This Alfredo sauce is a plant based sauce made from cashews. It’s a rich, creamy, silky sauce that is every bit delicious as the kind we used to make with dairy. It’s also so easy to make!
This recipe is an oldie but a goodie that we updated to make it even better!
Oh creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauce, you don’t know what you do to me. I’m in love with you more today than I was when I used to make you from cheese and heavy cream.
You’re still the silky, warm, and creamy sauce that has always coated those tender fettuccine noodles, only you’re better for me.
Your new and improved version is heart healthy, full of fiber, and it’s lighter than the old version. The best part of the new you is that you taste just as divine as you did before your makeover. I love you, you nutty little sauce….
Oops, I forgot that you’re here too. Well that’s embarrassing.
ZERO CHOLESTEROL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO SAUCE
But for real you guys, I ♥ this sauce in so many ways. It really does still taste like the creamy, silky Alfredo sauce that I knew and loved, but this is sooooo much better for you, and the cows, and the environment. It’s a win-win for everyone!
The base of our sauce is made with cashews, not cheese and cream, that means that it doesn’t have a hint of cholesterol.
Cashews are incredibly healthy. They have a lower fat content than most nuts and they’re made up of heart healthy monounsaturated fats. They’re also high in copper and magnesium, which are important for energy and bone healthy.
If you want to read more about the health benefits of cashews, click here.
I’ve been wanting to create a vegan dairy free fettuccine Alfredo for a while, and I finally found the time to do it. Boy am I happy I tried, cuz this stuff is the best!
It was really hard for me not to eat the sauce by the spoonful as I taste tested it until I got it exactly right.
I added a little lemon, then a touch more; some salt, then a pinch more; a bit of nutritional yeast flakes, until I got it just right.
Now, I get to share the results with you!!
FETTUCCINE ALFREDO IS PERFECT FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER OR A QUICK AND EASY WEEKNIGHT DINNER
Creamy cashew Alfredo sauce is one of those dishes that I save for a romantic dinner in. It’s worthy of candles, wine, and something chocolaty for dessert.
It makes a wonderful holiday or Valentine’s Day dinner!
It’s also so easy that you can whip it up in no time on a weeknight when you’re in the mood for comfort food.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE
STEP ONE
- Soak the cashews in water overnight or boil them in water for 10 to 15 minutes until they’re soft and puffy, then drain and rinse and put them in a high powered Blender
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2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides a few times so you won’t detect any pieces of the nuts.
You’ll really need a powerful blender to get a smooth and creamy texture, like my Blendtec Total Blender,. It
You don’t even have to cook this sauce. Just blend it and add it to piping hot fettuccine noodles and it heats up perfectly.
WHY OUR DAIRY-FREE ALFREDO SAUCE HAS THE TANGINESS OF A DAIRY SAUCE
We updated this recipe recently and made it even better.
Since we posted this recipe three years ago, so many amazing vegan yogurt products have become available. One of our favorites is the plain Greek yogurt by Kite Hill.
It has that perfect tang that you’ll find in a dairy cheese sauce, and it makes the sauce even creamier.
If you can’t find the Greek Style yogurt or the Kite Hill brand, use any plain vegan yogurt, but DO NOT use a coconut based yogurt or it will ruin the flavor.
HOW TO SERVE ALFREDO SAUCE
If you want, you can sauté some mushrooms to layer on top (or toss throughout) and mince some spinach and parsley for garnish. If you want more green just add a lot of it, you can never have too much spinach.
So are you going to make this tonight, or are you going to wait for the weekend, or for those of you with real willpower, are you going to wait for Valentine’s Day? Spill, I want to know.
HOW TO STORE VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE
You can store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Put it back in the blender and add a bit more plant-based milk to it and blend.
Cashew based creams firm up when refrigerated, so don’t be afraid to add more liquid. You will want to taste it to see if it needs more salt.
We haven’t tried freezing this so we can’t tell you what it will do when defrosted. Sorry.
Make this and let us know what you think. We love to hear from you! And, don’t forget to take a picture of your gorgeous creation and tag us @veganosity on Instagram.
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- 16 oz fettuccine noodles
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews soak in water overnight or boil in water for 10 to 15 minutes
- 15 oz plain vegan Greek yogurt see note
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk see note
- Juice from one large lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp ground sea salt divided
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 cup 40 g fresh basil, chopped
- chopped fresh parsley
- sauteed mushrooms
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
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Once the cashews have soaked /boiled and they’resoft and puffy, drain and rinse well. Put them in the blender along with the yogurt, milk (add more if needed, see note), lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, oregano, and 1 tsp sea salt and blend for 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides a few times to ensure that you don’t detect solid pieces of the nuts. If you have a Blendtec blender, select the Whole Foods setting and the soup setting within that setting for the creamiest sauce.
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When the pasta water is boiling, add the remaining salt to the water and place the pasta in the water. Make sure it’s completely covered in the water and stir, cook according to the instructions on the package.
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Drain the pasta water when done and put the pasta back in the pot. Add the Alfredo sauce and stir to coat the pasta.
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Divide the pasta Alfredo by four and plate. Top with optional toppings.
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Enjoy!
The Nutrition Facts are an Estimate ONLY.
If you can't find Kite Hill Greek style yogurt, you can use any plain vegan yogurt, except for coconut yogurt. Use almond or soy.
Alfredo sauce should be creamy, not super thick, so add more plant milk as needed.
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