Why You’ll Love This
This is not your average vegan mac and cheese. It’s made with spelt pasta, giving a rich, nutty bite, and a creamy dairy-free sauce that actually tastes cheesy. No cashews soaking for hours. No fake cheese. Just simple, wholesome ingredients with big flavour.
It’s ideal for quick weeknight dinners or meal prep. You get all the comforting, gooey satisfaction of traditional mac and cheese—minus the dairy and heaviness.
What Makes It Special
The star here is spelt pasta. It’s high in fibre, easier to digest than regular wheat, and has a naturally toasty taste that pairs perfectly with savoury cheese-style sauces.
We’re using nutritional yeast, plant milk, and a touch of miso for deep umami, and adding Dijon mustard for a sharp kick. It’s creamy, bold, and totally plant-based. Best of all, it’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Vegan Spelt Mac and Cheese
Description
A comforting, plant-based take on classic mac and cheese with spelt pasta, a rich vegan cheese sauce, and simple ingredients. Quick, filling, and packed with flavour.
Ingredients
Instructions
Cook the pasta.
-
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Cook the spelt pasta until al dente (usually 8–10 mins). Drain and set aside.
Make the roux.
-
In the same pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1–2 minutes to form a paste.
Add milk and whisk.
-
Slowly pour in the oat milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the mixture thickens (3–5 minutes).
Add flavour.
-
Stir in nutritional yeast, miso, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for another 2 minutes.
Combine.
-
Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir until evenly coated. Add lemon juice if using.
Serve hot.
-
Garnish with fresh black pepper or a pinch of paprika, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 420kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 13g20%
- Saturated Fat 2g10%
- Sodium 560mg24%
- Potassium 330mg10%
- Total Carbohydrate 58g20%
- Dietary Fiber 6g24%
- Sugars 3g
- Protein 13g26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes:
- For a thicker sauce, reduce milk by 50 ml.
- Sauce may thicken more as it cools; just add a splash of milk when reheating.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Swap spelt pasta with gluten-free pasta for a GF version.
- Use soy or almond milk if oat isn't available.
- Add steamed broccoli, peas, or spinach for extra greens.
- Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 180°C for 10 minutes for a crispy top.
