Roasted Cauliflower Alfredo (Vegan)

This roasted cauliflower alfredo is creamy, savory, garlicky, and delicious! It’s a healthy comfort food that happens to be vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and packed with nutrients. Instead of heavy ingredients like butter and cheese, this alfredo sauce is secretly made with cauliflower. Toss it with fresh parsley, pine nuts, and vegan parmesan for the ultimate weeknight dinner!

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but cauliflower has been getting lots of attention in recent years. At this point, you’ve probably heard of cauliflower wings, cauliflower rice, and even cauliflower in smoothie bowls. But did you know cauliflower can be used to make homemade alfredo sauce? Pretty cool, right?

Unlike traditional alfredo, which is heavy in butter and cheese, cauliflower alfredo is made with no dairy, lower in calories, and contains more nutrients. It’s the perfect option when you’re craving a rich and creamy pasta but trying to maintain a plant-based diet.

This roasted cauliflower alfredo is:

• Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free
• Creamy, garlicky, and savory
• A secretly healthy comfort food
• Made with wholesome ingredients
• Easy to make and ready in under an hour
• A vegan alfredo sauce without cashews!

What ingredients are in roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta?

• Cauliflower: Cauliflower is the main ingredient in this dish. It’s rich in vitamin C, K, B6, folate, pantothenic acid, and potassium.
• Pasta: Any pasta variety can be used for this recipe. Try fettuccine, linguine, rotini, or penne.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor while keeping this alfredo dairy-free. It’s also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and protein.
• Olive oil: I recommend using a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
• Mellow white miso: Mellow white miso paste has a savory, tangy flavor. It’s a key ingredient commonly used in creamy dairy-free sauces, like this vegan alfredo sauce.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon juice also adds a tangy flavor. It’s another ingredient that helps mimic the flavor of traditional alfredo.
• Garlic: Garlic is used for both the roasted cauliflower and the sauce itself. It pairs nicely with the other ingredients to create a bold, flavorful, garlicky pasta dish.
• Seasoning: In particular, this recipes uses a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. You can adjust the seasonings to your preferred taste, if needed.

How to make vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce

For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add cauliflower florets to a large bowl along with extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat all of the cauliflower, then transfer to a large baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Cook al dente, or slightly underdone, as it will continue to cook later on once it’s combined with the sauce. When draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the alfredo sauce.

Once the cauliflower is roasted, add 3 cups to a blender along with the nutritional yeast, mellow white miso paste, lemon juice, garlic cloves, onion powder, salt, black pepper, pasta water, and your choice of liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to your preferred liking. Thin the sauce with additional water as needed.

Transfer cooked pasta back into the pot, along with the alfredo sauce and remaining roasted cauliflower. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and evenly combined.

Finally, divide the roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta among serving plates and garnish.

Kaylie’s tips

Use your favorite type of pasta. You can use any variety of pasta for this dish. Some great options include fettuccine, linguine, rotini, and penne. For a meal packed with plant-based protein, use chickpea pasta. It contains more fiber and protein than traditional pasta, but tastes no different! (As pictured, I used chickpea rotini pasta. It’s my favorite.)

Cook pasta al dente. While preparing the pasta, follow package instructions. However, I recommend cooking the pasta al dente or slightly underdone for this recipe. Why? The pasta will continue to cook later on once it’s combined with the alfredo sauce. If you cook it completely, you risk it becoming overcooked and falling apart once it’s tossed with the sauce.

Reserve some pasta water. While draining the pasta, be sure to reserve ½ cup of that starchy water. It will be used to thicken the alfredo sauce while you blend the ingredients together.

Garnish while serving. This roasted cauliflower alfredo is incomplete without the garnishes. I love (and highly suggest) adding fresh parsley, vegan parmesan, pine nuts, and/or breadcrumbs. Yum!

Use the sauce for more than just pasta. There are a variety of ways to put this cauliflower alfredo sauce to good use! You can drizzle it on top of pizza, buddha bowls, roasted vegetables or add to sandwiches.

If you try this Roasted Cauliflower Alfredo, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

More vegan pasta recipes:

• Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
• Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Baked Ziti
• Vegan Broccoli Pesto Pasta
• Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
• Vegan Peanut Noodles
• Vegan Pesto Cavatappi

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