Amy’s Gluten-Free, Non-Dairy Rice Macaroni & Cheeze

Amy’s Gluten-Free, Non-Dairy Rice Macaroni & Cheeze – A Cheezy Masterpiece

Tested: Gluten-Free, Non-Dairy Rice Macaroni & Cheeze

Everybody loves a good mac n’ cheese and vegans are no exception. I’ve tried out countless rubbery and orange concoctions put out by different manufacturers that promised better, and I’ve simply resigned myself to a mac n’ cheezeless existence.

Then, Amy’s Kitchen—the wonderful manufacturer of “fresh” organic frozen and canned foods that cater to vegans as well as those with food allergies/sensitivities—came out with a Gluten-Free, Non-Dairy Rice Macaroni & Cheeze. This product has transformed my cheezeless existence into a vibrant, gooey and flavorful one!

As it clearly states on the box, this mac n’ cheeze is not only vegan and gluten-free, but also soy-free a nd kosher. This product is made with Daiya, a wonderful dairy-free and vegan cheeze product. Daiya is mad with tapioca and arrowroot flours, a canola and safflower oil blend and pea protein, among other plant-based ingredients. (I haven’t met a vegan who doesn’t enthusiastically love Daiya!)

I buy this item as a once-a-week “treat.” At $4.39 a box, it’s a pretty steep price, but worth every penny in my book. I’ve only seen it at Whole Foods Markets and at a handful of small, independent co-op and health food stores around the Boston area.

At 8 ounces, this is a teeny-weeny portion. I think I could polish off about three of these to feel pleasantly full. So this would work well served with a side of garlicky greens or alone as a snack.

I was taken aback initially at the fat content contained in this tiny portion: 22 grams of fat, 5 of which are saturated. However, I’m not going to complain about this as this is an excellent mac n’ cheeze … enjoyed in moderation, this product is perfect for an occasional indulgence!

This is some real-looking mac n’ cheeze. It’s oozy like mac n’ cheeze, glistening like mac n’ cheeze and has an authentic mac n’ cheeze look to it. Nicely done, Amy’s!

This stuff smells super-rich and fatty, the way a good mac n’ cheeze should smell. When I popped it in the microwave, it filled my kitchen with a wonderful cheezy aroma.

When I first bit into the mac n’ cheeze, the consistency made me think … Elmer’s glue. But as I started chewing it and tasting all of the rich flavors, I had to fish the box out of the recycling bin to make sure it was actually vegan. Because Amy’s lists all of their vegan products preceded with the “(VEGAN)” in the ingredient list, my doubts were quickly replaced with a “hoorah!” This is gold! Gooey, fatty, Daiya GOLD!

This product is amazingly velvety and silky and the consistency of the rice pasta is a perfect compliment to the cheeze. My favorite part of eating it is scraping all of the gooey cheeze that forms around the edge of the package once heated. I have to get every delicious inch scraped off!
I’ve never prepared this product in the oven (although that’s an option)—I’ve only used a microwave. Three minutes on a high and a good stir is all you really need to enjoy this. I’ve even brought this to work for lunch and just let it sit out for a few hours before I microwaved it, and it held over just fine. Since it is pretty tiny, it fits well in a small purse or lunchbox. My biggest suggestion for improvement is pretty easy to implement: add more salt. I add about a ¼ teaspoon of salt to this product. It livens up and really elevates the cheeze flavor.

On a scale of one to 10, I give Amy’s vegan mac n’ cheeze a 9.5
Despite the price and high fat content, I really can’t complain—after trying out several mac n’ cheeze products with only disappointment and despair to report, this is it … thanks Amy’s Kitchen!