Super Easy Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Name: Super Easy Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce with Roasted Mushroom Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cup raw cashews; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast; 4 cloves roasted garlic (or 1/2 - 1 clove raw garlic, crushed); 12 ounce package of your favourite pasta (I like chickpea-based Banza or Rummo whole wheat); 1 pound mixed mushrooms (crimini, oyster, shiitake) (cleaned, trimmed and halved if necessary); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves); ½ teaspoon salt; 4 cloves garlic, skin on (optional, if no roasted garlic on hand); ½ cup curly parsley (minced, optional)

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green bowls with vegan alfredo pasta and mushrooms

This vegan cashew alfredo sauce is creamy and oh-so delicious. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make — it comes together in just 5 minutes! Nutritious and healthy, this is a great go-to pasta sauce.

This dietitian is a sauce girl, BIG TIME. Eat More Plants Cookbook is filled with yummy sauces. In fact, if you were to ask me to choose between a tomato-based sauce and a creamy sauce, I would vote for a creamy sauce every single time. So, figuring out how to recreate creamy or cheesy textures in my plant-based recipes is one of my favourite things to do. Which makes this easy, vegan 5-min cashew alfredo sauce the answer to my pasta dreams! It’s vegan and dairy free, contains no oil and is made with whole foods.

This sauce is one of my favourite plant-based dinner recipes because it’s so quick that you can have a crave-able meal in WAY less time than it takes to order takeout. It’s only got 4 pantry ingredients so I can whip it up without a trip to the store. And, if you serve it with a whole wheat or chickpea-based pasta (I love BANZA), it’s a super filling meal packed with plant-based protein and high in fibre to keep you full.

How to make vegan alfredo sauce, step by step

I love that it is actually EASIER to make a vegan alfredo sauce than a traditional version. All you need is 4 ingredients (plus water) and 5 minutes to make the best alfredo sauce of your life!!!

Step One: Gather your ingredients

Raw cashews: create a creamy base, packed with plant-based nutrition
Fresh garlic (raw, or roasted if you have it on hand): adds zip + umami
Nutritional yeast: the original umami bomb, loaded with B vitamins
Salt: my forever love

Step Two: Throw all of your ingredients into a high speed blender, with water

If you don’t have a high speed blender, you’ll want to soak your cashews before you blend for a creamier sauce. Soak for four hours, or up to overnight (in the fridge). Need a quick fix? Pour boiling water over the cashews and they’ll hydrate in 30 minutes no problem!

Step Three: Blend for one minute, until silky smooth!

Yep, that’s it! Taste, adjust salt and pepper to your liking and then toss that dreamy vegan alfredo sauce with your favourite pasta.

The secret to a creamy vegan alfredo?

Cashews are probably the #1 reason why I find it easy to go dairy free. Cashews are a nutritious, whole food option for creating creams and cheese alternatives. Most recipes will ask you to soak your cashews for at least four hours but in all honesty, if you have a high-speed blender, you really don’t need to. Just keep blending until it looks silky smooth… maybe a minute or two.

If you don’t have a high-speed blender, I definitely recommend either a soak in the fridge overnight, or cover them with boiling hot water and soak for at least 30 minutes while you prep your meal.

How to make a low FODMAP alfredo

Cashews are high in FODMAPS, so if you’re on a low FODMAP elimination diet for irritable bowel syndrome, this recipe won’t work for you right now. BUT, I have a couple of options for you.

The first, is to pick up a copy of my new gut health cookbook, Good for your Gut, dropping May 3, which contains a ton of low FODMAP vegan recipes, including a creamy, dreamy cacio e pepe sauce that should make alfredo fans verrrrry happy.

But until that book comes out, here’s the dupe: make a traditional cream sauce with non-traditional ingredients!

warm 2 tbsp garlic-infused low FODMAP oil (like FODY foods) in a nonstick skillet over medium heat
whisk in 2 tbsp of gluten free flour and let it cook for a minute to cook off the rawness
Then SLOWLY whisk 2 cups of gluten free oat milk, whisking the whole time until it reaches desired thickness
season well with salt and pepper and a bit of nutritional yeast and toss with your favourite gluten free pasta

It’s not exactly the same but it’s a good dupe in a pinch!

Vegan alfredo sauce tips + storage + substitutions

Allergic to cashews? You can make this sauce with sunflower seeds! You’ll want to soak them for at least 4 hours or overnight because they will not blend up creamy without it. You make also like to add a bit of extra garlic or nutritional yeast to lift the slightly earthier taste of sunflower seeds.
Out of garlic? You can absolutely use garlic powder. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon, mix, taste and add more if desired.
This sauce keeps really well in the fridge for 2-3 days so it’s great for weekend meal prep.

What to make with cashew alfredo sauce!

In addition to this lovely little mushroom pasta number, here are a few other ways to enjoy your cashew alfredo sauce:

With macaroni and peas…so good for the kiddos!
Drizzled over chili fries
As the base for a white queso-style dip, try stirring in a bit of fire-roasted tomato and green chiles!
Stir into cooked rice to create a creamy risotto-like rice side dish
Use as the base for a creamy soup, by blending in roasted veggies and thinning with vegetable stock!
As a white sauce base for pizza

More yummy vegan sauces and salad dressings to try