Vegan Alfredo sauce is full of flavor. It is rich for a creamy sauce without butter, heavy cream or parmesan cheese. An easy dairy-free option to classic alfredo sauce that easily complements pasta.
This simple vegan alfredo recipe is a creamy, smooth and delicious sauce made with cashews, plant based milk, garlic, nutritional yeast and lemon juice.
Serve with fettuccine or your pasta of choice, or vegan-style as an Alfredo sauce with veggies, potatoes and more.
Table of Contents
What is it?
It is a pasta sauce similar to an Alfredo sauce. But it is made without dairy.
Butter and parmesan are typical ingredients to include in a traditional Alfredo dish. And buttery Alfredo sauces are often made with heavy cream. Vegan alternatives are created with plant-based alternatives to dairy.
Creamy texture is achieved using cashews and savory and cheesy flavor is from the nutritional yeast.
Ingredients
You Will Need:
- 1 cup raw cashews: Creates the rich and creamy base of the sauce.
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk: Helps to make the cashew sauce smooth.
- 3 cloves garlic: Garlic flavour.
- Add nutritional yeast ¼ cup: This adds a cheesy and savory flavor.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice: Freshness and slight acidity.
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil: Richness and smoothness.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt: Improves the taste.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper: Good amount of mild pepper.
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder: For additional flavor.
- 1/2 cup pasta water: To thin the sauce, if needed.
Make It at home
Instructions:
Steep the cashews: Soak the cashew nuts in hot water and allow to soften.
Drain: rinse and drain the cashews, and then discard the soaking water.
Combine soaking water and plant-based milk, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper and onion powder in a blender.
Blend: Blend until smooth and creamy, 4.
If it’s too thick, add a little more plant based milk.
Warm the sauce: Over medium-low heat.
Cook: Heat and stir until it is warm and thickened.
Add pasta water: Add a little pasta water if necessary.
Taste: Season with salt, pepper or lemon juice.
Serve: Mix with hot pasta and serve.
To make It best, follow these suggestions:
- To blend easily and make a smoother sauce, soften Cashews by soaking them in water.
- Drink Unsweetened Milk: Sweetened or flavored plant-based milk may affect the flavor.
- Blend well: Blend until all of the cashews are well blended.
- Cook on a gentle heat: If cooked on a high heat the sauce may become too thick.
- Pasta Water: Starchy pasta water can be used to thin the sauce without adding water to it.
- Serve Fresh: Alfredo sauce is usually the creamiest of a freshly-made variety.
Vegan Alfredo Sauce (No Cashews)
There are other methods of making vegan Alfredo sauce as well, since you can use an alternative nut instead of the casings.
To make a lighter ‘creamy’ sauce, blend cauliflower with plant-based milk, garlic and nutritional yeast.
Alternatively, a cream made of plants or a cream cheese that is free of milk may be used as a base.
The flavor and texture will vary depending on the substitute.
Also Read: Easy French Onion Meatloaf Recipe
How to give the vegan Alfredo sauce a twist
The healthier version of Garlic Vegan Alfredo.
If garlic is needed to enhance flavors, roast or sauté extra garlic.
Spicy Vegan Alfredo Sauce.
Serve with red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or chili flakes if desired for extra heat.
Mushroom Vegan Alfredo
Cook sliced mushrooms on their own and add to sauce when it’s cooked.
Spinach Vegan Alfredo
Stir in some of the fresh spinach and cook until it is wilted.
Broccoli Vegan Alfredo
Top alfredo pasta with steamed or roasted broccoli for an easy side dish of veggies.
Lemon Vegan Alfredo
Add more lemon juice; add a little lemon zest for lemon zestiness.
Best side dishes for a vegan alfredo sauce
Vegan Alfredo sauce combines great with a variety of dishes.
- Fettuccine: Add fettuccine, and make a basic pasta with fettuccine and sauce.
- Spaghetti: Other long pasta like spaghetti is also suitable.
- Penne are short pasta and can be stuffed with creamy sauces.
- Broccoli: Steamed or roasted broccoli for colour and texture.
- Mushrooms: Sauté mushrooms and add to creamy sauce.
- Salad: A fresh green salad makes for a lighter side dish.
Ingredient Substitutions
Cashew Substitute
Cauliflower, sunflower seeds or an alternative cream (plant based option) can be used instead of cashews, but may have different texture or taste.
Plant-Based Milk Substitute
Unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, oat milk or any other unsweetened plant-based milk.
Nutritional Yeast Substitute
A nutritive, dairy-free substitute for parmesan can be substituted for nutritional yeast.
Olive Oil Substitute
Avocado oil or vegan butter can be used instead of olive oil.
Lemon Juice Substitute
If lemon juice isn’t on hand, apple cider vinegar can be used to give the product acidity.
The best way to freeze
Coat the remaining vegan Alfredo sauce, then place in a sealed container.
Keep in the refrigerator and reheat only as necessary.
The sauce may thicken after it is refrigerated. When the milk becomes watery, add some plant-based milk or water. It will restore the creamy texture when reheated.
Gently reheat, stir constantly, in a saucepan.
Freezes well in a freezer safe container. But it may slightly change in texture when thawed.
This sauce is an edgy creamy, delicious option that is free of dairy.
Cashews, plant based milk, garlic and nutritional yeast provide a smooth sauce. It is rich in savory flavor without dairy products.
Enjoy this simple recipe with mushrooms, broccoli, spinach or any other veggies for a complete meal.
