Easy Vegan Zaatar Mac and Cheese! If you’re looking for a healthy vegan comfort food with a fun and flavorful twist that still tastes indulgent, this one is a must-try.
This Middle Eastern inspired Easy Vegan Zaatar Mac and Cheese skillet is pure comfort food bursting with fragrant herbs and all the cozy vibes you crave. The magic is in the ultra-creamy sauce, made with cashew cream and the signature Middle Eastern spice blend zaatar, creating a mac and cheese that’s velvety, rich, and wholesome without feeling heavy. Best of all, it’s easy to make (no complicated chopping or extra prep), so you can whip up a seriously satisfying meal on busy days.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients.
Hi there, Ameera here!
And yes, this mac and cheese is officially on Mom’s Top 10 List for 2026, and I totally get why: it’s super yummy in the most comforting, crave-worthy way.
If you’re a zaatar lover, you’re going to fall head over heels, because those aromatic, herby, tangy notes make every bite taste fresh and special. I’m not kidding when I say you gotta give this one a try—it’s the kind of dish that disappears fast, whether you’re feeding family or treating yourself to a cozy bowl of plant-based goodness.
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Middle Eastern inspired Easy Vegan Zaatar Macaroni and Cheese skillet dish is bursting with delicious zaatar flavors. The ultra creamy sauce is a blend of cashew cream and the Middle Eastern spice blend, zaatar, making for a delicious mac and cheese that is velvety, creamy, and wholesome. Easy to make, no chopping and is the perfect comfort food for a hearty appetite.
- Flavor: This mac and cheese is a flavorful dish which features zaatar. If you are not a huge fan of zaatar, then consider skipping this recipe.
- Za’atar: Za’atar is a spice blend that is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking (as well as some Mediterranean cooking). It typically includes dried herbs like oregano, wild thyme, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and sea salt. Each region/country of the Middle East has their own special blend of za’atar herbs and spices that may also include cumin or coriander, or even hyssop. Middle Easterners literally put it on everything from bread to potatoes to chicken, cauliflower to popcorn.
- Za’atar – Love it or Hate it: We have found that most people (outside of Middle Easterners) either love it or hate it. Mom actually hated za’atar when she first tried it, now she absolutely loves it. She thinks it is almost an acquired taste. Mom and Dad LOVE za’atar. Yasmeen and Yara love it too.
- Za’atar – High Speed Blender: Do not blend the zaatar spice in the high-speed blender with the other blender ingredients. Blended zaatar can taste a little bitter if over blended.
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers: We used jarred roasted red bell peppers. Be sure to read the label when purchasing roasted red bell peppers. Select an oil-free brand if Whole Food Plant Based.
- Cashew Substitutions: You can try the typical substitutions like silken tofu, white beans, or other nuts or seeds with the understanding that the flavor and texture will be impacted accordingly. We have not tested any substitutions.
- Sauciness: You can control the sauce to macaroni ratio by simply using 6 oz. of macaroni. If you want a little less sauciness, then use 8 oz. We used 4 ½ cups of cooked elbow macaroni.
- Cooked Macaroni: Shake off any excess water and allow to drain for a few minutes. Any lingering water that hangs onto the pasta will water down your sauce.
- Pasta of choice: You can use your favorite pasta in this dish. We used a traditional elbow macaroni.
- Gluten Free Pasta: As you know gluten free pastas can get a little mushy (largely dependent upon the brand). Be sure to rinse the excess starches off the gluten free pasta before adding to the skillet to avoid an overly thick sauce. Some brands of gluten free pasta can also be fragile so exercise care and stir gently when mixing in.
- Amount of Sea Salt: Our family was completely divided over the amount of sea salt that this dish needed to be properly seasoned. Most landed on ¾ teaspoons of sea salt.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered air-tight container.
This dish can be frozen.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly processed ingredients.
- Ume Plum Vinegar: We used Eden Ume Plum Vinegar. Feel free to use your favorite flavor of ume plum vinegar. We get a lot of questions about ume plum vinegar. It is fairly inexpensive and adds amazing flavor. You can find it in most health food grocery stores or online. You can leave it out if you can’t find it, adjust your ingredients accordingly. We highly recommend locating ume plum vinegar as it has beautiful flavor. If you are concerned about buying it only for this recipe, no worries, we have quite a few recipes using ume plum vinegar. Simply type ume plum vinegar in our search bar to locate other amazing recipes using this tasty vinegar.
- Zaatar: We used Tyme Foods Zaatar Dip, Sprinkle, or Rub (classic). It contains no fillers, no substitutions, no oils are added and is gluten free. Tyme Foods also sells a salt-free blend as well as a sesame-free blend. Feel free to use your favorite za’atar seasoning. Be sure to read labels as many za’atar seasoning contains oils.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Stock pot to boil the pasta
- Large skillet
- High-Speed Blender
If you try this fun and delicious dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Easy Vegan Zaatar Mac and Cheese
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 30 Minutes
- Yield: 5 Cups 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Middle Eastern inspired Easy Vegan Zaatar Mac and Cheese skillet is pure comfort food bursting with fragrant herbs and all the cozy vibes you crave.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup [raw] cashews
- ¾ cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1/3 cup water
- ¼ cup diced roasted red bell peppers *
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar *
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
Spice/Herb Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
- ½ teaspoon dried ground mustard powder
- Pinch to 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
Other Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups cooked elbow macaroni (or pasta of choice)
- 2 teaspoons zaatar (+/-) *
Instructions
- Place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water, allow to soak for 15 minutes, then drain well (discard water), set aside until Step 3.
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, drain, rinse with cold water to remove any excess starch, shake well, set aside.
- Place all the Base Ingredients (including the soaked cashews) and all the Spice/Herb Ingredients into a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth and emulsified, then place the sauce into a large skillet.
- Heat the sauce over medium heat until heated through (approximately 3 to 4 minutes), stirring frequently, then add the cooked elbow macaroni and zaatar to the skillet, stir well to coat all the cooked elbow macaroni with the sauce. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Serving: 4 (makes 5 cups)
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