Description
A creamy, dairy-free vegan Alfredo sauce made with raw cashews, almond milk, and nutritional yeast, perfect for drizzling over pasta or vegetables for a rich, cheesy flavor without the dairy.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pasta (optional)
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta
For the Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the fettuccine pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and cover to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
- Soak the cashews: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil using a kettle or stovetop. Pour the hot water over the raw cashews in a bowl and let them soak for 5 minutes to soften.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes until fragrant and the onion is translucent. Remove the pan from heat.
- Blend the sauce: Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soaking water. Transfer the cashews to a high-powered blender along with the sautéed onion and garlic, unsweetened almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until the mixture is very smooth and creamy.
- Combine and serve: Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir gently to coat. If the pasta is hot, additional cooking is not necessary. If desired, warm the pasta and sauce together on low heat; add water as needed to thin the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Gluten Free: Substitute regular pasta with gluten-free pasta to make this dish gluten free.
- Cashew Free: Use raw slivered almonds or sunflower seeds if avoiding cashews, though cashews provide the best creamy, buttery flavor.
- Milk Alternatives: Water or other unsweetened, unflavored plant milks like soy, cashew, or coconut milk can be used instead of almond milk.
- Chicken Alfredo Option: Add vegan chicken nuggets, such as Gardein brand, sliced on top of the pasta for a protein boost.
- Freezing: The sauce freezes well in small containers with room for expansion. Reheat gently in microwave or on stovetop.
- Nutritional Yeast: Optional to omit if you don’t prefer the flavor but it adds a cheesy taste.
- Versatility: Alfredo sauce works wonderfully on baked potatoes, pizza, spaghetti squash, or cooked vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of sauce
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
