Mac and Cheese (Paleo & AIP)
This recipe was created in partnership with Jovial foods. All opinions are my own.
This mac and cheese is a vegan, paleo, and AIP-friendly version that tastes just like the real deal! It’s made with grain-free pasta and a dairy-free cheese sauce.
AIP Mac & Cheese
Mac and cheese is one of those classic comfort foods that you really miss when you transition to a new way of eating. How do you replace the pasta? The cheese? Well, you’re in luck, because this version recreates the classic in a totally allergen-free way!
Not only is this a dairy-free mac and cheese, but it’s made with Jovial’s new grain-free cassava pasta to keep this recipe vegan, paleo, and AIP!
The Ingredients for This Recipe
- Butternut squash and cauliflower. These veggies are the base of the sauce. You can use fresh or frozen, but make sure it’s defrosted and any excess water is drained if you use frozen.
- Coconut milk and broth. You can use veggie broth to keep it vegan, or chicken broth. I like to use canned coconut milk for recipes like this.
- Tapioca starch. You can also use arrowroot starch!
- Nutritional yeast. This is a key ingredient to make the recipe taste cheesy.
- Jovial cassava pasta. Yes, this is a real thing!! I’m just as excited as you are, trust me! Jovial has always been my favorite gluten-free pasta brand, and this grain-free pasta is an absolute game-changer. This cassava pasta is totally AIP and is made with only cassava flour and water. They come in different shapes like penne, spaghetti, and more, but I like to use the elbows for this recipe. Jovial also makes amazing gluten-free rice pasta.
Where do you get the cassava pasta?
The pasta is available on their website, and is popping up in more and more stores!
How to make the Mac & Cheese
- Prep the liquid ingredients for the cheese sauce.
- In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent. Add the butternut squash and cauliflower and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the liquid mixture and stir well to combine. Bring to a low simmer. Allow to simmer on low, stirring often for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are softened. Allow the cheese sauce to slightly cool before blending with a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta as directed and strain.
- Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the cheese sauce until fully coated. Top with parsley and serve.
Can you make this coconut free?
I tried this with almond milk and it wasn’t as thick of a sauce. I highly recommend sticking with the full-fat coconut milk for that creamy sauce!
Can you make this pasta ahead of time?
Yes! You can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few days.
Can you add protein?
For sure! You can top it with cooked and crumbled bacon as a bacon mac and cheese, or you can add cooked and chopped chicken for a cheesy chicken pasta!
AIP Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This mac and cheese is a vegan, paleo, and AIP-friendly version that tastes just like the real deal! It’s made with grain-free pasta and a dairy-free cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups full fat coconut milk
- 1/3 cup broth
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2–3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 3/4 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 box Jovial cassava elbow pasta
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
Instructions
- To make the cheese sauce, whisk the coconut milk, broth, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast (adjust to taste), garlic powder, turmeric, salt, tapioca starch together in a bowl and set aside.
- In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until translucent.
- Add the butternut squash and cauliflower and saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the liquid mixture and stir well to combine. Bring to a low simmer. Allow to simmer on low, stirring often for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
- Allow the cheese sauce to slightly cool before blending with a high-speed blender until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta as directed and strain.
- Return the pasta to the pot and stir well in the cheese sauce until fully coated. The sauce will continue to thicken a bit as you stir the pasta. Heat slightly if needed. Top with parsley and serve.
Notes
All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Main Dishes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 543
- Fat: 28.2g
- Carbohydrates: 62.9g
- Fiber: 4.9g
- Protein: 13.2g
Keywords: mac and cheese
AIP
Low Carb
Paleo
Whole30
Yeesss! Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the best thing I’ve seen. Thank you for developing this recipe and thank you to Jovial for developing an AIP compliant pasta. I cannot wait to try this recipe!
Girl, I can’t wait to try!! Just started round two of my AIP journey after slacking off this last year and totally feeling it in my joints. Excited to see what my biggest critics think (daughters 4 and 2).
To make it lower histamine I used water instead of broth, and left out the apple cider vinegar. I used kabocha squash instead of butternut also because I was out, and rice pasta because I don’t tolerate cassava and have reintroduced rice. It’s amazing! It made a lot of sauce so I froze the leftovers. It does not taste too squashy or anything, love it!
★★★★★
Is the full fat coconut milk the kind in the can. If so dodo we use the thick pasty part?
Yes, canned! I make sure it’s mixed and not settled fat so you get an equal amount 🙂
I will have to try this recipe once the pasta is back in stock. Thank you for the find.
Do you think I can batch cook and freeze portions of this? Wonder how the noodles freeze and reheat…
Not sure about the pasta but the sauce would likely freeze well!
Is the coconut milk 1 full cup plus another 2/3 cup? Or just 2/3 cup total?
1 cup + 2/3 cup 🙂
Wow, this turned out amazing! I can’t remember the last time I had mac in cheeseand this did not disappoint.I followed the recipe to a tee. Thanks, Michelle!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Jocelyn!!!
Michelle is a magician in the kitchen. Never did I ever imagine that I would get to eat Mac and cheese after starting AIP three years ago. Obviously this isn’t “real” cheese sauce but it is equally satisfying and gives you the same comfort food feeling and it is nutrient dense. Thank you Michelle ❤️
★★★★★
You’re so kind! Thank you, Julia!!!
I used the sauce as a base to make a “cheesy” Spanish casserole. Instead of pureeing the onion and cauliflower rice, I left it whole to give it some texture. Then, I added shrimp, Chorizo sausage, and salsa verde. It was amazing. Thanks for this recipe.
★★★★★
This was SO GOOD. I admit, my hopes were not super high, but I was shocked by how good this was! It’s been so long since I’ve been able to eat “real” mac & cheese, and this hit the spot! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
thank you!!
While I appreciate the recipe… it’s just not for me – at least the pasta part of it. I find the Jovial Cassava Pasta grainy and mealy with an off-putting aroma.
The “cheese” sauce itself is a little too sweet – but I can work with that. I blended the parsley right into the sauce and next time I will add more onion, fresh garlic instead of powdered, olive instead of avocado oil, and a little coconut aminos.
HOWEVER! I also made Michelle’s Turkey Pesto Meatballs (minus the pesto sauce) and switched out the basil in the meatballs for parsley (to match the flavor profile of the “cheese” sauce). One recipe yielded twelve 50g meatballs. This “cheese” sauce makes a GREAT dipping sauce (fondu if you will!) and tasted AMAZING with the meatballs. I am thinking of making 24 smaller meatballs next time and serving with this sauce as an hors d’oeuvres on a platter little toothpicks and such (once covid is over and I can see my family again).
I will also use my leftover sauce for more like a hollandaise and drizzle over greens and asparagus alongside those awesome meatballs!
I don’t like the macaroni but there is something special here – just needs a little tweaking (IMHO).
Thank you, Michelle!
★★★
Can I use arrowroot starch instead of tapioca starch? And what kind of stock do you suggest using?
You can use arrowroot starch! You can use either veggie or chicken broth for this recipe.
Looks so good but I can’t do nooch
Sorry for the question but would it work to sub garlic/onion powders instead?
Do you mean the nutritional yeast? You could omit it and add more of the other spices, but it won’t have the classic cheesy flavor!
The new name for this cheese sauce is “Liquid Gold”. I will be making this weekly (or at least biweekly). Thank you for this recipe!!
★★★★★
YAY!
This was amazing! It was so easy to make too! I added bacon & it was dreamy. This will be on my list for Thanksgiving!
★★★★★
So delicious! A big warm bowl of comfort in this dish. I added some roasted broccoli and my husband and I both devoured. We only used half of the sauce for one box of pasta so I will have the other half for another day. Thank you for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Sounds great!!
This is hands down my new favorite go to meal!! I’ve successfully been able to freeze the sauce. Thank you so much for this incredible recipe!!!
★★★★★
Thank you!! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Would a sweet potato work in place of the butternut squash?
It may be a little thicker so you may need to add more liquid!