Name: One-Pan Baked Vegan Macaroni & Cheese
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 Cups Unsweetened Unflavored Non-Dairy Milk*; 3 Cups Water; 16 oz. Regular or Gluten-Free Macaroni Elbow Pasta**; 1 1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk; 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend; 1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast; 2 Tsp. Salt; 2 Tsp. Black Pepper; 1 Tsp. Paprika; 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice; 1 1/2 Cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese Shreds (Optional)***; 1 Cup Bread Crumbs or Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs; 2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast; 1/2 Tsp. Paprika; 1/2 Tsp. Salt; 2 – 3 Tbsp. Full-Fat Coconut Milk

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see the policies page for more information.

Looking for some new cooking tools? Shop my kitchen items!

Jump to Recipe

This One-Pan Baked Vegan Macaroni & Cheese recipe is also oil-free and can be easily made gluten-free. This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and requires only 11 ingredients.

Simple Step-By-Step for Making One-Pan Baked Vegan Macaroni & Cheese

To make this recipe, start by adding coconut milk and flour to the pan and whisking to combine. As the mixture starts to heat and bubble, whisk in non-dairy milk.
Next add the water, spices, and pasta and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer until the pasta is cooked.
Make the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle on top of the macaroni then place in the oven to bake.

The Importance of Using Quality Coconut Milk

When it comes to choosing a coconut milk there are a few important factors to pay attention to. For starters, whether or not the coconut milk contains a thickening agent such as guar gum or xanthum gum is a key difference that will set quality coconut milk and poor coconut milk apart. I prefer to use coconut milk that does not contain a thickening agent. The reason I do this is because when manufacturers add a thickening agent, that’s usually to make up for the large amount of water within the can. If the coconut milk does not contain a thickening agent, that’s typically because there is enough coconut or coconut extract within the can. The more coconut or coconut extract within the can means the more natural coconut fat will be in the can and it’s less likely to need a thickening agent.

Quick Notes & Tips

Keep in mind that using certain types of gluten-free pasta (such as chickpea pasta) may require less cook time. I tested this recipe with both chickpea and regular pasta. The chickpea pasta required only 8 minutes of cook time while simmering. The regular pasta required 10 minutes of cook time while simmering. The package instructions should tell you how long to cook the pasta for.
Give the pasta a quick stir after simmering to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Set the oven to broil if you want to speed up the timing for the crumb topping to crisp. I would recommend checking it after the first 5 minutes then every minute after that to make sure it doesn’t burn or completely dry out your macaroni.

Products for this Recipe (Sold through Amazon)

One-Pan Baked Vegan Macaroni & Cheese

Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 – 8 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

This One-Pan Baked Vegan Macaroni & Cheese recipe is also oil-free and can be easily made gluten-free. This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and requires only 11 ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale

3 Cups Unsweetened Unflavored Non-Dairy Milk*
3 Cups Water
16 oz. Regular or Gluten-Free Macaroni Elbow Pasta**
1 1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
1/2 Cup Nutritional Yeast
2 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Black Pepper
1 Tsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese Shreds (Optional)***

Bread Crumb Topping (Optional):

1 Cup Bread Crumbs or Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs
2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
1/2 Tsp. Paprika
1/2 Tsp. Salt
2 – 3 Tbsp. Full-Fat Coconut Milk

Instructions

Place an oven-safe pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add coconut milk and flour and whisk to combine.
As the mixture starts to heat and thicken, slowly pour in milk while whisking. Keep whisking and slowly adding milk until all of the milk has been fully incorporated and there are no lumps.
Add the water, spices, and pasta and stir to combine.
Bring everything to a boil then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Let the pasta simmer for 8 – 10 minutes.****
While the pan is simmering, preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl add the bread crumbs and spices and lightly toss/stir to mix. Add coconut milk and stir. The bread crumbs should be evenly coated.
When the macaroni is done turn off the heat, remove the lid, and stir in the lemon juice. The sauce will be loose and thin, but it will thicken more while it’s in the oven.
Sprinkle the top of the macaroni with the bread crumb topping or vegan cheese, if you prefer, and place the pan in the oven for 8 – 10 minutes.
When the macaroni is done baking, let it sit at room temperature for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

*Unsweetened Unflavored Non-Dairy Milk: I would recommend almond milk or soy milk.

**Gluten-Free Pasta Brands: I prefer the chickpea pasta by Banza. You can find it in most grocery stores or you can order Banza pasta on Amazon. I have also used the Barilla lentil and chickpea pasta varieties and they seem to hold up well. Those can also be found in most grocery stores such as Walmart or Target.

***Vegan Cheddar Cheese Shreds: As mentioned, this recipe is oil-free and does not require vegan cheese shreds, however you can add some if you’d like. I sometimes like to add vegan cheese shreds to give this recipe more of a classic cheesy flavor and texture.

****Simmering the pasta: Different types of pasta will have different simmering times. I tested this recipe using gluten-free chickpea pasta and regular pasta. The gluten-free chickpea pasta took 8 minutes to simmer and the regular pasta took the full 10 minutes to simmer. The package instructions on the pasta will have the correct cook time.