Vegan Alfredo Sauce

This vegan Alfredo sauce is just as good as one made with cheese or butter! Creamy, rich, and flavorful, it's a great recipe for a classy date night in.

If you love creamy pasta that 1) tastes great and 2) makes you feel great, then you need this vegan Alfredo sauce in your life. It’s just as silky and rich as the classic kind, but it’s made with 100% plant-based ingredients. Nutritional yeast adds cheesy flavor, and lemon juice brightens it up. And instead of cheese, cream, or butter (or even vegan butter!), a secret ingredient gives it its ultra-creamy texture.

Any guesses?

It’s…cauliflower! If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you’re probably not surprised. I love blending this versatile veggie into creamy sauces that are smooth and luscious, but pretty darn good for you, too.

This vegan Alfredo sauce recipe calls for 10 ingredients and comes together in minutes. Whip it up on a weeknight, or serve it for a classy date night in. It’s simple, healthy, and absolutely delicious. Whether you’re vegan or not, I think you’re going to love it.

Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe Ingredients

You only need 10 ingredients to make this vegan Alfredo sauce:

• Cauliflower – It creates the sauce’s luscious creamy texture.
• Cashews – Along with cauliflower, they make the sauce thick and creamy without any dairy. Make sure you use unsalted raw cashews in this recipe. Roasted cashews will give it a cashew-y taste.
• Garlic – For sharp, savory depth of flavor.
• Nutritional yeast – With its cheesy flavor, it replaces the Parmesan that you’d find in regular Alfredo sauce.
• Lemon juice – For brightness.
• Dijon mustard – It gives the sauce a savory, tangy kick.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – It makes the sauce rich and smooth.
• And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Vegan Alfredo Sauce

This vegan Alfredo sauce recipe is super easy to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, cook the cauliflower and the cashews. Yep, you read that right! I like to boil the cashews with the cauliflower so that they’re easy to blend. It has the same effect that soaking the cashews would, but it’s way quicker.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the cauliflower and cashews, and boil for about 8 minutes. When the cauliflower is tender, drain the cashews and cauliflower and place them in a high-speed blender.

Next, blend! Add the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to the blender. Pour in 1/2 cup water, and blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Finally, serve! Cook a pound of fettuccine (or any pasta you like) in a large pot of salted boiling water. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

Transfer the pasta back to the pot, pour in the sauce, and stir to coat. Add the pasta water, as needed, to thin the sauce to a smooth, silky consistency. Season to taste, and enjoy!

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo Serving Suggestions

I love to serve this vegan fettuccine Alfredo with focaccia or crusty bread. That way, I can mop up any sauce that’s left at the bottom of my bowl! Then, I round out the meal with a salad or vegetable side dish.

To make a simple green salad, toss mixed greens with lemon vinaigrette, Italian dressing, or Greek salad dressing. Otherwise, serve this vegan fettuccine Alfredo with one these salad recipes:

• Caesar Salad
• Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts
• Green Bean Salad
• Caprese Salad
• Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Not in a salad mood? Pair your pasta with sautéed mushrooms, roasted broccoli, or Brussels sprouts instead!

More Delicious Vegan Pasta Recipes

If you love this recipe, try one of these vegan pastas next:

• Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
• Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Pasta Pomodoro
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
• Creamy Vegan Pasta
• Easy Pesto Pasta
• Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

rate this recipe:

4.85 from 44 votes

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Serves 4 to 6

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This vegan fettuccine Alfredo is creamy, rich, and flavorful. It's easy enough to make on a weeknight, but elegant enough for a classy date night in. You'll love it whether you're vegan or not!

Equipment

• Raw Cashews
• Nutritional Yeast
• Vitamix Blender

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cauliflower florets*
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) package fettuccine pasta
• Chopped fresh parsley

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Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cashews and boil until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add the olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, mustard, and several grinds of pepper. Blend until creamy.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions, or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
• Transfer the pasta back to the pot, pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water until it’s creamy.
• Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste.

Notes

*about ⅔ florets from 1 small cauliflower