This vegan beefaroni recipe is an easy and gluten free kid friendly copycat that will take you right back to your childhood! Super nostalgic and SO delicious!
What do i need to make this vegan beefaroni recipe?
This recipe is pretty easy to make with ingredients you might already have (particularly if you’re following a plant-based diet)
- Chickpea macaroni
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onion
- Vegan ground “beef”
- Tomato sauce
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Brown sugar or maple syrup
- Nutritional yeast
- Vegan (or regular) parmesan or other hard cheese, or more to taste
how do i make classic beefaroni vegan?
To make this vegan beefaroni, you first want to cook the pasta according to the package directions and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add in the onion and saute for 5 minutes until soft. Add the vegan ground beef, tomato sauce, thyme, oregano, sugar and nutritional yeast. Cook until the tomato sauce reduces slightly and the flavours marry, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Then all you have to do is add the pasta into the sauce and toss to coat. Serve it up topped with vegan (or regular) cheese, and enjoy!
is this vegan beefaroni kid friendly?
The FRIENDLIEST. Let me tell you, my kid ate leftovers from this recipe for 4 days straight and never complained! It’s got a super kid friendly sweet tomato flavour. Also, don’t all kids love pasta? YOU’RE WINNING.
will carnivores miss the meat in this recipe?
Seriously, a lot of these “meat” substitutes now taste exactly like meat and are already cooked so they’re even faster to cook up. You really cannot screw up this vegan beefaroni – it’s almost as easy as opening a can of the real stuff!
what pasta do you recommend to make it gluten free?
I’m a big fan of chickpea or lentil pasta (affiliate link) because it’s not only gluten free but it’s super high in protein and fibre! That way, even my kiddo JUST eats pasta for dinner, I know he’s getting a nice balance of nutrients and not just white flour.
can i add vegetables to this to make it a full balanced meal?
Sure! While not traditional in real nostalgic beefaroni, there’s no reason why you can’t add some cooked broccoli or cauliflower to this dish to bulk it up.
can i make this beefaroni with real beef if I’m not vegan?
Of course! Just make sure to cook it fully with the onions and garlic before adding in the rest of the ingredients.
do you have any other kid-friendly nostalgic copycat recipes?
Yes! You’re going to love these:
Vegan Beefaroni
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked chickpea macaroni
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 300 g pack vegan ground “beef”
- 680 ml tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ c vegan or regular parmesan or other hard cheese, or more to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until soft. Add the vegan ground beef, tomato sauce, thyme, oregano, sugar and nutritional yeast. Cook until the tomato sauce reduces slightly and the flavours marry, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the pasta into the sauce and toss to coat. Serve topped with vegan (or regular) cheese, if desired.
Updated on May 12th, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
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