If you are a mac’n’cheese lover, then this dairy-free mac’n’cheese pie is a must try modern pioneer recipe for you! Even if you aren’t a huge fan of mac’n’cheese, I bet you’ll find this pie deliciously delightful! It is a hearty pie that works great for a filling lunch or dinner meal (or for snacking on) and it is bursting with amazing flavor. You would never know that this pie is made without dairy, gluten, or grains. Unlike a lot of dairy-free recipes, this pie recipe is also tree nut free! I love how hearty, filling, and flavorful this delicious mac’n’cheese pie is and the fact that it uses wholesome, healthy ingredients!
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Modern Pioneer Recipe
Mac’n’cheese is definitely a modern pioneer food, so that makes this pie a modern pioneer recipe. However, like all of the modern pioneer recipes that I share, this one is both simple and wholesome! The early pioneers probably did not have had pre-packaged pasta or have known what nutritional yeast was, for that matter, they didn’t need to be dairy-free either.
Our diets and foods that we have available have changed drastically since the early pioneer days, which often leads to more dietary restrictions and allergies. Living as a modern pioneer does have its challenges, especially when you are trying to live a more sustainable, healthy lifestyle and have dietary restrisctions to contend with. However, I love the fact that modern pioneers can make foods from scratch, right on their own homestead, using wholesome ingredients, and still turn out making foods that taste and look amazing!
That’s where this dairy-free mac’n’cheese pie comes in! It may not be a heritage pioneer recipe, but it certainly qualifies as an allergy-friendly, simple, homemade modern pioneer recipe! This mac’n’cheese pie is…
- gluten-free
- grain-free
- tree nut free
- dairy-free
- corn free
- refined sugar free
The Perfect Pasta
If you really want to put a pioneer twist on this modern pioneer pie, try making your own grain-free or gluten-free pasta to use in this mac’n’cheese pie! But for modern pioneers who want to stick to the quick, easy, and simplicity of classic mac’n’cheese there are some gluten-free and grain-free pasta options to choose from!
My favorite brand of allergy-friendly pasta is Banza. Banza is pasta made from chickpeas, and it looks just like the real-deal! My dad even loves this pasta and he is used to having traditional whole-wheat pasta. The amazing thing about Banza pasta is that they make all different shapes and styles of chickpea pasta! From spaghetti noodles to pasta shells to penne and more! You can find just about any type of pasta in the Banza chickpea pasta line-up!
For this pie, I chose to use classic Banza pasta elbows. My favorite types of Banza pasta are the shells and the elbows, but you can really use whatever type of pasta you want for this mac’n’cheese pie!
When I make spaghetti and meatballs, I love using Banza spaghetti or angelhair pasta. For pasta salads, I prefer to use the Banza shells or elbows. When I add pasta to soup or for topping taco salad, some of the unique shapes are fun to use, such as penne, rotini, or cavatappi.
I also love making just plain old dairy-free mac’n’cheese using elbows, shells, or whatever shapes I have on hand!
Filling the Pie
Obviously mac’n’cheese pie is filled with a mac’n’cheese filling, but even this can be adapted and changed to your preferences! To make this a hearty and filling pie, I mixed in seasoned, ground meat with the mac’n’cheese for filling this pie.
By now you probably know that I use a lot of ground venison, and that is extactly what I used in this pie recipe. However, you can also use ground pork sausage, ground beef, ground bison, or ground turkey or chicken. Any ground meat or sausage will work perfectly in this pie!
If you are using a plain ground meat to mix into the filling, you might consider seasoning the meat a little bit while it cooks. I like to use my venison sausage recipe to make seasoned ground meat for this mac’n’cheese pie. You can also experiment with different flavor options such as using taco seasoning or your favorite seasoning blends.
Want to add some more spice and flavor to your mac’n’cheese pie? Try adding other flavorful ingredients like chopped onion, diced bell pepper, chili peppers, or crushed garlic. Additional spices like cumin or cayenne pepper would also add flavor to the pie!
Serving & Storing
Mac’n’cheese pie is a hearty, filling pie that is best served as a dinner meal. The leftovers also work great as a packable lunch or as a hearty snack. This pie is delicious both warm or cold, so you don’t even have to re-heat the leftovers if you choose not too.
I find that this pie is delicious and filling just as it is, however, you may choose to add some more toppings if you are looking to add more flavor or have an even heartier meal. Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, or steamed peas all pair excellently with this mac’n’cheese pie.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure the pie is cool enough before you cover it or put the leftovers in the fridge. If the pie is too warm, allow it to cool at room temperature on a cooling rack until it can be covered and placed in the fridge. When the pie is covered before it is allowed to cool, then condensation will form and may make your pie a little soggy.
I have not tried freezing this pie, but I think it would freeze and unthaw just fine.
Recipe Tips
Like classic mac’n’cheese, I wanted to keep this recipe simple and easy to make. It does require a few additional steps, like making your own cheese sauce and preparing a grain-free pie crust, but that’s what making foods from scratch is all about! You can prepare a lot of the ingredients up ahead of time to make the process of putting this pie together go even faster. Here are a few recipe tips.
Mac’n’Cheese Tips:
- You can cook up the meat ahead of time and freeze it or store it in the fridge until you are ready to make the pie.
- The pasta can also be cooked up ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed.
- You can make up the cheese sauce ahead of time as well and store it in the fridge. However, I recommend mixing it into the warm pasta as soon as you make the pasta since it will be easier to stir into warm pasta rather than cold pasta.
- Any dairy-free milk substitute can be used in place of the coconut milk. I recommend a low-fat drinking beverage to keep the cheese sauce from being too thick.
- Arrowroot flour or cassava flour can be used in place of the tapioca flour.
- Olive oil, avocado oil, and organic butter all work well in this recipe.
- I have not tried making this pie egg-free or using an egg substitute.
- For an excellent grain-free pie crust, try making a Chebe pie crust using Chebe all-purpose mix (which can be made dairy-free) or try one of these two grain-free pie crust options!
Dairy-free mac’n’cheese pie is super easy and simple to make! From choosing what pasta shapes you want to use to putting all the ingredients together, making this pie from scratch is fun for modern pioneers of all ages!
Dairy-free Mac’n’Cheese Pie
Ingredients
- 4.75 oz. Banza pasta elbows
- 1/2 lb. ground meat or sausage
- 2 large organic, pasture-raised eggs
- 2 T. olive oil or butter
- 2 T. tapioca flour
- 1 9" unbaked grain-free pie crust
Cheese Sauce
- 1 c. coconut milk beverage
- 1/4 c. nutritional yeast
- 2 T. tapioca flour
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/3 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp. paprika
- 1.5 T. olive oil or butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large saucepan, combine all of the cheese sauce ingredients. Heat the ingredients over medium heat, whisking constantly.
- As the mixture heats up, it will thicken. Continue to whisk the mixture until it is thick and just starting to boil.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside or cool it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- In another large saucepan, prepare the pasta according to the instructions. They will probably have you add the pasta to boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes. Then strain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a 10" cast iron skillet over low heat with a little bit of bacon fat in it. Add the ground meat or sausage.
- Cook and season the ground meat or sausage until it is done. Set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup of the cheese sauce mixture to the warm pasta. Stir until everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Add the ground meat or sausage, eggs, tapioca flour, and olive oil or butter. Stir untile everything is incorporated.
- Spread the mixture into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving!
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Where to Find the Ingredients
- Banza chickpea pasta
- Pacific coconut milk beverage
- Organic nutritional yeast
- Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot flour
- Redmond sea salt
- Simply Organic onion powder
- Kasandrinos olive oil
- Supplies: large saucepan, 9″ glass pie plate, large mesh strainer, 10″ cast iron skillet
You would never know that this dairy-free mac’n’cheese pie is made without real cheese and that it contains pasta made from chickpeas! The taste and texture are amazing, and modern pioneers of all ages are sure to love this pie! You can customize the pie filling to suit your flavor preferences, but it truly is hard to go wrong when making this mac’n’cheese pie. It is the perfect, hardy dinner option that will provide you with delicious leftovers for lunch or for snacking on. My sister and I absolutely love this mac’n’cheese pie!
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by Alexa
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