The Johnson family has a memorable dinner involving baked mac and cheese, so that is my pick for the pairing with “Black-ish.”

This vegan, gluten-free take on the classic makes approximately 4-6 “servings.”

Ingredients
1 pound vegan, gluten-free pasta (preferably cavatappi, macaroni, shells or rotini)
6 tablespoons vegan butter
6 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
4 cups warm vegan milk
3 cups vegan shredded cheese (I used a combination of cheddar and a Mexican blend)
1 teaspoon black pepper
0.5 teaspoons cayenne powder
5 tablespoons vegan butter
2 cups gluten-free, vegan breadcrumbs

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a large baking pan.

Cook your pasta according to the al dente packaging instructions (the shorter end of the time range given). We used chickpea pasta as a way to infuse more protein and fiber into the dish.

While the pasta is cooking, mix together the sauce, starting with the roux. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt 6 tablespoons of butter.

Add the flour into the melted butter, stirring everything together with a flat silicone spatula, scraping any residue that builds on the sides or bottom.

Slowly drizzle the warm milk into the flour and butter paste. Stir continuously for 5 minutes or until the sauce has an even, thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Continue to scrape the bottom and sides.

Turn off the heat and stir in 2.25 cups of cheese, black pepper and cayenne powder.

When the pasta is done, mix the sauce and pasta together, coating all the noodles in the sauce.

Pour the mac and cheese into the greased baking pan. Add the remaining shredded cheese over the top.

Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium heat and add the breadcrumbs, tossing them until they’re evenly coated.

Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the mac and cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are crisped up and golden brown.

Serve and enjoy with “Black-ish!”

The Easy Route
Finding a boxed or frozen vegan, gluten-free mac and cheese is relatively easy and a great shortcut if you’re in a hurry or need to simplify this recipe. You can prepare that and add breadcrumbs to the top.

Have a favorite brand or restaurant that makes vegan, gluten-free mac and cheese? Please share those details in the comments.

The Pairing
We started watching “Black-ish” a couple years after it started airing, but we quickly caught up and watched the last seasons as they aired, in addition to the spinoffs “Grown-ish” and “Mixed-ish” (pairings with those shows to come).

This show is both reminiscent of the ’90s sitcoms we grew up with and exists in a space that brings it into the 2010s thanks to creator Kenya Barris.

The whole Johnson family brings their A-game to this show, with Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross providing strong anchors as Andre/Dre and Rainbow/Bow. They are joined by iconic actors Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis as Dre’s parents, Pops (real name Earl) and Ruby, with some scene-stealing moments.

Then there’s the kids: It was a delight to see both the characters and actors grow up on screen. Yara Shahidi is Zoey and Marcus Scribner is Junior (Andre, Jr.), while Miles Brown and Marsai Martin play twins Jack and Diane.

This whole ensemble does a great job of delivering nonstop laughs, along with treating the more dramatic moments of the show with grace and raw emotion.

I will admit there were a couple storylines that I thought “jumped the shark” of this show, but I will not spoil them here.

Ultimately, though, “Black-ish” is must-see TV and deserved all the accolades it received when it aired.

If you decide to make baked mac & cheese and/or watch “Black-ish,” let us know! Tag us in your Instagram posts & stories, threads, TikToks and/or tweets: @veg_out_recipes. We’re also on Bluesky as @vegoutrecipes.bsky.social.