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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese

    LAST UPDATED: July 8, 2019 • FIRST PUBLISHED: July 8, 2019

    Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese

    Get ready for the ultimate vegan comfort food meal! Made with zesty two-bean chili and tender macaroni in a creamy, dairy-free cheesy sauce. The best part: this cozy dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes!

    Bowl of Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese with Fork, Spoon, and Water Glass

    Well, it officially feels like summer. Which means I'm all set to hide out in my house with the air conditioner cranked until September rolls around.

    And that puts me in the mood for comfort food! This is one comfort food dish that I've been meaning to work on for a while. A combination of chili and mac & cheese. Does it get much better? I think not!

    A Pot of Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese with Serving Spoon

    I took some inspiration from a few earlier recipes of mine to come up with this. Like my vegan goulash, this one is loaded with tomatoes and pasta and legumes in one sloppy delicious pot of food. And like my coconut mac & cheese, the sauce comes together super easy (no cashews needed) by seasoning and thickening some coconut milk.

    Let's talk about how it's done!

    How to Make Vegan Chili Mac

    Start by sweating some onion and bell peppers in oil. Let them cook until they begin to soften up, then add some garlic, followed by flour. Cook the flour for a minute or two, then stir in your coconut milk, beans, tomatoes and spices.

    Nutritional yeast and hot sauce give your sauce a cheesy flavor. Add them now, along with your spices.

    Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. It should be thick and creamy by the time it's done. (I was wishing for some tortilla chips — this stuff would've been awesome for dipping!)

    Stir in some cooked elbow macaroni. Season with salt, adjust any other seasonings to your liking, and dig in!

    Collage Showing Steps for Making Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese: Saute Veggies, Add Flour, Add Coconut Milk, Beans, Tomatoes & Spices, Simmer and Stir in Pasta

    FAQ & Vegan Chili Mac Tips

    • Feel free to switch things up by substituting different varieties of beans! Chickpeas, lentils, cannellini beans, and black-eyed peas would all be great.
    • Can this recipe be made gluten-free? I'm not sure! You can easily use your favorite gluten-free pasta, but replacing the flour will be a bit trickier. You can experiment with an all-purpose gluten free flour as a direct substitution, or try adding a bit of arrowroot or a mixture of cold water and cornstarch to the sauce when it's already simmering. I haven't tried any of these, so no guarantees!
    • How spicy is this recipe? Mildly spicy, as long as you use a relatively mild vinegar-based hot sauce, such as Cholula.
    • Can I omit the hot sauce? I don't recommend leaving it out, because the hot sauce actually does make the dish taste cheesy. If you absolutely insist on leaving it out, I recommend adding a tablespoon or so of vinegar to balance out the flavors.
    • Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. If the sauce dries up too much, add a few splashes of non-dairy milk when you reheat it.

    Bowl of Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese with Water Glass and Napkin in the Background

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Bowl of Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese with Fork, Spoon, and Water Glass
    4 from 8 votes
    Print

    Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese

    Get ready for the ultimate vegan comfort food meal! Made with zesty two-bean chili and tender macaroni in a creamy, dairy-free cheesy sauce. The best part: this cozy dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes!

    Course Entree
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 477 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces dried elbow macaroni
    • 2 tablespoons canola oil, or high-heat oil of choice
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
    • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
    • 2 tablespoons vinegar-based hot sauce (such as Cholula)
    • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • Fresh chives, for serving (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

    2. Stir in the pasta and cook it according to the package directions, until al dente.

    3. Drain the pasta into a colander, return it to the pot, and toss it with a dash of oil.

    4. While the pasta cooks, coat the bottom of a large pot with 2 tablespoons of oil and place it over medium heat.

    5. When the oil is hot, add the onion and pepper. Cook them, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent and the pepper is tender, about 5 minutes.

    6. Add the garlic and sprinkle in the flour. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.

    7. Stir in the coconut milk, tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, nutritional yeast, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce.

    8. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a low boil.

    9. Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick and creamy.

    10. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pasta. Season with salt to taste, and add more hot sauce if you like.

    11. Divide into bowls and top with chives. Serve.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Chili Mac & Cheese
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 477 Calories from Fat 148
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16.4g25%
    Saturated Fat 9.1g46%
    Sodium 807mg34%
    Potassium 922mg26%
    Carbohydrates 68.6g23%
    Fiber 13.6g54%
    Sugar 8.5g9%
    Protein 18.4g37%
    Calcium 80mg8%
    Iron 7.4mg41%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Roasted Veggie Sandwiches with Garlic Avocado Aioli
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dani Silvester says

      July 08, 2019 at 12:12 pm

      I love your blog and look forward to your recipes in my inbox and also on Facebook. This looks like a great classic recipe my whole family will like, but I'm unable to eat coconut. Would Tofu be a good substitute to make the sauce creamy? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 11, 2019 at 3:11 pm

        I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes! I think your best bet would be to substitute another type of non-dairy milk. Cashew would probably be a good alternative, just make sure it's unflavored and unsweetened. You could also try adding a bit of cashew cream to make the sauce extra rich: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/cashew-cream/

        Reply
    2. Bryan Martinez says

      July 11, 2019 at 9:37 pm

      Just looking at the pictures of this recipe got me excited haha I definitely need to give this a try, thanks!

      Reply
      • Lorrie says

        July 12, 2019 at 12:07 pm

        😋

        Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 14, 2019 at 10:50 am

        I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. Lorrie says

      July 12, 2019 at 12:05 pm

      This is super yummy and will be a keeper for us. We added corn and topped with Parma! Chipotle Cayenne

      Reply
    4. Anne says

      July 27, 2019 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      This was SO good! One of those recipes where i felt like i could sit down and eat the whole thing... I used Banza chickpea pasta, subbed in a pack of Tofurky "ground beef" for the black beans, and halved the amount of hot sauce. My omnivore husband loved it too!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 27, 2019 at 4:30 pm

        Awesome! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks Anne!

        Reply
    5. Morgan L says

      August 20, 2019 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      A perfect feed-a-crowd comfort food dish. Another gem from you! Thanks for another great recipe.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 25, 2019 at 10:48 am

        Yay! I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply
    6. Amy says

      November 06, 2019 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      OMG this was so good! It will be on regular rotation in my house.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 10, 2019 at 2:06 pm

        I'm so glad you like it!

        Reply
    7. Debbie D says

      December 04, 2019 at 8:36 am

      Omg. This looks and sounds so yummy! I am going home straight from work and will make this for supper tonight. I hope I can find my can of coconut milk but if not, I do have a carton of unsweetened almond milk in my fridge. Do you think I can replace it with that? If so, do you think I should use same amount? Thanks! Deb

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 04, 2019 at 9:09 am

        Thank you! Almond milk should work as long as it doesn't have any flavors or added sugar, but the sauce won't be as rich and creamy. If you do give it a try just use the same amount. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Debbie D says

          December 04, 2019 at 2:58 pm

          Awesome!!! Thanks so much!!

          Reply
    8. Sharon says

      January 11, 2020 at 1:33 pm

      Looks delicious and easy. I love your blogs!!! Easy to navigate and I don’t get stuck with a plethora advertisements kicking me out of your articles. Thank you for your recipes and modifications where needed.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 12, 2020 at 10:45 am

        Very welcome!! I'm so glad you're enjoying the recipes. :)

        Reply
    9. Brenda says

      February 17, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      Hi Alissa, did you double this recipe for your pictures? It seems to make a lot. I'm currently torn if 8oz pasta will be enough for what I need, or if I should double the recipe...

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 22, 2020 at 5:58 pm

        Hi Brenda! I didn't double the recipe. That's a 3 quart pot that it's shown in, if that helps at all. I felt like the servings ended up being relatively generous for this one, since it's a regular 2 ounce serving of pasta, plus all the beans and tomatoes that go into the chili portion of the dish. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    10. Heather Vaughan says

      March 19, 2020 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      This was seriously amazing! Our whole family loved it. And my kids of skeptical of vegan "cheesy" recipes. You really brightened up our social distancing tonight! I swapped lentils for the black beans and carrots for the red bell pepper, because that's what we have on hand - and we're not heading to the grocery store anytime soon if we can help it. And still it came out great! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.

      Reply
    11. Andrea Hunter says

      December 09, 2020 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      This is unbelievably good! I took a serving over to my parents (who aren't vegan) and they couldn't believe something so decadent has no dairy. Awesome recipe!

      Reply
    12. Tracy L says

      March 04, 2022 at 1:21 am

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and it was very yummy! Thanks for the great ideas!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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