Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Name: Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 + 1/4 cup raw cashews; 1 cup plant-based milk (almond, coconut, soy); 1/3 cup nutritional yeast; 4 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 10 oz fettuccine pasta

Published: Mar 11, 2020 · Modified: Mar 5, 2021 by Kaylie Grace · 39 Comments

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This vegan fettuccine alfredo is creamy, healthy, and so easy to make! Combine cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and garlic to create a rich alfredo sauce. Toss it with your favorite pasta and fresh herbs. You'd never guess it's dairy-free!

vegan fettuccine alfredo pasta inside a white bowl

Switching to a plant-based or dairy-free diet? Good news! You do not have to say goodbye to alfredo. This vegan fettuccine alfredo is just as rich, creamy, and delicious as the traditional recipe. Yet, no cream and no butter are needed. It's wholesome, healthy, and full of flavor!

The vegan cashew alfredo sauce is:

Rich and creamy
Made with wholesome ingredients
Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free
Packed with healthy fats and protein
Filling and comforting
Delicious with any type of pasta
Kid-approved

vegan fettuccine alfredo pasta inside two white bowls

What ingredients are in vegan fettuccine alfredo?

Cashews. Where does the sauce get its creaminess? Cashews! We'll soak them in hot water and then blend them to create a luscious dairy-free sauce. Plus, cashews are packed with healthy fats and plant-based protein.
Nutritional yeast. Since no cheese is used in this recipe, nutritional yeast will provide the "cheesy" flavor. Plus, it's loaded with B vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate.
Plant-based milk. I recommend almond milk, but you may also use soy, coconut, or cashew milk.
Lemon juice. Lemon provides the perfect balance of sour flavor, since the recipe is free of cream and cheese.
Garlic cloves. Garlic cloves provide a variety of health benefits.
Onion, salt and pepper. These are used to enhance the flavor.
Fettuccine pasta. Really, any variety of pasta can be used. If you're consuming a gluten-free diet, I recommend brown rice, lentil, or chickpea pasta shells.

small white bowls of cashews, lemon juice, almond milk, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, and noodles on a white plate

How to make vegan alfredo sauce with cashews

For the full recipe, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

First, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add cashews to a bowl. Pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 20 minutes. After, drain the water.

Next, add soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, lemon juice, garlic cloves, onion powder, salt, and black pepper to a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

Cook fettuccine according to the package. Drain water and transfer fettuccine back into the pot. Pour alfredo sauce over the pasta and gently toss to combine. Serve and garnish with herbs.

vegan fettuccine alfredo in a white sauce pot

Kaylie's tips

Salt the pasta water. If you are not adding salt to your pasta water, you're missing out! Add 2-3 teaspoons while the water is boiling, It will enhance the flavor and you'll never return to unsalted pasta again. Note: Although 2-3 teaspoon sounds like a lot, most of the salt will be drained along with the water later on.
Use any type of pasta or noodle. Not interested in fettuccine? No problem, use another type of pasta instead! Oftentimes, I'll enjoy this vegan alfredo sauce with penne, rotini, or farfalle pastsa. For a protein-packed meal, I highly suggest using chickpea pasta instead of traditional flour-based varieties. This is a great option if you consume a gluten-free diet, too.
Add vegetables. Alfredo is absolutely delicious with roasted vegetables! In particular, this pasta pairs perfectly with broccoli and cauliflower. You may also enjoy it roasted kale, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or green peas.
Garnish the pasta when serving. I used a classic Italian seasoning blend, but parsley, oregano, sage, rosemary and basil are all wonderful additions.
This vegan fettuccine alfredo is best served right away. However, I still enjoy it as leftovers from time to time. It will keep for 1-2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As is true with nearly all pasta, the noodles will absorb some of the sauce over time. Therefore, the pasta will be a bit drier when consumed as leftovers.

vegan fettuccine alfredo pasta inside two white bowls beside cashews and a wooden fork

More easy vegan pasta recipes:

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