Apr 11, 2020 Creamy Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese with Stovetop & Casserole Options. This easy, cheesy, recipe is not only dairy-free, it’s also vegan, soy-free, and optionally gluten-free. The sauce is made without any type of soy and is completely free of flours and starches. The cashews act as a natural thickener while providing a rich, creamy finish.
Between my dog and myself, we have a host of dietary hurdles to overcome. He can’t digest protein or citrus; I can’t have gluten or dairy. We’re a hot mess, he and I, yet we make it work. I diligently make him banana and potato biscuits every week, and for myself, I indulge in the most verboten dish of all for the lactose and gluten-averse: mac ‘n cheese.
- Add Black Diamond ® Lactose Free cheese to milk mixture and stir until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Fold macaroni into cheese sauce until coated. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 325° F (160° C) until crispy! Lactantia ® Lactose Free 2.
- Mac n’ Cheese lovers unite! This healthier version of the classic is Vegan, Dairy and Gluten Free. Perfect for those looking to still enjoy this childhood favorite without all the heavy ingredients, plus an extra sneaky serving of sweet potato’s makes this dish even more nutritious.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove the bay leaves, then stir in the cooked macaroni and 2/3 of the cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. In a small frying pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter on medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until browned.
I like this recipe for a lot of reasons. It’s super easy, fast, cheap, and allows for endless customization. But best of all, it reminds me of the blue-box version my mom used to make when I was young. We all know this box. Delicious when you’re age 8, but tastes more like chalky nostalgia in your 20s.
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The process is exactly the same for this recipe, only I’ve substituted high quality, diet-friendly ingredients for stuff in the box. The starchy pasta water helps everything bind together without the need for milk. I can usually tolerate a small amount of butter without my body staging a coup d’etat, but if your dietary sensitivities are more severe, a substitute like Earth Balance works fine. I like using Daiya vegan cheese and use a combination of 60:40 cheddar to mozzarella to add a clingy thickness to the sauce, plus gluten-free noodles, but the recipe is essentially a template. Modify however you see fit — regular pasta, different varieties of vegan cheese, add blanched peas or sautéed kale…the world is yours.
This recipe for lactose-free mac n' cheese is one of my favorites because it is all natural and totally safe for lactose intolerants to enjoy. Not only is the cheese lactose-free, but it tastes exactly like regular cheddar cheese. This is because it is, Cabot cheese makes all of their cheeses naturally lactose-free using an enzyme process.
This means that this particular brand of lactose-free cheese is made with real milk and tastes exactly like regular cheese. I use it as my main ingredient in the recipe below in order to make super cheesy mac n' cheese minus the lactose.
Lactose-Free Mac N' Cheese
- Prep Time:5 mins
- Cook Time:20 mins
- Total Time:25 mins
- Servings:5
- Easy
- 1/2 box Barilla protein pasta
- 1/2 block Cabot extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon Lactaid milk
Ingredients
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pasta to it and stir for 10 minutes until cooked well.
Step 2
Strain the pasta until it's dry and then return to the same saucepan. Grate the half block of cheese and add to the pan.
Step 3
Turn up the heat again and stir in the milk until all the pasta is coated. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
I use the Cabot yellow sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe because it has so much flavor to it. This way I don't have to make the recipe super creamy and unhealthy because the cheese does all the work. It is tart, and with a little bit of Lactaid milk, each piece of penne pasta is lightly coated with that delicious yet lactose-free mac n' cheese flavor.
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Also, Barilla's protein penne pasta is perfect for this recipe because it is really filling. When eating something like mac n' cheese, there isn't a lot of protein to fill my stomach up. This tends to mean that I eat more carbs to feel just as full as I would if I ate fewer carbs and more protein. This makes eating mac n' cheese seem unhealthy because there isn't a lot of beneficial nutrition.
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However, by using protein pasta and avoiding things like butter and heavy cream, this mac n' cheese recipe is a lot healthier. It will stick with you longer, make you eat fewer carbs, and taste amazing, even though it's totally lactose-free.