Chili mac has long been a favorite in our house, and over the years I've made many versions. This Vegan Chili Mac is the latest, and has all of the warmly spiced flavor and cheesy goodness of the original but no dairy or meat. The kids have given this meal their seal of approval over and over again, so I think your family will love it, too. Even with making the cashew cheese sauce, this dinner is ready in 30 minutes so it's perfect for weeknights.
Ingredients for Vegan Chili Mac
Raw cashews: I find these at Trader Joe's for a good price and they blend up perfectly smooth to help give body to the "cheese" sauce
Ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, and garlic powder: These are classic spices for a Tex-Mex chili. Chili powder in the United States isn't a powder from one chile, but usually combines a few plus other spices. It varies from company to company so I'm pretty loyal to mine. Generally it isn't spicy.
Nutritional yeast: I don't understand it, but this magical powder makes things taste cheesy with no cheese. Fun fact, a movie theater in San Francisco used to sell their popcorn with nutritional yeast sprinkled over it. So good!
Vegetable stock: I love the paste from Better than Bouillon to make a quick stock, but use what you love best.
Macaroni pasta: Any short pasta will work here, but the macaroni shape is classic.
Black beans: Black beans are a serious staple in our house! Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding.
Canned tomatoes with green chiles: We have to use a mild version, but if you enjoy a little spice go ahead and dial it up with your canned tomatoes and green chiles.
Preparation
Start by simmering your cashews in water until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the spices and nutritional yeast to a high-powered blender and pour in the cashews along with their cooking water. Blend about 60-90 seconds, until the sauce is smooth. Take care with blending hot liquids! I usually remove the center part of my blender lid and place a kitchen towel over it while blending.
While the cashews are simmering, start the broth and tomatoes over high heat. Once they are boiling, add in the pasta. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender. Use the package directions as a guide. I don't strain the pasta here, so there isn't a lot of extra liquid to cook it in. This means you have to keep stirring, especially towards the end of cooking, to make sure the pasta doesn't stick to the pot. If you find that the liquid is all absorbed but the pasta isn't tender, add a few tablespoons to loosen it up.
When the pasta is done, add the beans and the sauce and stir it all together. It will look a little soupy at first, but give it five minutes to set up. Call the kids to the table, wipe down a counter, or just take a moment to yourself and the Vegan Chili Mac will be all ready!
Serving Vegan Chili Mac
We have served this Vegan Chili Mac right from the pot at the dinner table, so there's no need to be fancy. I find, though, that a little bit of fresh diced tomato and cilantro on top brightens up the flavor in the best way. This recipe does well when reheated. You can add it to a sauce pan with a splash of water or microwave it to reheat it. It's rare that we have leftovers, though!
Try It and Share
I hope you try Vegan Chili Mac and share the recipe with family or friends. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.
Looking for some new ideas for vegan-friendly meals? Try Lemon Basil Beans or Louisiana Red Beans with rice. They are both kid-approved and delicious!
Recipe
Vegan Chili Mac
Ingredients
Cashew "Cheese" Sauce
- 4 oz. raw cashews (about ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander (ground)
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Chili Mac
- 2½ cups vegetable stock
- 8 oz. macaroni pasta (or any other short pasta)
- 1 10-oz. can tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)
- 1 15-oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
Instructions
- Start with the cashew cheese sauce. Bring the cashews and 1¾ cups water to boil in a small sauce pan. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the spices, nutritional yeast, and salt to a blender. When the cashews have cooked, add them and their cooking water to the blender and blend until very smooth.
- While the cashews are cooking, start the pasta by adding the vegetable stock to a large pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add the tomatoes and pasta to the stock and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir often, most of the water will be absorbed by the end of cooking and you don't want the pasta to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- When pasta is tender, add the beans and the cheese sauce to the pasta and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let the chili mac stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts calculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.
Nutrition Facts
Cassie Waltman says
This is comfort food at its finest, and perfect for my lactose-intolerant kiddo.