This recipe is gluten free, vegetarian and nut free. It can also be made vegan and dairy free. As someone who is celiac, lactose intolerant and allergic to almonds, it is so important that all my recipes cater to people with multiple dietary restrictions and/or food allergies! I was diagnosed with celiac disease (the celiac gene) and a lactose intolerance in my early 20s and have been on a mission since to create easy, delicious recipes for others with food allergies!

This easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese recipe is a lifesaver for busy weeknights and meal prep! If you love a buffalo chicken salad you’re going to love this dish! You only need a handful of ingredients and one baking dish. No need to create a complicated shopping list or spend hours searching for obscure ingredients.

The easy recipe requires minimal steps, just like my dairy free, gluten free parmesan chicken pasta. There’s no pre-cooking the pasta either! Simply combine everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the work for you. The whole family will love this ultimate comfort food recipe, even the picky eater.

Easy Baked Vegetarian Mac and Cheese Recipe (Gluten free)

why you’ll love this recipe

Easy Ingredients: This easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese requires just a handful of ingredients that you might already have in your pantry and fridge. No need for a fancy shopping list!
Minimal Steps: There’s no need to pre-cook the pasta or spend ages over the stove. Simply combine everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the work.
One-Pan Wonder: Cleanup is a breeze! Since everything cooks together in one baking dish, you’ll have minimal pots and pans to wash.
Quick Cook Time: The kid-friendly recipe comes together in under an hour, making it ideal for those evenings when you’re short on time.
Meal Prep Friendly: Doubling the recipe and portioning it into individual containers creates delicious lunches or quick dinners throughout the week.
A really fun dish for entertaining for the holidays or the super bowl.

ingredients & substitutions

Gluten-free pasta: This is the base of the easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese. Any type of gluten-free pasta will work, like rice noodles or corn pasta. Pasta can be made al dente if you cook for slightly less than the suggested amount of time. You can use rotini, bow ties or elbow pasta. You can use regular pasta or whole wheat pasta if you are not gluten free.

Plant-based milk: The plant milk creates a creamy sauce. Use any milk you like, like oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, any nut milk or even regular milk or whole milk if you are not dairy free. If you dont have non-dairy milk you can use vegetable broth or chicken broth but the dish will be less creamy. You can also mix in some sour cream or yogurt to make more of a creamy cheese sauce. If you have any white sauce, alfredo sauce, bechamel sauce or garlic pizza sauce you can use that in place of the milk too in this delicious recipe.

Vegan Cheddar cheese: This gives the dish a cheesy flavor and creates the sauce once the cheese melts. You can use any type of dairy free shredded cheese or vegan cheese shreds you prefer. Sprinkle extra cheese on top for a golden brown cheesy topping. You can also use dairy free mozzarella for a white sauce.

Nutritional yeast: This adds a cheesy, nutty flavor to the homemade mac and cheese. It’s optional, but you can skip it and use a generos amount of garlic powder and onion powder instead.

Paprika: This adds a smoky taste and a nice red color. You can leave it out if you don’t have it.

Vegan Parmesan cheese: The vegan parmesan adds a salty, nutty flavor. You can use any shredded cheese you prefer, or a dairy-free alternative like soy cheese.

Broccoli: This is a great way to add some veggies! But into bite-sized pieces. You can use frozen broccoli florets for convenience, or try adding more of your favorite vegetables like cauliflower florets, red bell pepper, carrots, peas, or zucchini.

Buffalo Sauce: This takes the mac and cheese to the next level! Use your favorite buffalo sauce that is vegan or mix together hot sauce with vegan butter in a skillet! There are lots of vegan buffalo sauces available at your local grocery store. Mix the buffalo sauce into the milk for a buffalo cheese sauce. Drizzle on top for a spicy topping for the perfect kick.

taste & texture

This easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese is cheesy, creamy, and veggie-packed. The gluten-free pasta cooks up tender and the broccoli florets add a slight crunch. The cheesy sauce is rich and flavorful, thanks to the vegan cheese and nutritional yeast. The paprika adds a hint of smokiness. Overall, the vegetarian buffalo mac is a satisfying and comforting classic mac and cheese recipe.

directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a baking dish or casserole dish, combine the uncooked pasta, chopped broccoli, plant-based milk, dairy free shredded cheddar cheese, roast garlic nutritional yeast, paprika, and shredded vegan parmesan cheese (or dairy-free alternative).
Mix well to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 hour, or until the pasta is tender and cooked through. The Vegan cheese should be melted and creamy and golden brown.
Remove the aluminum foil and check the pasta for doneness. If the pasta is still firm, return the dish to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Distribute into bowls. Top with extra cheese and drizzle with buffalo sauce.

expert tips & tricks

For a richer flavor, use a full cup of each vegan cheese (vegan cheddar and vegan parmesan).
Add cayenne pepper, chili powder, red pepper flakes or drizzle hot sauce on top for a spicy kick and extra flavor.
Add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce during the cooking process for a tomato cheese sauce.
Top with your favorite turkey chili to make a fun chili mac and cheese recipe.
Season with black pepper and sea salt for extra flavor.
You can substitute other cooked vegetables for the broccoli, such as chopped carrots, zucchini, or peas.
Top with bread crumbs for the last 5 minutes of baking for the perfect way to create crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Add more vegetables such as butternut squash or fresh produce for a healthier dish.
Mix in some vegan butter or a dash of olive oil for a creamier sauce. You can also add some vegan cream cheese as well.
Substitute cauliflower florets instead of pasta to make a fun buffalo cauliflower mac.
Top with vegan blue cheese or other similar dairy free cheese like feta for a traditional blue cheese taste.

how to make this a low carb recipe

To make this easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese low carb, use cauliflower or chickpea based low carb pasta.

how to make this a low fat recipe

To make this easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese low fat, use fat free or low fat cheese.

how to make this a vegan recipe

To make the best vegan mac and cheese vegan, simply use vegan cheese and vegan milk.

how to serve, store and meal prep

This easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese is delicious straight out of the oven. Serve it with a side salad or some crusty bread for a complete meal. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, let the dish cool completely and then portion it into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw individual portions in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen in a microwave-safe dish on low power, stirring occasionally, until heated through. This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Simply portion the cooked pasta bake into individual containers before freezing or storing in the fridge.

If you’re a mac and cheese lover like me, here is another mac and cheese you may like. This one, by Lauren Less is a creamy, dairy free and gluten free mac and cheese! https://lesswithlaur.com/how-to-make-the-creamiest-dairy-free-mac-and-cheese/

Looking for more allergy friendly easy recipe?

If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes plus a weekly grocery shopping list. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along!

Easy Vegan Buffalo Mac and Cheese Recipe (Gluten free)

Kayla Cappiello

This easy vegan buffalo mac and cheese recipe is a lifesaver for busy weeknights and meal prep! If you love vegan buffalo chicken dip you're going to love this dish! You only need a handful of ingredients and one baking dish. No need to create a complicated shopping list or spend hours searching for obscure ingredients. The easy recipe requires minimal steps. There's no pre-cooking the pasta either! Simply combine everything in a baking dish and let the oven do the work for you. The whole family will love this ultimate comfort food recipe, even the picky eater.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

8 ounces gluten-free pasta uncooked
2 cups plant-based milk
½ to 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons roast garlic nutritional yeast
½ tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli
3-4 tbsp vegan buffalo sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a baking dish, combine the uncooked pasta, chopped broccoli, plant-based milk, shredded cheddar cheese (or dairy-free alternative), roast garlic nutritional yeast, paprika, and shredded Parmesan cheese (or dairy-free alternative).
Mix well to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 hour, or until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
Remove the aluminum foil and check the pasta for doneness. If the pasta is still firm, return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve immediately. Drizzle with vegan buffalo sauce and vegan parmesan cheese.

Keyword gluten free

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