Who misses Kraft shells and cheese style? I do, I do. After a long day at my high school job, I’d come home famished. I’d eat a box of Kraft Mac ‘n’ cheese. Since giving up dairy, I miss the classic shell pasta encased in creamy cheddar cheese sauce. After cracking the vegan cheese code, we immediately tried it with pasta. It worked beautifully. It was amazing how similar it looked to the boxed cheese and shells! It tastes just like the real thing!
This 1-pot and 5-ingredient recipe is ready in only 15 Minutes. We’ll show you exactly how to do it!
This recipe’s star is our vegan cheese. It’s made with cashews and a carrot base. It is wholesome but also tastes comforting and indulgent. It’s best to make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. You can make grilled cheese sandwiches and mac and cheese in no time.
We used shell-shaped noodles to evoke Kraft but also maximize the sauce per bite. You can use any noodle you like. This meal will be more filling and nutritious if you use legume-based pasta, such as Bonanza.
This recipe is easy to make. Once the noodles have been cooked, add the vegan cheese, almond milk, nutritional yeast, and some salt. This combination melts and coats the shells with cheesy goodness.
Ingredients
MAC N CHEESE
- We used Banza as a brand.
- You can add more to your taste.
- 5-6 Tbsp plain unsweetened almond milk
- Sea salt is a healthy addition to any meal.
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
FOR SERVING optional
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
- Red pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan to a rolling boil on high heat. Add a pinch of sea salt. After the water has boiled, add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. Ours took about 9 minutes. Don’t overcook the pasta shells because they will continue to cook with the cheese sauce once drained.
- Drain pasta. We avoided using a filter by using a lid that has a drainage feature. If yours does not, drain it in a separate colander and then add it to a saucepan.
- Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and vegan cheddar cheese immediately. Stirring frequently, cook on low heat until the sauce melts and becomes gooey. Coat the shells with the sauce. Cover the cheese if it isn’t melting.
- Remove immediately from the heat. Garnish with vegan parmesan and red pepper flakes.
- The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. (Not freezer-friendly). Reheat the pieces in the microwave or on the stovetop at medium heat. Add more dairy-free liquid milk if necessary to thin.
