But this box surprised me and is arguably the best of the bunch. And the box only has a tiny picture of the mac, like it's trying to hide something. Unlike Kraft, it uses pasta made from lentils, rice, and peas. I did not have high hopes for Modern Table. Modern Table Vegan Mac, Classic Cheddar Style $16.57 for 6 boxes ($2.76 per box) available on Amazon Here are the top options, ranked, with pros and cons included. Some recipes call for plant-based milk and butter, where I would use Ripple Unsweetened Original pea milk and Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks. I braved nine boxes and found that five outshine the rest. Others were delicious but arguably noodles in a yellow-colored pasta sauce, not macaroni and cheese. Some of the boxes I tried had the bonus of little cooking time or nutritional benefits.

But when I reach for boxed mac and cheese, I want it to be comforting, quick, and easy. Sure, when I have time, I make my own vegan mac and cheese recipe. I went on a quest to find the best boxed vegan mac and cheeses that were most similar to Kraft in terms of flavor, texture, and ease of preparation.

But it takes a skilled recipe to perfect the flavor, texture, and look. There are some great vegan cheese-tasting ingredients, especially nutritional yeast. Vegan mac and cheese options are growing in quantity and quality, but that doesn't mean they're all delicious. I grew up in Chicago eating deep dish pizzas and relishing in the comfort of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or soul-food style mac, which has a cheese crust baked on top with every noodle beneath it engulfed in a rich, cheesy sauce. Soon after I transitioned to a vegan diet, I realized I would be looking for cheese forever.

Best gluten free mac and cheese boxed