this vegan broccoli cheddar mac & cheese is the perfect holiday side dish! gooey vegan cheddar cheese sauce with broccoli and a crumbly ritz cracker topping.
the inspiration
In my opinion every Thanksgiving table needs a mac and cheese on it. I don’t care if you go classic or make a variation, you just need it. While I do have a more Traditional Vegan Mac and Cheese, I really love a broccoli mac and cheese.
Broccoli and cheddar is of course a classic combo for a reason. We all know and love it. So, putting it in mac and cheese form is of course amazing.
I wanted to do a Ritz cracker topping which is surprisingly vegan. The creaminess, cheesiness, and flavors all work so well together.
the ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: we are making a bechamel style broccoli cheddar mac and cheese. So, we must first start by making a roux. The base of that is all purpose flour. While I have never tried it, you can try using gluten-free all purpose.
- Vegan Butter: we will also use vegan butter as part of our roux. You can use any vegan butter you like here.
- Non-Dairy Milk: we will need non-dairy milk to turn this from a roux into a bechamel. You can use any non-dairy milk you like just be sure it is unsweetened and unflavored.
- Nutritional Yeast: we will need to add in some nutritional yeast for umami and cheesy flavor. Plus, it has B vitamins and a little plant protein.
- Vegan Cheddar Shreds: you can use any vegan cheddar shreds you like. You can also use a block and shred it yourself. I like Daiya, Violife, and Follow Your Heart. There is also a homemade recipe on the blog.
- Broccoli: of course we need some broccoli. I did opt for fresh broccoli but you can of course use frozen here as well. If you decide to use frozen I recommend cooking it seperate from the pasta. Then, chop it up and add into the vegan cheese sauce later on.
- Pasta: use any pasta you like. If you are gluten-free of course use a gluten free pasta.
- Salt & Pepper: we will add both of these for flavor.
- Ritz Crackers: I added a Ritz cracker topping. I love them on top because they are salty, a little sweet, and work so well on here. You can replace them with breadcrumbs if you prefer that.
how to make the vegan broccoli cheddar mac & cheese
- Chop up one broccoli crown. I like to chop up the stem too.
- Use any pasta you like. I had this adorable leaf pasta from Trader Joe’s.
- In a pan on a low heat combine vegan butter and all purpose flour. It should come together and looks like it forms a dough. *Note: my pan was slightly too hot because I was filming while doing this.
- Then, slowly add in non-dairy milk in ½ cup increments. Whisk constantly to incorporate the flour/vegan butter. This will create a thick bechamel. You can have a few clumps but overall it should be smooth.
- In a large pot boil the broccoli and pasta in salted water, until very al dente. Undercook pasta slightly.
- Add in the vegan cheddar cheese, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper to the bechamel.
- Mix together to form a thick vegan cheese sauce.
- Save about ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli, then pour it in.
- Mix all together and taste. Add any additional seasoings to your preference.
- Crush the Ritz crackers. I like to do that in a plastic bag with a rolling pin. Then, pour over the macaroni and cheese. Make sure your pan is oven safe.
- I also add a bit of spray oil. Broil in the oven on high for about 5 minutes or until golden.
tips for making bechamel
Making a roux and bechamel can feel very intimidating but I promise it is not. First, is keep the pan on a low heat. This will prevent burning, sticking, or anything else from going on.
Then, you want to have all your ingredients and whisk right by the stove and ready to go. This process will happen much faster than you may think. So, being ready to go will help.
Whisk, whisk, whisk. Just keep whisking. Seriously, it is how we prevent clumping and create a smooth bechamel. Also, add in the non-dairy milk slowly helps with this as well since it allows it to be e
more vegan thanksgiving recipes
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Tiramisu (Best Fall Dessert & No Bake)
- Amazing French Onion Lentil Casserole (Vegan & Perfect for Holidays)
- Easy & Quick Candied Carrots (Dairy Free)
- Easy Vegan Sage & Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits (Perfect for Thanksgiving)
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (Veggie Packed and Dairy Free)
- Homemade Butternut Squash Gnocchi (Egg Free & Vegan)
why you’ll love this recipe
First of all, who doesn’t love mac and cheese?! And if you say you, we can’t be friends anymore. Just kidding. But I do think really nothing screams comfort more than homemade mac and cheese.
This recipe is great because the broccoli works really well in here. Especially, when it is chopped up smaller because it just mixes in there. If you are someone who struggles to eat vegetables or have your kids eat them this is a great way to open their mind to them.
Also, it comes together pretty quickly and since we aren’t using any nuts we do not need to deal with blending.
vegan broccoli cheddar mac & cheese faq
Is this recipe allergy friendly?
It does contain gluten. To make it gluten-free use gluten free pasta, gluten free all purpose flour, and swap the Ritz crackers. It does not contain nuts or soy, unless your non-dairy milk, vegan cheese, or vegan butter has those ingredients.
How do I store leftovers?
In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing.
How do I heat this dish up?
You can heat it up on the stove, microwave, or oven.
Do I need to add the Ritz cracker topping?
Definitely not! You are always free to do what you like in your own kitchen.
What is your favorite vegan cheese brand?
To be honest I actually like most of them. You can use any brand you like. For this specific recipe I had used Daiya with the new oat cream recipe.
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Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli crown roughly chopped with stem, about 7 ounces
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk unsweetened and unflavored
- ½ cup vegan cheddar shreds
- 7 ounce pasta of choice
- 6 Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Roughly chop up 1 broccoli crownI like to chop up the stem too. Also, I like to chop everything up decently small but not so tiny.
- In a large oven-safe pan on a low heat combine 1 tablespoon all purpose flour and 1 tablespoon all purpose flour. It should come together and looks like it forms a dough. *Note: my pan was slightly too hot because I was filming while doing this.
- Then, slowly add in 1 ½ cups non-dairy milk in ½ cup increments. Whisk constantly to incorporate the flour/vegan butter. This will create a thick bechamel. You can have a few clumps but overall it should be smooth.
- In a large pot boil the broccoli and 7 ounce pasta of choice in salted water, until very al dente. Undercook pasta slightly.
- Add in the ½ cup vegan cheddar shreds, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepperto the bechamel.
- Mix together to form a thick vegan cheese sauce.
- Save about ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli, then pour it in.
- Mix all together and taste. Add any additional seasonings to your preference. I did some garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Set oven to broil on high. Crush the 6 Ritz crackers. I like to do that in a plastic bag with a rolling pin. Then, pour over the macaroni and cheese. Make sure your pan is oven safe.
- I also add a bit of spray oil. Broil in the oven on high for about 5 minutes or until golden. Check on it every minute to make sure it doesn't burn and I like to keep the oven door slightly cracker.
Video
Notes
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Nutrition
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Hey, I’m Francesca!
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