For some reason I’ve never been a huge mac and cheese lover. That’s weird, right? I know that some people consider it to be the best comfort food in the world but I err on the breakfast side of things. As a kid, I preferred cereal or my Dad’s pancakes more than any dinner type food.
But let me tell you something… things straight up changed after I created this recipe. I was actually quite shocked that macaroni and cheese could be this good. Incredible, actually. The best thing is that it’s better for you, lactose free and SO easy to make – all you need is a pot, a strainer and a few delicious ingredients.
I know it probably sounds a little crazy that I’m making claims like BEST MAC AND CHEESE EVER, but you’ll never know until you try it. The cheese sauce is incredibly creamy, ooey-gooey and no one can tell that it’s lactose and soy free! When I was doing a photoshoot of this recipe I kept spooning the mac and cheese into my mouth; I’m telling you I just couldn’t help myself.
Now I know some of you are lactose intolerant, others of you might be looking for healthier options, so we should chat about this awesome cheese alternative.
Yes, it actually tastes like cheese. And guess what? It melts too! Want proof? Just look at the photos below.
The GO Veggie! Cheddar shreds I used in this recipe are tummy-friendly and better for you than dairy cheese — 50% more calcium, just about the same amount of protein, half the fat, 35% fewer cals and no cholesterol or saturated fat. In fact, 1/3 of a cup only has 70 calories and 4g of fat. I was pretty happy about that. (For my vegan friends, GO Veggie! also makes a completely dairy free line).
Please make this AMAZING mac and cheese. You’ll never go back to the frozen or boxed stuffed. Bonus: It’s the easiest thing to whip up when you’re craving some comfort food!
Enjoy! Xo
More healthy pasta recipes you’ll love:
Stovetop Southwest Tuna Mac and Cheese
Broccoli & White Cheddar Quinoa Mac and Cheese
Roasted Veggie Mediterranean Pasta with Goat Cheese
Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta with peas (vegan & gluten free!)
15 minute Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni noodles (preferably whole grain)
- 1 tablespoon vegan buttery spread
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 package GO Veggie! Lactose and Soy Free Cheddar Shreds (about 2 ½ cups)
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal, optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Cook noodles according to package directions in a large pot. Drain and then pour back into the pot.
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Reduce heat to low and immediately add in buttery spread, almond milk and GO Veggie! Cheddar Shreds. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until cheese begins to melt and form into a nice and thick sauce. If it’s WAY too thick, add in ¼ cup more of almond milk, just remember we want creamy, not soupy mac and cheese.
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Stir in flaxseed meal for added nutrition if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 4 servings. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
For added nutrition such as fiber and omegas, add in the flaxseed meal.
You can also stir in peas, cauliflower or broccoli!
I like using whole grain macaroni noodles, but whole grain fusilli would also work.
Feel free to use real butter instead of a vegan buttery spread if you aren't dairy free.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Go Veggie! All opinions are my own. Thanks for continuing to support Ambitious Kitchen!
24 comments
The best comfort food!
I’m pretty convinced I need this in my life… thank you for confirming that.
Haha you’re so welcome! xo
Where is the cheese? Fake cheese is not cheese so when you post a recipie please be honest an call it what it is faux mac and chesse wanna be
You’re not very smart are you?
This looks way too amazing to be healthy 🙂 Love that you were able to keep it fabulous looking! pinned
Thanks Averie! I feel like you would really like the Go Veggie! cheese. It’s SO good!
ohhh my word, this looks absolutely incredible! i do believe i crave mac & cheese 24/7!
I didn’t used to but honestly it doesn’t get any easier than this!
I love a good stovetop mac! This looks great!
Thanks Katrina!
Yummm! I had to pin this :). Is Go Veggie available in Canada?
On their site it says it’s available in Canada! You may want to check a natural foods store for it. Enjoy!
Thanks so much for the info! I’ll be hunting down a store this weekend to try this (especially since the cold weather has already hit in Canada!).
Gosh that looks so so good!!
How about the new protein pasta from Barilla.
How does this have 19 grams of protein per serving!?!
Hi Wendy! The protein comes from the serving of cheese and actually from the whole wheat pasta, too!
Made this for dins and I thought it was pretty darn good. I was scared to try it since I had never had veggie cheese before, but was pleasantly surprised with the results. In fact, with a few small tricks I may be able to trick my 9 year old into thinking its the real thing. I highly recommend. Note… you can not to recreate this with the fat free (dairy) cheese. It does not turn into a sauce.. it turns into a melted ball of cheese in almond milk.
Glad you were able to experiment with the veggie cheese and enjoyed it! Noted on the dairy cheese here, too 🙂
I tried this (but made it with regular shredded cheddar cheese) and added the flaxseed, and it did not turn out great. Came out runny and did not taste very good either. I followed all of the measurements and used whole grain macaroni and unsweetened almond milk. Some recipes call for flour, so maybe that would’ve thickened things up a bit.
dairy free!
Can I make the sauce ahead and cook the pasta right before serving? thanks!
That should be fine!