The BEST Vegan Alfredo Sauce – Easy + Creamy Recipe
The most delicious Vegan Alfredo Sauce – so creamy and rich, made with just a few simple ingredients. Perfect for pasta, zoodles, veggies, and even pizza!
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Who doesn’t love the classic fettuccine alfredo? This vegan alfredo sauce recipe has all the components you love! Creamy, peppery, and rich. We also love this Vegan Walnut Bolognese or this Vegan Pad Thai when opting for a vegan meal. Check out all of our Healthy Vegan Recipes for inspiration!
IN THIS POST: Everything you need to make Vegan Alfredo
Ingredients
No fancy ingredients like nutritional yeast are needed! Everything for this vegan fettuccine alfredo is made with common pantry items. And so much easier than cauliflower alfredo sauce.
- raw cashews – these will be soaked
- water – filtered is best!
- flour – we use spelt flour
- sea salt
- garlic powder
- olive oil
- basil – fresh or dried but we love the flavor of fresh – especially in summer!
- pepper
So how do you make vegan fettuccini alfredo without heavy cream? You use the wonder of cashews. Soaking cashews, and then blending them magically transforms the crunchy nut into a silky, creamy non dairy alfredo sauce.
Cashews = vegan cream. Problem solved.
How to make this recipe
First, start by soaking the cashews.
Let them soak in water for about an hour to soften them up before blending.
Next, gather the spelt flour, garlic powder, and salt.
These will both season and thicken the sauce.
Next, place the soaked cashews, filtered water, and the seasonings – except the basil – in the blender and blend it all together until it is the frothy consistency of milk and no chunks remain.
This takes no time at all.
Then, pour it into a saucepan.
Now it’s time to get creamy!
Slowly, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
You want to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of your saucepan.
Cook and stir until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat. Keep stirring until it thickens to your desired consistency. Stir in the basil and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Serve warm with your noodles of choice. See notes for serving suggestions.
FAQ’S, Tips, + Substitutions
- How do you make something creamy without dairy? Nuts, like cashews in this recipe, have a super creamy texture when soaked and blended. Now you know what vegans use instead of heavy cream.
- Try brown rice fettuccini for gluten-free noodles! After you drain the noodles, toss them in a bowl with vegan butter for an even more decadent dish. It is worth the calories. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheeses.
- Serve this dairy-free sauce with Spaghetti Squash noodles. Stir in some green peas – more vegetable bonus points. This is also a delicious sauce with roasted asparagus.
- Substitute veggie broth instead of water for even more flavor in the vegan alfredo pasta.
More healthy cashew recipes
- Cashew Coffee Creamer – Easy Plant-Based Alternative
- Vanilla Cashew Protein Bars
- Candied Cashews – Vegan, Gluten Free
- Toasted Cashew Coconut Bars – Vegan, Gluten Free, Grain Free
- Homemade Cashew Cookie Larabar
**This recipe was originally posted on June 14, 2013, and updated on July 10, 2020, and again on June 24, 2022, with recipe notes, writing, and new photos.**
If you’ve tried my cashew alfredo sauce, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The BEST Vegan Alfredo Sauce – Easy + Creamy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews *soaked in water for 1 hour
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 tbsp spelt flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil or fresh chopped basil
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- FIRST – Soak your cashews for at least an hour. This will ensure they are soft for blending and will give you a super creamy sauce. Place them in a bowl and cover them with water. Drain and rinse after an hour.
- Add the cashews, the filtered water, the flour, and the seasonings – EXCEPT for the basil and pepper – to a blender. Blend until you reach the consistency of frothy milk and there are no chunks of cashew left.
- Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently as it thickens.
- Once it begins to bubble, remove from heat and stir in the basil and cracked pepper to taste.
- Toss with the cooked noodles of your choice and top with fresh basil if desired.
Video
Notes
- Try brown rice fettuccini for gluten-free noodles! After you drain the noodles, toss them in a bowl with vegan butter for an even more decadent dish. It is worth the calories. Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheeses.
- Serve this dairy-free sauce with Spaghetti Squash noodles. Stir in some green peas – more vegetable bonus points. This is also a delicious sauce with roasted asparagus.
- Substitute veggie broth instead of water for even more flavor in the vegan alfredo pasta.