• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Damn Tasty Vegan
  • Vegan Spring Recipes
  • Recipe index
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Spring Recipes
  • Recipe index
  • Lifestyle
  • About
  • Contact
  • Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Spring Recipes
    • Recipe index
    • Lifestyle
    • About
    • Contact
  • Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » All recipes

    BEST vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese

    Published: Apr 3, 2019 · Modified: Mar 9, 2023 by Maria · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    The best vegan cheese sauce

    This delicious vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese is quick and easy to make. A super creamy, decadent and slightly smokey cashew cheese base is sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings. Dairy free and can be made gluten free.

    Vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese in a large navy blue mug.
    Jump to:
    • The best vegan cheese sauce
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧂 Ingredients and substitutions
    • 👩‍🍳 Expert tips
    • 🔪 Directions
    • ❄️ Storing
    • 🥦 Serving suggestions
    • ❓ FAQ's
    • 🧀 More vegan cheese recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

     

    I probably make this recipe about once a week. It's perfect for those tiring days when you’ve had enough and you just need a big bowl of comfort food to make the world seem right again.

    ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

    • This vegan cheese sauce is a hell of a lot healthier for you than dairy mac and cheese because it contains no cholesterol.
    • Made up of simple, healthy ingredients and doesn't require any store-bought cheese.
    • Easy to make for a quick weeknight dinner that even your kids will love.
    • Full of good fats from cashews. Cashews have been linked to “ benefits like weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and a healthier heart.” according to health line.
    • Great recipe to impress your non-vegan friends. Take this to a pot luck and everyone will be blown away.

    🧂 Ingredients and substitutions

    • Raw cashews - I love buying these in bulk for a more affordable option. Cashews, when blended and soaked create an amazing creamy base.
    • Seasonings - Garlic powder and onion powder are a must.
    • Nutritional yeast - this is what give the cheese sauce its cheesy, savory flavor. This is a must-have ingredient.
    • Corn starch - this helps to thicken up the sauce even more.
    • Liquid smoke - This gives the smoked gouda flavor. You can also use smoked paprika.
    • Lemon juice - Helps to balance out the flavors and add a slightly cheesy, tangy flavor.
    • Pasta shells - I love the elbow macaroni shells, but use whatever are your favorite. Use gluten free shells to make this recipe gluten free.
    • Vegan butter - helps to give a richer, creamier flavor.

    👩‍🍳 Expert tips

    If you have left overs the next day, when you re-heat this bad boy, add a little bit of water. It thickens up the longer it sits or the more you heat it up.

    If the sauce is too thick for you liking, add a splash of water. The longer the sauce is heated up, the more thick it becomes.

    You don’t need to soak your cashews over night. You can do a quick soak by boiling some water and soaking the cashews for 10 minutes.

    If you need some extra comfort or decadence, add in a tablespoon of vegan butter when blending the cheese sauce. You can also leave it out and it’s still very tasty and a bit healthier.

    🔪 Directions

    Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.

    Step one - Boil some water, then pour over the raw cashews. Let them soak for 10 minutes, then drain.

    Step two - Cook the pasta in lightly salted water until al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of cooked pasta water, then strain and set aside.

    Step three - Blend the soaked cashews with the seasonings and some vegan butter and unsweetened oat milk.

    Step four - Add the cheese sauce to a sauce pan and bring it to medium heat. Stir the whole time. The sauce will thicken as it heats up. Once the cheese sauce has thickened, add in the cooked pasta and ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. Stir until noodles are well coated.

    Vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet next to a navy blue mug of the same thing.

    ❄️ Storing

    This lasts about a week in the fridge, in an airtight container, if you can manage to not eat it all in one sitting.

    You can also freeze this and reheat it. It will change the consistency slightly, but not too much.

    🥦 Serving suggestions

    I love eating this with steamed broccoli or peas. It adds some greens to your meal which is always a good thing. Serve this with a side of BBQ tempeh or BBQ tofu and collard greens for a southern meal. This also goes really well with some vegan seitan ribs.

    ❓ FAQ's

    Can I make this nut free?

    I haven’t tried this recipe any other way, but you may be able to substitute a half a carton of silken tofu for the cashews. It won’t be as thick and creamy, but it will do the trick. I have made a creamy vegan alfredo sauce this way and it turned out wonderful.

    Is this gluten free?

    The cashew cheese sauce is gluten free. To make this fully gluten free, use gluten free pasta noodles.

    🧀 More vegan cheese recipes

    • Tofu cream cheese spread out over a toasted bagel topped with green onions.
      Tofu cream cheese
    • Five different types of cheese stacked on top of each other on a wooden cutting board.
      How to stop eating cheese and go vegan
    • Piece of bread dipped in vegan fondue
      Easiest vegan fondue (dairy free cheese fondue)
    • Dairy free alfredo sauce on fettuccini pasta in a bowl with vegan chicken
      Dairy free Alfredo sauce

    If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Large navy blue mug full of vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese.

    BEST vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese

    This decadent, insanely delicious vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese is guaranteed to please. Nothing beats a bowl of creamy vegan pasta. Easy to make gluten free as well.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 452kcal
    Author: Maria
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    US Customary or Metric
    • ½ cup raw cashews
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1½ teaspoon salt
    • Juice of ½ lemon
    • 1½ cups water
    • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 1½ teaspoon corn starch
    • 1 tablespoon vegan butter
    • 8 oz of dry pasta shells (Use gluten free pasta if wanting to make this recipe gluten free)

    Instructions

    • Soak your cashews in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain after soaking.
    • Bring salted water to a boil on stovetop. Cook the pasta shells. Keep ¼ cup of cooked pasta water and drain the rest. Set pasta aside.
    • While the pasta cooks, pour all of your cheese sauce ingredients (everything except the pasta shells) into the blender and blend until smooth.
      ½ cup raw cashews, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1½ teaspoon salt, Juice of ½ lemon, 1½ cups water, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1½ teaspoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon vegan butter
    • Pour cheese sauce into a pan on low/medium heat and stir constantly until it thickens (about 5 minutes). To make extra decadent add another tablespoon of vegan butter to cheese sauce and let melt.
    • Once cheese sauce is thickened, add the pasta, pasta water and mix it all together. If it thickens too much, add a drop of water until you get the consistency you desire
      8 oz of dry pasta shells
    • Add steamed broccoli, salt and pepper if needed and Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    When you re-heat this the next day you will need to add 1-2 TBL of water. It gets thick the more you heat it or let it sit.
    This goes really well with peas or steamed broccoli
    To make gluten free, just use GF pasta.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 1211mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 179IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @DamnTastyVegan or tag #DamnTastyVegan!

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    More Vegan Recipes

    • Easy Overnight Oats with Coconut Milk
    • Tofu bolognese sauce with pasta on a white plate.
      Easy Vegan Tofu Bolognese Pasta Sauce
    • Baked Tofu ground beef crumbles in a white ceramic dish.
      Easy Tofu Ground Beef Crumbles
    • Air fryer tempeh cubes on top of a salad with a tahini dressing.
      Crispy Marinated Air Fryer Tempeh

    About Maria

    Maria is the creator of the blog and YouTube channel Damn Tasty Vegan. She has been a vegetarian since 2005 and vegan since 2015. She loves showing new vegans how easy and delicious living a vegan lifestyle can be. She is passionate about animal welfare and strives to help change the way animals are viewed and treated, by helping people transition to a vegan lifestyle.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angela W

      March 12, 2023 at 12:09 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is delicious and seriously versatile. Thank you so much for sharing it!

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 12, 2023 at 2:18 am

        I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for the comment

        Reply
    2. Miranda

      February 01, 2022 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      This is without a doubt the BEST vegan mac/cheese sauce recipe I have ever tried - and I've made many! This recipe has totally become a staple in my house. I made with vegan seitan ribs and bread pudding for a vegan southern meal that reminded me of home.

      Reply
    3. Kimandcaz

      December 13, 2020 at 9:16 pm

      This is delicious. My husband couldn’t believe it didn’t have real cheese. I added roasted broccoli. Try it you will love it!!

      Reply
      • Damn tasty vegan

        December 13, 2020 at 11:11 pm

        So glad you loved it! I love the roasted broccoli idea! Thanks for that tip

        Reply
    4. LM

      December 12, 2020 at 10:43 pm

      Can you make this without the vegan butter??

      Reply
      • Damn Tasty Vegan

        December 13, 2020 at 2:37 am

        Yep! It will be a little less rich but still delicious

        Reply
    5. Ruth

      December 04, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      This is the best cheesy vegan sauce I've ever made, thank you!

      Reply
    6. Christy

      August 11, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      Thank you so much for this recipe! My daugter found it on Pinterest and it has quickly become a family favorite! 🙂

      Reply
      • Damn Tasty Vegan

        August 11, 2020 at 8:03 pm

        That's wonderful! It's one of my favorite recipes as well because it's so easy and minimal ingredients. Thank you for the kind comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply
        • Andrea Verhulp

          May 13, 2021 at 10:03 pm

          I absolutely love this recipe. I have a few friends that are allergic to nuts as well as dairy... do you know if this could be made using an alternative to cashews? Maybe an oat milk? Or coconut milk?

          Reply
          • Maria

            May 13, 2021 at 11:06 pm

            So glad you love the recipe! Here is my nut and dairy free mac and cheese recipe. If you want to make it a smoked gouda, just use vegan smoked gouda cheese or add in 1/2 tsp of liquid smoke https://damntastyvegan.com/instant-pot-vegan-mac-and-cheese/

            Reply
    5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Woman with sunglasses sipping a green juice with a straw.

    Hi, I'm Maria Rose! I'm a professional singer by night, and recipe developer by day. I run this blog and am also the creator of the One Month (30 minute) Meal Plan. I love helping people learn how to cook easy and delicious plant based meals.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fresh Spring Recipes

    • Israeli couscous salad in a serving dish.
      Israeli couscous salad (pearl couscous)
    • Overhead view of large mixing bowl filled with rainbow salad.
      Crunchy rainbow salad
    • Roasted asparagus on a plate
      Easy air fryer asparagus
    • Orzo with cashew cream and roasted vegetables in a bowl.
      Creamy vegan orzo with chickpeas and roasted vegetables
    • Couscous stuffed peppers topped with melted vegan cheese in a casserole dish.
      Vegan Chickpea and Couscous Stuffed Peppers
    • Instant pot sweet potato curry in a bowl over quinoa.
      Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas and Kale

    Popular Posts

    • Sticky glazed maple miso tofu in a pink bowl on top of rice.
      Sticky Glazed Maple Miso Tofu
    • Vegan Jackfruit Nachos
      Easy jackfruit nachos
    • Piece of bread dipped in vegan fondue
      Easiest vegan fondue (dairy free cheese fondue)
    • Crispy tofu cubes in a glass bowl.
      How To Make Crispy Tofu (Baked & Pan Fried)
    • Baked potato without foil on a plate topped with butter.
      Perfect baked potato (without foil)
    • Close up of banana protein pancakes with bananas and strawberries on top.
      Banana Protein Pancakes without Eggs

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Information

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Get your free Vegan High Protein Grocery List Download!

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Damn Tasty Vegan on the Foodie Pro Theme

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    Vegan mac and cheese in a mug with text overlay for pinterest
    Vegan smoked gouda mac and cheese in a mug

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.