We recently hosted a friend’s birthday party at our place and much to my surprise (and delight), they served our Garlic Mac ‘n’ Cheese as one of the entrées.

But here’s the thing: They made it completely gluten-free, and somehow, it tasted better than mine. Don’t you hate it when somebody does you better than you?

Not me. I kind of love it. I learned something new!

With a few simple swaps, I knew I’d stumbled upon what truly is thee best vegan, gluten-free mac ‘n’ cheese and I couldn’t help but share. Let’s do this!

Origins of Mac ‘n‘ Cheese

Mac ‘n’ cheese is the ultimate comfort food! But where did it come from?

It’s believed that the earliest written recipe for a dish resembling mac ‘n’ cheese comes from a 13th century cookbook from southern Italy. The dish (named de lasanis) was made with squares of fermented lasagne dough layered with spices and cheese.

But maybe that’s not what you picture when you hear mac ‘n’ cheese? The dish has been modified in many ways over time!

It’s thought that mac ‘n’ cheese was first introduced in the US when Thomas Jefferson brought back a pasta machine from his travels in Italy. Or perhaps that it originated from a popular New England church dish called macaroni pudding. Then in 1937, Kraft released their boxed mac ‘n’ cheese and it quickly gained popularity because of its affordability.

Our gluten-free, plant-based version has all the comfort but without the wheat and dairy!

Vegan Gluten-Free Mac ‘n‘ Cheese

This recipe is above all, simple. It comes together in about 1 hour (including roasting the garlic), and requires 8 simple ingredients.

I’ve been eating mostly gluten-free lately, and in doing so I’ve discovered the pasta brand Bionaturae, which I’m completely smitten with.

Their penne tastes exactly like “real” gluten penne and doesn’t get gummy or have any weird taste! It truly does pass as the real deal.

The other news to report is arrowroot starch. I’ve been using arrowroot – a natural thickener – in things like my Vegan Lemon Curd to thicken sauces, but when I tried it in pasta sauce, the results were unreal.

Are you guys seeing this? When you begin heating the sauce back up on the stovetop, it gets super thick and a little “stringy” like real cheese! It’s a Christmas miracle (in spring, no less).

The sauce is a classic roux, with the exception of the arrowroot starch, and olive oil in place of the butter. It gets its flavor from vegan parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast, and fresh and roasted garlic.

The result is mac ‘n’ cheese perfection – no lie.

I hope you guys LOVE this pasta! It’s:

Ultra creamy

Super cheesy

Savory

Comforting

Satisfying

Simple

& Seriously the best

Make this when you want to impress friends with an undetectably vegan and gluten-free pasta! It makes a great weeknight meal or one to save for weekend indulging. Our friends added sautéed kale when adding the pasta, which I loved! Definitely feel free to add in greens of choice for more nutritional benefits.

If you give this a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!