This is an in-depth comparison of the best vegan mac and cheese brands out today. We conducted this review by looking at the product ratings across multiple sites and analyzing the descriptions of each vegan mac and cheese brand.

In this guide we compare similarity to dairy mac, price, flavor, pros/cons, etc. of each vegan mac and cheese brand to find out which is best for those following a plant-based diet. We only compared options available on Amazon, since prices are the most competitive and are accessible to the largest number of people.

Even vegetarians agree that the ethics of dairy are also not great, so striving toward vegan and non-dairy alternatives is becoming much more popular in recent months. Thus the usefulness for this guide!

If you’re looking to make the switch, hopefully this buying guide for vegan alternatives to mac and cheese will be helpful!

The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese Brands in 2021

Overview
For more in-depth information and flavor descriptions, look below the table!
Bolded means best in the category.

Brand	Our ranking	Average rating	Similarity to dairy mac and cheese	Price	Gluten free?	Soy free?
Modern Table	1	4.4	4.5	$$	Yes	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Amy's	2	4.5	3.5	$$	No	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Daiya	3	4.2	3.5	$$$	Yes	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Road's End	4	4.2	3.5	$	No	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Annie's	5	3.8	2.5	$$	No	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Chickpea	6	3.3	2.0	$$	Yes	Yes	Check availability on Amazon
Pamela's	7	2.5	2.0	$$	Yes	Yes	Check availability on Amazon

*due to the Coronavirus shortage, many of these products may not be available immediately

Our winner was Modern Table’s Vegan Mac and Cheese based on overall taste, texture, nutritional balance and price. It also comes in three flavors offering vegans or those following a plant-based diet lots of choice for a quality product.

#1 - Modern Table’s Vegan Mac

Modern Table's Vegan Mac and Cheese comes in three flavors: Classic Cheddar, White Cheddar and Southwest. Lentils lend a hand in making the gluten-free "mac", but they also help pack the meal with protein and fibre. In fact, this mac and cheese had 15g protein per serving, one of the highest of the products we reviewed. The taste and texture of Modern Table’s Vegan Mac and Cheese is widely praised for both the pasta and cheese elements. And it’s gluten-free too.

Average rating: 4.4
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 4.5
Price: $$
Gluten free: YES
Soy free: YES

Positive reviews say:
"I love this stuff. Other people in my house have said that it stinks when the pasta is cooking. I honestly do not smell any foul or bad ordors coming from the cooked pasta. I love this stuff, I think it's delicious, and I gobble it up. So does my child. I find it odd and fascination that some people love this Vegan mac and that others find it stinky. I love it!"
...
"This is THE BEST dairy-free mac & cheese... and I have tried a TON of brands. This is a very satisfied vegan, and the omnivore gobbled down all three flavors and declared them “really good”! Yay! The southwest flavor seemed to have a mild Doritos-like flavor that was surprising and delicious. The white cheddar seemed a little saltier than the other two, but it was really good and had smaller noodles. The classic cheddar was amazing. I have not come across a dairy-free sauce that doesn’t taste obviously dairy-free, but somehow Modern Table pulled it off. BUY THESE. You will not regret it."
…
"Incredible texture, taste and appearance! I’ve had so many vegan gf mac and cheese products and this is my FAVORITE. It has a powder cheese like a kraft would, and WOW. It’s good"

Negative reviews say:
"The main redeeming factor here is the red lentil noodles, which you can buy own their own just fine.. The cheese sauce, no matter what milk or fake-butter I try...is just OK...no real flavor.. Sorry to say this, but Daiya is way better to me."

#2 - Amy’s Vegan Rice Mac & Cheeze

It’s close to call between Amy’s Rice Mac and Cheeze and Daiya’s Deluxe Cheezy Mac. Really, this comes as no surprise as Amy’s products are made with Daiya’s non-dairy cheese. We ranked this mac and cheese slightly higher than Daiya’s for its convenience factor and slightly superior value. Unlike all the other mac and cheese products we reviewed, which require the pasta to be cooked and sauce to be mixed, Amy’s product is frozen and ready to go. The result: a great tasting product with minimal prep when you’re in a pinch or need to get your feet up as soon as possible. The downside: it’s not gluten-free. If you can’t eat wheat-based products, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Average rating: 4.5
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 3.5
Price: $$
Gluten free: NO
Soy free: YES

Positive reviews say:
"This vegan Mac and cheese is absolutely delicious! It’s one of my go to’s I get for when I go on lunch at work. I would say the taste is pretty similar to actual cheese and it’s under $5. The portion you get for the price is definitely worth it!"
...
"This is one of the only gluten free and dairy free Mac & cheese that I have been able to find. I was excited to try and it it was pretty good. The texture for me was a little strange but it is good if someone wants a Mac & cheese fix who can not have dairy or gluten."
...
"I love this mac and cheese! Has a bit of a strange texture but once you get past that it just taste like regular macaroni and cheese. I'm a vegetarian and have been eating this for a while now and I can't tell the difference it's really good it's really creamy and thick and has a lot of cheese!"

Negative reviews say:
"I love Amy’s products, and I had high hopes for this one, but the noodles were terrible. They got stuck in my teeth and tasted terrible. I was incredibly disappointed. The cheese was great, so that’s positive."
...
"The look and smell of this mac and cheese is almost identical to dairy. The actual taste lacks tang although it is creamy there isn’t much of a “cheezy” flavor. As a pasta I would recommend but I have had better dairy free macs."
...
"I've been looking for a good dairy-free alternative to mac n cheese. I found this and got really excited! I've had Amy's food before and have always loved them. But when I tried this, I mean, it was awful, and if I ate it fast enough it could almost pass for mac n cheese, but it had a weird after taste that I just couldn't get over. Maybe this is an acquired taste, and I'll definitely try it again once I've gone longer without real cheese, but overall I was not impressed."

#3 - Daiya Deluxe Vegan Cheezy Mac

There are five different flavors of Daiya’s vegan mac and cheese available: Cheddar, Alfredo, White Cheddar Style Veggie, Bac'n & Cheddar Style and Four Cheeze Style with Herbs. If you want one box to try this mac and cheese, you'll pay through the nose to do so. But in a packet of 8, this vegan mac comes to a more reasonable price per meal, around 5 bucks. Some people found Daiya’s Deluxe Cheezy Mac a close alternative to the OG mac and cheese, while others weren’t sold on either the flavor or smell of the ‘cheese’ element. All said, there was a general thumbs-up for the taste of this product.

Average rating: 4.2
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 3.5
Price: $$$
Gluten free: YES
Soy free: YES

Positive reviews say:
"I would give this product 40 stars if allowed! I am vegan. This is the only macaroni and cheese I have found that tastes exactly like real macaroni and cheese. "
...
"I was prepared to be unimpressed. But I was wrong! I'm both coeliac and lactose intolerant. Finding a good Mac and cheese has been about impossible up until this point. Does it taste like real cheese? No. But it's smooth and so creamy and a really satisfying alternative. I actually crave this now!"
...
"The Daiya deluxe white cheddar with veggies mac and cheese is so tasty! Nothing else compares! I have been very underwhelmed by other products I have tried in the past, but this one actually tastes pretty close to your standard mac and cheese!"

Negative reviews say:
"From the moment you open the packet, and smell it to the moment you actually cook it. It is really gross... it’s too expensive too! Not ever again!"
...
"It says on the box not to overcook the noodles, and I'm not good at paying attention to that, but the texture was fine. I think the main problem with this product is the cheese sauce. It has an odor, just bordering on sour, and that is perhaps supposed to mimic the taste of dairy. With some salt and pepper added, it was fine for me, but not for my son."
...
"These are great for people who can not tolerate dairy, but by no means does it taste like the typical “blue box” Mac n cheese. The sauce is a bit thick and very artificial tasting. It’s not a bad taste, but you can tell it’s not real cheese. Overall a decent product if you have lower expectations."

#4 - Road’s End Organic Vegan Mac

fourth best vegan mac and cheese brand, road’s end

At around $2.50 per box, Road’s End’s organic vegan mac and cheese is the most affordable vegan mac and cheese product we reviewed - although you’ll need to buy a pack of 12 to take advantage of that value. Many found this product to be tasty overall, although tasters were split on the texture of the pasta itself and most agreed there was a lack of ‘cheesiness’ in the sauce.

Average rating: 3.7
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 3.0
Price: $
Gluten free: NO
Soy free: YES

Positive reviews say:
"This is super yummy for a vegan mac! Needs a little dressing up, I added a tiny bit of garlic salt and some Follow Your Heart parmesan cheeze. It almost resembles more of an alfredo. Love the thick and hardy elbow pasta and there’s enough sauce to cover it all. The only negative (aside from the price) is that it’s a little grainy but I can look past it."
…
“Love that there's no dairy or soy and that the flavors are a bit more complex than basic mac and cheese. This is my go-to lazy safe meal.”
…
“Rich, creamy and delicious. The store we used to get them at locally stopped carrying them so we are glad to still be able to get them online. They are my daughter's favorite mac & cheese.”

Negative reviews say:
"Disliked the cheese sauce flavor. I made my own vegan sauce instead. Also the shells are too chewy and hard to absorb the flavor.”
...
"After reading the reviews I was somewhat excited to try this product. Unfortunately I found no cheesy goodness in this box. The closest taste I can equate this to is garlic. If you are looking for a quick pasta dish that isn't remotely cheese related then this may be it. If you are trying to recreate the blue box of cheesy yumminess, look somewhere else."
...
"I much prefer nutritional yeast and water to the sauce pack provided with these. Strange plastic-y aftertaste that I just can't place. Almost like chickpeas and salt, with a hint of burnt rubber"

#5 - Annie’s Organic Vegan Mac

fifth best vegan mac and cheese, annie’s

Annie’s offer three different organic, non-GMO Vegan Mac products which are all quite different from each other:

Kudos for the options but there are some things to watch out for. Both the gluten-free pasta and vegan cheddar mac and cheese come with a cheese-flavor seasoning that acts as a base for your sauce. The jury’s out on the taste of this sauce; some enjoyed it while others found it stinky and tasteless. However, the sauce of the Vegan Mac Shell and Pasta is actually made from sweet potato and pumpkin rather than a cheddar-flavor seasoning. Some enjoyed the more natural flavor of this mix when compared to the cheddar-flavor seasoning, while other tasters found this to be bland and without the cheesy taste you might assume for a vegan mac product.

Of the three Annie’s products, the Vegan Cheddar-Flavor Mac was the closest to original non-dairy mac and cheese and was used in our ranking.

Average rating: 3.8
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 2.5
Price: $$
Gluten free: No
Soy free: Yes

Positive reviews say:
"Not only is this vegan but it is absolutely delicious. My mother (who is not vegan) prefers this Mac. It's tangy but not overpowering and so simple to make, just add your plant milk and powder to cooked noodles and delicious Mac and cheese in minutes"
...
"Way better than the first vegan Mac they came out with. Really reminds me of childhood faves like easy Mac."
...
"Tastes great. Especially when you make it extra rich as suggested with some vegan butter in the sauce!"

Negative reviews say:
"Inedible. Very easy to make, taste was awful. Very disappointed as I have a dairy allergy and was hoping to find a good substitute to replace a favorite comfort food. Unfortunate."
...
"Tastes okay but will definitely stink up the kitchen lol"
...
"It was fine, but kind of flavorless."

#6 - Chickpea Lentil Pasta

Chickapea Organic Chickpea & Lentil Pasta contained the highest amount of protein per serving at 17g. Reviewers also enjoyed additive-free list of ingredients. This pasta is good for other people too: 3 cents from every package sold is donated to feed nutritious lunches to children in need. But when it comes to taste, unfortunately this mac and cheese seemed to be a little more on the ‘bland’ side.

Average rating: 3.3
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 2.0
Price: $$
Gluten free: Yes
Soy free: Yes

Positive reviews say:
"A good organic product with no added fillers. Loved the ingredients, good taste."
...
"I’m not typically a fan of processed foods, but I make an exception for this vegan mac and “cheese.” It’s all organic and low-sodium with no unpronounceable ingredients — just great pasta texture and satisfying creaminess. I found the taste a bit bland, but that was easily remedied with a sprinkle of Penzey’s seasoned salt and Trader Joe’s smoked paprika. Served with a side of kale or broccoli, it’s a great addition to your whole-food plant-based diet."

Negative reviews say:
"I should have known from the ingredients list, but be forewarned, this tastes nothing like mac and cheese. It's not the worst, but as others have mentioned, it's super bland. There is zero cheesy taste that you can find in other vegan macs like modern table."
...
"Not very good. Annie’s makes a tastier one. This was bland and had bugs."

#7 - Pamela’s Products Vegan Mac

seventh best vegan mac and cheese, pamela’s products

Pamela’s Products Vegan Mac is a relatively new vegan mac and cheese to the market. It comes in two sizes: 142g and a family-size 284g. Opt for the family-size; you’ll get twice as much for the same price. There aren’t many reviews for this product, but what we do know is it appears to lack the cheesiness and have a less appealing texture than other plant-based mac and cheese alternatives.

Average rating: 2.5
Similarity to non-dairy mac and cheese: 2.0
Price: $$
Gluten free: Yes
Soy free: Yes

Positive reviews say:
"Tasty family size gluten free Mac n Cheese. I don't think it's an exact duplicate for cheese but I still really like the flavor. The texture is somewhat thick and not as creamy as real cheese but I still really like it. Can't find this in stores yet so happy to buy it in bulk on Amazon."

Negative reviews say:
"Flavor made me sick after 2-3 bites."

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