Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Before developing lactose intolerance, I enjoyed pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo as part of my weekly dinner rotation. Now, I’ve learned to make vegan sauces like vegan bechamel sauce and Alfredo to satisfy my cravings. This vegan Alfredo sauce recipe creates a sauce so creamy and rich that you might not even notice it’s dairy-free!

Traditional homemade Alfredo sauce is made with butter, Parmesan cheese and pasta water. Modern versions double down on the dairy, adding heavy cream to the mix. To mimic that creamy texture, we blend raw cashews with water to create a silky-smooth cashew cream flavored with cheesy nutritional yeast. It’s the perfect sauce for vegan pasta recipes and is equally well-suited for smothering broccoli, making pizza or dipping crunchy breadsticks.

Ingredients for Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Taste of Home

• Raw cashews: Cashews are a soft nut that becomes luscious and creamy when pureed into a sauce. As with cashew cheese recipes, it’s important to soak the cashews in water overnight to get the smoothest, creamiest texture. (Don’t worry if you forgot to plan ahead; we’ll offer a shortcut method that makes the cashews almost as soft in only 15 minutes.)
• Linguine: Fettuccine is the classic noodle for Alfredo sauce, but the slightly skinnier linguine is my go-to choice. Some pasta brands are made with eggs, so double-check the ingredients before you leave the store.
• Onion and garlic: These aromatic veggies give the sauce its characteristic punchy flavor. In a pinch, you can substitute 1 teaspoon granulated onion for every medium onion and 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic for every fresh garlic clove.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast packed with protein and nutrients. It gives the sauce a nutty, cheesy flavor without adding any dairy.
• Lemon juice: A splash of lemon juice brightens this rich and creamy sauce. If you don’t have any on hand, swap in a mild vinegar like rice vinegar.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper and dried rosemary give vegan fettuccine Alfredo sauce a well-rounded flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Soak the cashews

Taste of Home

Place the cashews and water in a small bowl, and soak overnight. Drain and rinse cashews.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skip this step! The cashews need to be softened or the sauce will be gritty and grainy. If you’re in a rush, place the cashews in a small saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Let the pan stand for 15 minutes before draining and rinsing the cashews.

Step 2: Cook the pasta

Cook the linguine according to the package directions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water and drain the remaining water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Step 3: Prepare the sauce

Taste of Home

Place the soaked cashews, reserved pasta water, onion, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, pepper and rosemary in a blender.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have any reserved pasta water, use 2 cups of your favorite unsweetened nondairy milk alternative.

Taste of Home

Puree until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: If the sauce looks too thick, add extra water or milk until it reaches the desired consistency. This is also a good time to taste the sauce and add more seasonings, if needed.

Step 4: Toss the pasta with the sauce

Taste of Home

Add the sauce to the pasta in the pot, and toss to combine.

Editor’s Tip: The pasta’s ambient heat should warm the sauce through. If needed, you can heat the sauce over gentle heat.

Taste of Home

Recipe Variations

• Include cauliflower or potatoes: You can easily sneak more vegetables into this vegan Alfredo sauce recipe by adding steamed cauliflower or white potatoes to the blender. Either of these will make the sauce thicker and more robust, so consider adding an extra splash of pasta water to thin it out.
• Mix in veggies: Once the sauce is pureed, mix it with cooked veggies like mushrooms, peas, spinach or kale.
• Add protein: Use a protein-packed plant-based pasta like chickpea pasta, or add a plant-based protein like cannellini beans, edamame or cooked tofu. This dairy-free Alfredo sauce also tastes great when making classics like chicken Alfredo (with vegan chicken nuggets, of course!).
• Think outside the noodles: Use vegan Alfredo sauce to make nontraditional recipes like gnocchi Alfredo, hearty Alfredo potatoes, Alfredo rice casserole or vegetarian lasagna. The sauce also tastes great on pizza, like chicken Alfredo pizza, with vegan-friendly toppings like peppers or mushrooms.

How to Store Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Store vegan fettuccine Alfredo sauce and cooked pasta in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. If you store them together, the pasta will absorb liquid from the sauce. The leftovers are good in the fridge for up to four days.

Can you make vegan Alfredo sauce ahead of time?

You can make this vegan Alfredo sauce recipe up to four days ahead of time. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Reheat vegan Alfredo sauce in the microwave or a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so you may want to reheat it with a splash of dairy-free milk, vegetable broth or water.

Can you freeze vegan Alfredo sauce?

Freeze vegan Alfredo sauce in a freezer-safe container. It should last up to three months. Thaw the sauce in the fridge overnight and reheat as directed. If it looks separated or gritty, pulse it in a blender to smooth it again.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce Tips

Taste of Home

How do you make vegan Alfredo sauce without cashews?

We make our vegan Alfredo sauce recipe with cashews, but you can easily use peeled almonds, macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds. For a nut-free Alfredo sauce, try swapping in cooked cauliflower (similar to our cauliflower Alfredo recipe). Boil a medium head of chopped cauliflower in 4 cups water or vegetable broth. Cook, covered, until tender, five to six minutes. Drain and cool slightly before transferring it to the food processor with the remaining ingredients.

How can you thicken vegan Alfredo sauce?

You can thicken vegan fettuccine Alfredo sauce by simmering it over gentle heat on the stovetop. The starches from the reserved pasta water will give the sauce a thicker consistency as they’re heated. You can also thicken sauce by adding flour, cornstarch or arrowroot.

What else can you serve with vegan Alfredo sauce?

Serve vegan fettuccine Alfredo sauce with fresh vegan salads or any of your favorite vegan recipes. You can also use this versatile cashew cheese sauce without pasta by spooning it on top of vegetables or as the sauce for pizza. Look through recipes that start with Alfredo sauce for even more ideas.