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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Cheesy Primavera Mac from Vegan Mac and Cheese

    Published: Aug 4, 2019 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Get your comfort food fix with this dairy-free Cheesy Primavera Mac from Vegan Mac and Cheese by Robin Robertson. This easy recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables, and the sauce is made with potatoes and carrots, making it sneakily healthy! It's the perfect dinner dish for any time of the year!

    Cheesy Primavera Mac from Vegan Mac and Cheese with text overlay

    Vegan Mac and Cheese

    When I get a new cookbook, I almost always gravitate to the macaroni and cheese recipe. If it has a delicious mac and cheese recipe, then I know it’s a good cookbook. That was impossible to do with Robin Robertson’s new cookbook, though, as it contains nothing but mac and cheese recipes!

    Vegan Mac and Cheese by Robin Robertson

    >

    Vegan Mac and Cheese is a comfort food lover’s dream come true. It contains more than 50 recipes for dairy-free macaroni and cheese. I know what you’re thinking, “Is it really possible to make that many different types of mac and cheese?” And the answer is yes! And wait until you see how creative they are!

    Robin starts the book with a history lesson. The history of mac and cheese that is! She shares the low-down on veganizing this classic dish, reasons why you should make it yourself, the different types of pasta you should use, and a variety of ways to make dairy-free cheese sauces. She includes different topping and add-in ideas, too.

    two bowls of pasta overhead

    The Recipes

    The recipes in Vegan Mac and Cheese are super creative! Robin uses global inspiration in such recipes as Italian Macaroni Pie, Mac and Thai, and Noodle Kugel. She adds veggies to macaroni in Broccoli Mac UnCheese, Spinach Artichoke Mac UnCheese, and Asparagus Mac and Hollandaise. There are also recipes for those who crave a heartier dish, such as Chili Mac, BBQ Jack Mac, and Shepherd’s Mac. She even plays with her food in such recipes as Mac UnCheese Balls, Waffled Mac and UnCheese, and Cheesy Mug Mac.

    Cheesy Primavera Mac in casserole dish with Vegan Mac and Cheese by Robin Robertson

    Chapters in Vegan Mac and Cheese Include:

    • Basic Mac UnCheese
    • Global Cheesy Mains
    • Mac and Veggies
    • Meaty Macs
    • Fun with Mac UnCheese
    pasta, broccoli, tomatoes, carnose, scallions, garlic, and potato

    Cheesy Primavera Mac

    I had a hard time deciding what recipe to make first. They all look so good! Should I make the Buffalo Cauliflower Mac? Or how about the Arugula Pesto Mac UnCheese? In the end, I went with the Cheesy Primavera Mac. Since it’s summertime, fresh veggies are bountiful at the farmers market. Primavera is a good way to add a little touch of summer to classic mac and cheese.

    vegan cheese sauce in blender

    The cheese sauce in this recipe is made using carrots, potatoes, cashews, nutritional yeast, and a few other seasonings. They whip up into a dreamy, cheesy sauce that will satisfy even the most die-hard cheese lovers. It comes together super quickly in my Blendtec.

    This recipe comes together easily. I had two pots going at once – one for potato, carrot, garlic, and cashews for the sauce and another for the pasta. The broccoli cooks right in the pot with the pasta, and the rest of the veggies are tossed in once the pasta is cooked. Once cooked, the sauce ingredients get thrown into a blender and processed until smooth and creamy. Then everything gets tossed together, and dinner is ready!

    If you’re looking for creative ways to make everyone’s favorite comfort food, Vegan Mac and Cheese is the book for you!

    close up of bowl of mac and cheese
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    serving dish of Cheesy Primavera Mac overhead

    Cheesy Primavera Mac

    Robin Robertson
    I like to use tricolor rotini in this lovely springtime casserole to mirror the gorgeous colors of the vegetables in the dish.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 267 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Sauce

    • 1 large russet potato peeled and chopped
    • 1 medium carrot chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled
    • ½ cup (70 g) unsalted raw cashews
    • ⅓ cup (20 g) nutritional yeast
    • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
    • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 tablespoon (17 g) white miso paste
    • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
    • Salt
    • Ground black pepper

    Pasta and Vegetables

    • 16 ounces (454 g) tricolor rotini or other small pasta
    • 2 cups (142 g) small broccoli florets
    • 3 scallions white and green parts, minced
    • 2 cups (60 g) chopped fresh spinach arugula, or watercress
    • 1 cup (149 g) cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
    • ¼ cup (36 g) roasted hulled sunflower seeds optional garnish
    • Handful small basil leaves optional garnish

    Instructions
     

    • To make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine the potato, carrot, garlic, and cashews with enough water to cover. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 2 cups (480 mof the cooking water. Drain and transfer the cooked vegetables and cashews to a high-speed blender, along with the reserved cooking water.
    • Add the nutritional yeast, olive oil, paprika, miso, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as needed. Set aside.
    • To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli to the pot. Drain the pasta and broccoli and return them to the pot.
    • Place the pot over low heat and add the scallions, spinach, and cherry tomatoes and toss to combine.
    • Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine and heat through. Transfer to a large serving dish and serve hot, garnished with sunflower seeds and basil leaves, if using.

    Notes

    © 2019 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
    Text © 2019 Robin Robertson
    Calories: 267kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    Cheesy Primavera Mac from Vegan Mac and Cheese

    Other recipes from Robin Robertson that you might enjoy include:

    • Roasted Cauliflower Piccata
    • African Inspired Peanut Stew
    • Coconut Curry Noodles
    Coconut Curry Noodles and Butternut Squash from One-Dish Vegan from above
    « Raw Vegan Kale Slaw
    Buffalo Tempeh Salad with Vegan Ranch Dressing »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lydia Greenfield

      August 04, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      Recently it's been a Mushroom Stroganoff Mac & Cheese! So yummy!

    2. Corrine

      August 04, 2019 at 3:54 pm

      I like a hamburger mac and cheese! I mix in Gardein ground meat, chopped onions and chopped grape tomatoes in a basic mac and cheese recipe. It's a family favorite. =)

    3. Susan

      August 05, 2019 at 2:49 pm

      I need more vegan Mac and cheese in my life! I have a few recipes I make, but not a real favorite. This one looks good! Robin Robertson is awesome.

    4. Karen D

      August 06, 2019 at 3:21 pm

      Just plain. I need to branch out!

    5. Janet

      August 06, 2019 at 9:32 pm

      I am a plain Jane, too.

    6. B Session

      August 07, 2019 at 3:51 pm

      5 stars
      Vegan Mac & cheese - ultimate comfort food, anytime, anywhere... Plain, with veggies, with mock meats, baked into muffins, topping or filling kolaches... I'm in!

    7. Kim

      August 11, 2019 at 9:12 am

      I hope I win! Truffles Mac and cheese is my favorite!

    8. NANCY

      August 11, 2019 at 6:29 pm

      Primavera sounds great to me. Thanks for the chance.

    9. Jenny Ham

      August 11, 2019 at 10:41 pm

      5 stars
      I like it mac and cheese with broccoli..

    10. Christin W

      August 11, 2019 at 10:50 pm

      BBQ mac!

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    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a Board-Certified Health Vegan Health and Lifestyle Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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