The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. That little valve hiss tells you the pressure build inside is doing its thing. You catch a whiff of garlic and maybe a hint of that cheesy sauce cooking down inside.
You remember the first time you tried making vegan mac and cheese in your pressure cooker. It was kinda like a game changer. Super creamy, the noodles tender but still with a nice pull, no drying out or sticking to the bottom thanks to that trusty sealing ring working overtime.
Right now, you feel excited because this recipe is made to make life simple. No waiting hours to soak your cashews, just a quick boil works fine. You spot your ingredients lined up and know everything's gonna come together nicely once that lid goes on and the natural release finishes the job.
Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot
- Pressure builds fast so your elbow macaroni cooks perfectly al dente, no mush.
- Natural release lets the flavors settle without overcooking your pasta.
- The sealing ring keeps everything airtight, so no nasty drying or burning at the bottom.
- You get that gentle tender pull on the noodles every single time, not a soggy mess.
- It infuses the cashew cheese sauce throughout the pasta for creamy bites in every forkful.
- Less cleanup cause you’re cooking sauce and noodles almost all in one pot before baking.
- The valve hiss is like your dinner timer, letting you know when the pressure is just right and the cooking’s done.
The Complete Shopping Rundown
- 3 cups elbow macaroni (12 oz/340g)
- 1 tablespoon oil (any kind works, olive oil is my fav here)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight or just boiled for 5 minutes if you’re short on time)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or juice of 1 lemon, your choice!)
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce, or tamari, miso paste, liquid aminos
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups vegan milk (canned full fat coconut milk makes it super creamy)
- 1 cup vegan shredded cheese (¾ for the sauce, rest for topping if you like)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (gluten free if you need it)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons melted vegan butter or oil
Make sure you got the cashews ready to go by soaking them overnight. Or if you forgot, boiling for five minutes works just fine and saves you a bunch of time. You want that creamy sauce nice and smooth, so measurements kinda matter here.
Your Complete Cooking Timeline
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gets the baking started right after the pressure cooker finishes up.
- Cook the elbow macaroni right in the pressure cooker according to the package instructions but cut the time short by about a minute so pasta stays al dente. After pressure build, do a quick natural release to keep that perfect texture.
- Drain the cooked pasta if needed and set it aside for just a sec.
- While pasta cooks, blend your soaked cashews with garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, dry mustard, lime juice, and a cup of water until creamy smooth. It’s your cheesy base.
- Heat the oil in a skillet medium heat, toss in minced garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add this garlic oil to the blender again and pulse to combine all those flavors.
- Mix your cashew cheese sauce with the cooked macaroni. Pour into a baking dish, top with vegan shredded cheese and breadcrumbs, drizzle melted vegan butter on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes till the top’s bubbly and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes so it sets just right for serving.
Easy Tweaks That Make Life Simple
- Boil cashews for 5 minutes instead of soaking overnight when you’re in a hurry.
- You can swap elbow macaroni with any pasta you like but adjust pressure cooking time by a minute or two.
- Use canned coconut milk for a creamy sauce, or almond milk if you want something lighter.
- Skip the baking and just stir the sauce into piping hot pasta for a quicker, no-bake version.
- Add a pinch of smoked paprika or chili powder for a little extra kick without complicated steps.
Your First Taste After the Wait
When you finally get that baked vegan mac and cheese in front of you, the warm smell of garlic and paprika fills the air. The top is golden brown, just crisp enough to give a nice crunch with each bite.
That first forkful hits your tongue with creamy, cheesy flavor crafted from those soaked cashews and nutritional yeast. The noodles have that perfect tender pull you were hoping for, not mushy but soft and satisfying.
You feel like this is exactly the cozy comfort food you needed after a long day. It’s kinda like a hug on a cold night, simple but full of flavor and super satisfying.
Your Leftover Strategy Guide
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
- Freeze leftovers in portion-sized containers for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
- If sauce seems thick after storing, stir in a splash of vegan milk when reheating to loosen it up.
- Breadcrumb topping tends to lose crispness after storage but stirring in extra vegan cheese before reheating brings back some creaminess.
Your Most Asked Questions Answered
- Can I skip soaking cashews overnight? Yeah, definitely. Just boil ‘em for 5 minutes and they soften enough for blending. Saves time but soaking overnight gives smoother sauce.
- What if I don’t have nutritional yeast? You can try using miso or extra soy sauce for umami, but nutritional yeast gives that cheesy flavor hard to beat.
- Can I make this gluten free? Yup, just use gluten free pasta and breadcrumbs, works real good.
- How do I avoid mushy pasta? Cut the cooking time in pressure cooker short by about a minute and use natural release instead of quick release. That tender pull stays intact.
- Can I prep the sauce ahead? For sure, you can blend your cashew cheese sauce a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. Just give it a good stir before mixing with pasta.
- What’s the best way to reheat leftovers? Microwave is fastest but reheating in oven with a little extra vegan milk keeps that creamy texture and brings back some crisp topping if covered loosely.
Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
This creamy and comforting vegan mac and cheese is made easy using a pressure cooker and baked to golden perfection. Ready in under an hour, it's a deliciously satisfying plant-based comfort food.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni 12 oz/340g
- 1 tablespoon oil any kind, olive oil preferred
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight or boiled 5 minutes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or juice of 1 lemon
- 0.5 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, miso paste, liquid aminos
- 0.5 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1.5 cups vegan milk canned full fat coconut milk for creaminess
- 1 cup vegan shredded cheese ¾ for sauce, rest for topping
- 1 cup breadcrumbs gluten free if needed
- to taste salt & pepper
- 3 tablespoons melted vegan butter or oil
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This gets the baking started right after the pressure cooker finishes up.
- Cook the elbow macaroni in the pressure cooker according to the package instructions, cutting the time short by about a minute so pasta stays al dente. After pressure build, do a quick natural release to keep that perfect texture.
- Drain the cooked pasta if needed and set it aside for just a sec.
- While pasta cooks, blend soaked cashews with garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper, dry mustard, lime juice, and a cup of water until creamy smooth. It’s your cheesy base.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, toss in minced garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add this garlic oil to the blender again and pulse to combine all those flavors.
- Mix your cashew cheese sauce with the cooked macaroni.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish, top with vegan shredded cheese and breadcrumbs, drizzle melted vegan butter on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes till the top’s bubbly and golden.
- Let cool for 5 minutes so it sets just right for serving.
Notes
This vegan mac and cheese is best served warm and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of vegan milk to loosen the sauce. Perfectly creamy and comforting with a crispy breadcrumb topping.
