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Vegan Kimchi Mac’n Cheese Recipe

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3.8 from 49 reviews

This Vegan Kimchi Mac’n Cheese recipe combines creamy, tangy, and spicy flavors with the comforting texture of elbow macaroni. Using a rich kimchi queso sauce made from blended russet potatoes, cashews, and Korean seasonings, this dish provides a dairy-free, vibrant twist on traditional mac and cheese that’s perfect for vegans and anyone craving bold flavors.

Ingredients

Kimchi Queso Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 5 ounces russet potato, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, medium-sized
  • 1 scallion, white part only
  • 1/4 cup cabbage kimchi (vegan)
  • 1 tablespoon gochugaru
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon Korean soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons kimchi liquid
  • 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Macaroni and Assembly

  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni (dry weight; can substitute gluten-free macaroni)
  • 1 tablespoon dairy-free butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (can substitute cornstarch)
  • 2 1/2 cups Kimchi Queso (from above)
  • 1 cup vegan cabbage kimchi, chopped

Instructions

  1. Make the Kimchi Queso: In a small pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the thinly sliced potatoes, chopped onion, garlic cloves, scallion whites, kimchi, gochugaru, turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and cashews. Cook this mixture until the vegetables begin to brown, approximately 3 minutes.
  2. Add Gochujang and Soy Sauce: Stir in the gochujang so that all vegetables and cashews are evenly coated. Then add the Korean soy sauce to deglaze the pot, stirring well to combine all flavors.
  3. Simmer Vegetables: Pour 1/2 cup of water into the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Tip: Start cooking pasta during this simmering stage.
  4. Blend the Queso Sauce: Carefully transfer the cooked vegetable mixture to a high-powered blender. Add nutritional yeast, kimchi liquid, unsweetened plant-based milk, fresh lemon juice, and maple syrup. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute. If not using immediately, cool for 20 minutes, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat in microwave for about 1 minute before serving.
  5. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the noodles.
  6. Prepare Pasta Base: About 1 minute before pasta finishes cooking, drain and return noodles to the pot. Add dairy-free butter and sift the flour evenly over the pasta, stirring until the butter melts and flour is incorporated to create a roux-like base.
  7. Combine with Kimchi Queso Sauce: Add 2 1/2 cups of the kimchi queso sauce and half of the reserved pasta water to the pot. Stir vigorously and add more pasta water as needed until the sauce is slightly soupy—it will thicken slightly upon standing.
  8. Add Kimchi and Finish: Stir in the chopped vegan cabbage kimchi until evenly distributed. Serve warm immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat over medium heat adding a splash of plant-based milk if needed to loosen the sauce.

Notes

  • The kimchi queso sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to one week.
  • Use gluten-free macaroni if a gluten-free dish is desired.
  • Adjust gochugaru and gochujang quantities to control spiciness.
  • Reserve pasta water carefully to achieve desired sauce consistency.
  • Reheat leftovers gently to avoid drying out the sauce.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/vegan-kimchi-macn-cheese-recipe/