• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Contact
Check out my new cookbook

The Toasted Pine Nut

fun. flavorful. feel-good recipes.

  • Check out my cookbook!
  • Recipes
    • Dessert
      • Cookies
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Breads & Muffins
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Pies & Crumbles
      • Candy
      • No Bake
    • Meal
      • Breakfast
      • Main Dishes
      • Appetizers
      • Sides
      • Snacks
      • Drinks
      • Salads
      • Sauces & Dips
      • Dessert
    • Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Egg Free
      • Kid Friendly
      • Low Carb
      • Nut Free
    • Meat
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Chicken & Poultry
      • Beef & Pork
      • Meatless
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Oven
      • Grill
      • Stovetop
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Recipe Filter
  • Shop
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Kitchen Essentials
    • Pantry Items
    • Kid Favorites
    • Photography
  • Cookbook
  • Videos
Home Diet Vegetarian
5 from 1 review

Gluten Free Macaroni + Cheese

12 hrs 10 mins
VG Vegetarian
by: Lindsay Grimes
October 17, 2017 (Updated: June 8, 2020)
Jump to Recipe
Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Gluten Free Macaroni + Cheese
Macaroni + Cheese is an easy meal guaranteed to be a family favorite. It’s made with chickpea pasta so it’s lower carb compared to traditional pasta, gluten free, and vegan!

Does it really get better than mac ‘n cheese? My kids love it. I love it. It’s an easy meal guaranteed to be a family favorite.

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

You know I’m all about that dairy cheesy goodness. But, I’m also about options and alternatives and I don’t think you should have to choose if you don’t need to. Non-dairy sauces that are really really good and fun to make. After I saw how much you LOVED this vegan queso dip, I KNEW a version of that cheesy sauce would be perfect for mac ‘n cheese.

If you’re loving that vegan queso as much as me, you have GOT to try this jackfruit burrito bowl too. So flavorful and fun!!

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

At some point I suppose I should put an actual real cheese recipe up on the blog for mac ‘n cheese, but for now, I am loooving the cashew base of this vegan cheese sauce. Plus, why has nutritional yeast just entered my life? It’s amazing and shockingly cheesy and yet dairy free? Why did no one tell me?

So let’s make some dairy free, paleo, and vegan macaroni and cheese!

Cook your chickpea pasta according to package directions and drain. Place back into the pot.

Place the cashews, nutritional yeast, almond milk, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt into the food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

Pour the cheese sauce over the chickpea pasta and mix to combine.

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

Top with fresh herbs (optional because my kids freak out of little bits of green are in their meals so I only add fresh herbs for the adults).

Paleo Macaroni + Cheese

Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

Recipe
VG Vegetarian

Gluten Free Macaroni + Cheese

Macaroni + Cheese is an easy meal guaranteed to be a family favorite. It’s made with chickpea pasta so it’s lower carb compared to traditional pasta, gluten free, and vegan!

Recipe by:Lindsay Grimes
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
Prep: 12 hoursCook: 10 minsTotal: 12 hours 10 mins
Print recipe Rate recipe Pin Save recipe
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. chickpea pasta
  • 1 cup cashews, soaked 12+ hours, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • pinch paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Cook your chickpea pasta according to package directions and drain.
  2. Place the pasta back into the empty pot.
  3. Place the cashews, nutritional yeast, almond milk, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt into the food processor or blender.
  4. Blend until smooth.
  5. Pour the cheese sauce over the chickpea pasta and mix to combine.
  6. Top with fresh herbs (optional)

Tips

Serving : Calories 440; Fat 16.4g (Sat 2.2g); Protein 28.6g; Carb 57.2g (net carb 42.4g); Fiber 14.9g; Sodium 271mg

© The Toasted Pine Nut

Did you make this?

I love seeing what you made! Tag me on social @thetoastedpinenut

Rate recipe Tag me on Instagram

Enjoy!! xo

Want to save this for later? Pin the image below!!

Macaroni + Cheese is an easy meal guaranteed to be a family favorite. It's made with chickpea pasta so it's lower carb compared to traditional pasta, gluten free, and vegan! thetoastedpinenut.com #glutenfree #dairyfree #macaroniandcheese #vegan

158 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
overhead image of a gluten free sprinkle cookie with a bite taken out on a white counter

Never miss a recipe!

Join our pine nut family and get recipes delivered right to your inbox.

Join now!
15 no bake desserts

You May Also Like...

  • Gluten Free Broccoli + Cheese Hot Pockets
  • Moist & Fluffy Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins with almond flour
  • This is a vertical overhead image of one white ramekin with a nutty crumble and blueberry glaze scooped up with a silver spoon. The handle of the spoon is sticking out of the ramekin, leaning against the side and pointing at the right side of the image. Vanilla ice cream is on top of the crumble, mainly to the top right of the ramekin, and melting into it. Another ramekin with blueberry crisp is in the top right corner of the image. The ramekins sit on a white square tiled surface with more crumbles that have fallen around them.
    30-Min Baked Blueberry Crisp without Oats

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe it would mean SO MUCH to me if you give it a star rating and leave a comment about it. Not only do I love basking in the glory of your recipe love, but (perhaps more importantly 😋) it helps other readers find my recipes online. Thanks so much for your feedback!!

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. AvatarRebecca says

    Posted on 10/19/17 at 9:48 pm

    I was so excited to try this and thought about it all day while the cashews were soaking! However, when I saw the recipe called for vanilla almond milk, I was a little hesitant about adding it but your recipes have always turned out great and I had Califia’s unsweetened vanilla almond milk on hand so I decided to try it. Unfortunately, the sauce turned out to taste like vanilla and couldn’t be saved. I’m wondering if the vanilla was a typo or if the brand I had just had too much vanilla flavoring? I’m sure the sauce would be great without!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      Posted on 10/20/17 at 7:26 am

      YESS ok so some brands are definitely more vanilla-y. I had vanilla on hand that isn’t too distinctively vanilla. So, that’s what I used but you should probably use just regular unsweetened – I’ll update the recipe. Sorry the vanilla was too much and the sauce was ruined – I’m so bummed for you!! 🙁

      Reply
  2. AvatarSarah says

    Posted on 4/5/18 at 5:18 pm

    I got all excited for a paleo Mac and cheese, but chickpeas aren’t paleo! Do you have any other noodle substitute that is paleo?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      Posted on 4/5/18 at 6:58 pm

      Ah I totally forgot about chickpeas!! haha maybe put the sauce on some sweet potato noodles or whatever your favorite paleo-friendly noodle 🙂

      Reply
  3. AvatarHannah says

    Posted on 3/5/20 at 4:24 pm

    Omg I can’t get over this recipe! So good, thank you!

    Reply
    • Lindsay Grimes Freedman says

      Posted on 3/13/20 at 8:29 pm

      Ah I’m so glad you love it!! xo

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Lindsay

Nice to Meet You!

I’m Lindsay - cookbook author, blogger and chocolate lover! If gluten-free desserts are your jam, you’re in the right place! I live in south Jersey with my family and new puppy Roxie! Some of my favorite things are oat milk lattes, sunny days and warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies.

Read more...

Recipe Key

GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free V Vegan VG Vegetarian EF Egg-Free NF Nut-Free P Paleo Browse All

Most Popular

This is a horizontal image of a hand with deep pink nail polish holding a chocolate quinoa crisp in between their thumb and pointer finger. More chocolate quinoa crisps are blurred in the background.

5-Minute Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Crisps

overhead image of a muffin tin filled with 12 raw eggs sprinkled with pepper

Perfect Oven-Baked Eggs in a Muffin Tin

This is a side view of a chocolate almond butter bar with a bite taken out of it. The bar sits on a white piece of parchment paper and is sprinkled with salt. More bars are blurred in the background.

No Bake Almond Butter Bars

Lemon & Avocado Kale Salad

Freebie alert!

Get My Free No Bake Desserts eBook!

Explore

More Vegetarian

This is a vertical image looking down onto a white piece of parchment paper with a piece of coffee cake leaning on its side so you can see the thick layer of crumble topping and fluffy tender cake. The cake leans against another piece of coffee cake to the bottom right corner of the image. Another piece of coffee cake is in the top left corner of the image. Some caramel and crumbs are on the parchment paper to the bottom left corner of the image.

Tender Gluten Free Coffee Cake with Cottage Cheese

This is an overhead vertical image of a gold cooling rack with cookies on it. The cookies are studded with blueberries and have a lemon curd pool in the middle. The cooling rack is in a light grey surface.

Bright Blueberry Studded Lemon Curd Cookies with Almond Flour

This is a vertical image looking at a cherry cheesecake square from the side. The cheesecake is light pink, has a graham cracker crust, and swirls of cherry jam on top. A silver fork has a bite of cheesecake on it and lies on the white surface in front of the cheesecake square. More cherry cheesecake squares are blurred behind and to the side of the slice in focus.

Silky Sweet No Bake Cherry Cheesecake (with cherry jam!)

This is an overhead horizontal image of a white plate with mini pancakes on it. A fork is piercing three pancakes and leaning on the plate on top of the rest of the pancakes. A small white bowl with syrup is on the plate and has been drizzled on top of the pancakes. Cherries are on the plate and one cherry is off the plate in the bottom right corner on the white surface.

Perfectly Pop-able Mini Pancakes in 15 minutes

Browse All
15 No bake desserts

Download my FREE No Bake Dessert Ebook!

As seen on:

Food Network
Shape
Men's Health
NBC
Kitchn
Glamour
  • Reader Faves: Gluten-Free Desserts
    • Gluten free macarons
    • Banana mug cake
    • Almond butter bars
    • Peanut butter Cheerio bars
    • Chia seed cookies
    • More gluten-free desserts
  • Top Chocolate Desserts
    • Chocolate quinoa crisps
    • Microwave baked oats
    • Hot chocolate bombs
    • Chocolate banana bread
    • Peanut butter brownies
    • All chocolate recipes
  • DIY & How To
    • Dried orange garland
    • How to melt chocolate chips
    • DIY face oil
    • Oven-baked eggs in a muffin tin
    • How to make taco seasoning
    • How to make oat milk in 5 minutes
  • Explore Resources
    • FAQ
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Cookbook
    • Shop Favorites
    • Web Stories
    • Meet Lindsay
Follow

@thetoastedpinenut

Accessibility

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Contact

© 2025 The Toasted Pine Nut
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
Back to Top
158 shares