If you’ve been craving creamy, dreamy pasta Alfredo without animal products, my vegan Alfredo sauce recipe is going to hit in all of the right ways.
So haul out your blender and start a pot of water – we’re going to have delicious vegan fettuccine Alfredo in 30 minutes!
No tips or tricks, I just want the recipe!
Jump to Recipe
WHY A VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE?
Whether you’re doing it for your health, or for the benefit of the animals, trading even one animal-product-heavy meal for a vegan one makes an impact. Cholesterol-free but still decadent, this is an easy swap to make because it doesn’t taste healthier. But it totally is!
Lactose intolerant? This is the Alfredo sauce that isn’t going to send you running to the bathroom. Points for ease because you mix it in your blender. Oh, and if you just happen to be vegan? This is the comfort-food pasta of your dreams.
But given that Alfredo sauce is almost entirely made up of animal products, how do we make it vegan? Let me show you!
PLANT-BASED DAIRY SWAPS
Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast
It might not smell like feet, but nutritional yeast will impart the right amount of nutty, cheesy flavour to your alfredo sauce.
Heavy cream – cashew cream
Cashews are wonderfully versatile as a dairy alternative. When combined with water, salt, and lemon juice or lactice acid, it makes a delicious heavy cream. And, similarly to cow’s cream, it will thicken if you heat it. If you are nut free, or just looking to switch it up a bit nutritionally, a 2-to-1 ratio of hemp seeds to water is delightfully creamy and will also thicken when cooking.
Butter – plant butter
You could use margarine, but a plant butter like Miyokos or Nuts for Cheese imparts an additional richness. Bonus points if you make your own, but I’m not usually feeling that ambitious.
When we combine these 3 with some garlic we’re ALMOST at alfredo sauce. We still need butter and heat. So add those to a deep frying pan, and once our butter is melted, transfer the pasta and at least half the sauce, stirring well to combine. Add more sauce as needed. If at any point it seizes up or gets too thick, toss in a tablespoon or two of the pasta cooking water. The added water will make it nice and silky again. Stir in or top with your add ons, and serve! Ta dah!
But wait – this recipe also works really well for meal prep. Let me tell you how!
MOVE OVER, MICHELLINAS!
Once you’ve blended your sauce nice and smooth, portion it into silicone cups and freeze overnight. Divide your cooked pasta among 4 freezer-friendly containers. Add a puck or two of sauce into each container; make sure it’s airtight and freezer safe. Keep in the freezer up to 12 weeks. When you’re ready to eat one, microwave from frozen on high for two minutes, covered. Remove cover, stir, and continue to microwave in 45 second increments until it reaches your desired temperature.
READY TO TRY IT?
When you do, don’t forget to tag me @veganinyyc ! I’d love to see your results. Talk to you soon!
Fettuccine with Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Deliciously dairy-free.
Ingredients
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp lemon juice (or 1/8th tsp lactic acid)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 tbsp plant butter
- ½ pkg fettuccine cooked to al dente
- ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Optional Add-ins:
- chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup steamed broccoli
- 1 cup green peas
- grilled tofu or chick'n
- mushroom steak slices
Instructions
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Prepare fettuccine according to package directions, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.
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In a small blender jar, combine garlic, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and cold water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
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Set a large frying pan over medium heat. Add plant butter, and melt. Add in fettuccine, and toss well with the butter to coat. Pour in half the alfredo sauce and stir to combine. Then add additional sauce as required. If at any point it gets too thick, just add a tbsp of pasta water and stir to break it up.
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Divide among 4 pasta bowls along with the add-ins and serve.
Recipe Notes
Leftover sauce can be frozen and saved for lunches. (See Move Over Michellinas within the blog post for lunch instructions.)
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