:40 amHello! Just wondering what thoughts are on making the sauce ahead and freezing? Do you think it would still be as creamy after thawing? Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
February 4, 2019 at 9:19 amHi Jill,
We actually had an IG follower tell us that the sauce froze then thawed/reheated beautifully.
Karla says
February 3, 2019 at 6:55 amI made this last night. I didn’t have butternut on hand so I used sweet potatoes and added a little extra dijon to counteract some of the sweetness. Although it didn’t taste so much like cheese, it was delicious! My hubby absolutely loved it and thought the “cheese sauce” would make an excellent soup. Go figure LOL. Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely try it again with butternut.
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
February 4, 2019 at 9:28 amI think your hubby is onto something with the soup idea!
Julia says
March 8, 2019 at 10:11 amThis is a blessing of a recipe. My daughter is a self proclaimed mac & chs addict. Due to health reasons, she’s been on an elimination diet and now must go casein free. It has been the BIGGEST challenge finding M&C she will tolerate…until we found this! I did not let her see how it was made, or she wouldn’t have tried it. I cannot thank you enough!! 😀
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
March 8, 2019 at 10:18 pmThis makes my heart so full! I’m so glad we could make your life easier (and hers more delicious).
Mary says
April 28, 2019 at 3:24 amThank you Jessica so much for this recipe! I make this for my son who is three years old. He is a very fussy eater and also has eczema. He ate this a few times now I always come back to your recipe it’s amazing because I can give him vegetables. He is so fussy and eats unhealthy foods such as pizza and chicken nuggets etc but he will eat this! Amazed and thank you this recipe you have helped us so much Thank you again.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
April 29, 2019 at 1:20 pmHi Mary,
Thanks for sharing this – I’m so happy to hear that it’s been a hit with your son and that it’s a recipe you feel good about giving him because I know what a challenge that can be to feed fussy kids!!