If you're looking for an easy and delicious vegan-friendly meal, look no further than instant pot mac and cheese.
This recipe is simple to follow and doesn't require any complicated ingredients.
Plus, the instant pot cooks it up quickly so you can have a hearty meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Give this dish a try today!
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I am going to prepare this Instant Pot vegan mac and cheese with almond milk, cashews, and carrots. True to its simple nature, this Vegan Mac and Cheese is made from scratch with simple ingredients that are easily available.
About this recipe
My kids always prefer to eat mac and cheese any day and any time if there were a choice among pasta dishes. So I have prepared this recipe several times, but it never occurred to me that I should share it until now.
And also I got a few requests from readers about preparing it with Instant Pot.
Since I use the Instant Pot for almost all dishes nowadays, I thought I would give Mac and Cheese a shot too.
To my surprise, it turned out amazing with even less work compared to the original version.
But it is not without its challenges...getting the right consistency with vegan ingredients and with the Instant Pot is a little tricky.
But I have listed the steps here and I hope it is a breeze for you and you will enjoy the recipe and share your success.
It's super easy to make vegan mac and cheese in the instant pot.
If you like pasta recipes check out my instant pot pesto pasta, tikka masala pasta, and orzo with peas.
Stovetop version
The stovetop version isn’t much different because it is the sauce that brings the real creaminess to it. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta as per directions on the package.
As the pasta cooks, blend the ingredients for the sauce: Soaked cashews, 1 cup water, steamed carrot or raw, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, and salt.
Blend to a smooth consistency and mix in with the cooked pasta. Stir well and serve with steamed broccoli as a topping! Simple as that...
Tips and variations
- Soak the cashews for 30 minutes in hot water to get a creamy texture.
- Skip the carrots if you are not a fan of them! I added them to the nutrition they bring.
- Add mustard powder to the sauce mix, if that appeals to you. My family members do not have a liking for mustard. So, I skipped it...
- If you prefer a more liquidy sauce, add more almond milk or any plant-based milk.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 16 oz Elbow pasta
- 4 cups of water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 steamed or raw carrot
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup almond milk or use water
Instructions
- Soak cashews in hot water for about 15 minutes.1 cup raw cashews
- Place the uncooked macaroni in the inner pot with water and salt.16 oz Elbow pasta
- Place the lid on the pot and set it to ‘sealing’.
- Cook on manual function, high pressure for 5 minutes followed by a quick release.
- While the pasta cooks, add the soaked cashews, 1 cup water, steamed or raw carrots, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove), almond milk, and salt to a high powered blender and blend to a smooth consistency.1 steamed or raw carrot, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ cup nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ cup almond milk or use water, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Add the vegan butter, pepper powder, and the prepared sauce and stir well with cooked pasta.1 tablespoon vegan butter, ½ teaspoon pepper powder
- Add a little more almond milk and stir well if you do not get the right consistency the first time.
- Stir well until it is smooth and creamy. Season as necessary to taste.
- Vegan Mac and Cheese is ready! Serve them warm and enjoy with your little ones!
Stovetop method
- The stovetop version isn’t much different because it is the sauce that brings the real creaminess to it. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta as per directions on the package.
- As the pasta cooks, blend the ingredients for the sauce: Soaked cashews, 1 cup water, steamed carrot or raw, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, and salt.
- Blend to a smooth consistency and mix in with the cooked pasta. Stir well and serve with steamed broccoli as a topping! Enjoy.
Notes
- Soak the cashews for 30 minutes in hot water to get a creamy texture.
- Skip the carrots if you are not a fan of them! I added them to the nutrition they bring.
- Add mustard powder to the sauce mix, if that appeals to you. My family members do not have a liking for mustard. So, I skipped it...
- If you prefer a more liquid sauce, add more almond milk or any plant-based milk.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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