This is the best Vegan Alfredo Sauce ever! Easy to make with just a handful of ingredients and ready in 15 minutes or less. No one will know it’s vegan!
This vegan cashew Alfredo sauce is ultra creamy and flavorful with NO cheese, heavy cream or butter!
Cashews form the base of this easy vegan Alfredo sauce. Cashews are such a magical vegan ingredient, creating rich and creamy dairy free delights. A few of my all-time favorite recipes using cashews include Vegan Scalloped Potatoes, The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese and 5 Ingredient Vegan Queso.
If you can’t have cashews or nuts, go make this Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce with NO nuts. It’s equally incredible.
You might also like this Instant Pot Vegan Alfredo made from a combination of cauliflower and cashews.
What you need for the best, easy vegan Alfredo sauce
- Raw cashews – They are the base for the delicious creamy sauce. You can try using slivered almonds or sunflower seeds instead, but it won’t quite be the same.
- Olive oil – For sautéing the onions and garlic.
- Onion – Adds incredible flavor!
- Garlic – Again, for that garlicky classic Alfredo flavor.
- Unsweetened almond milk – May also use water or another unsweetened, unflavored plant milk.
- Nutritional yeast – For a cheesy taste. May omit if you don’t like it.
- Lemon juice – To brighten up the flavors a bit.
- Salt, to taste
- A high powered blender for best results – I highly recommend a Vitamix or other powerful blender. A regular blender can possibly be used, but the sauce won’t get as creamy.
How to make vegan alfredo sauce
This is an overview with photos of the process. For the complete, printable recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.
If you plan on serving the sauce with pasta, cook the noodles now. Drain when cooked and add back to the pot for mixing with the sauce.
Soak the cashews for 5 minutes in hot water. I simply use my tea kettle to boil water, and pour it over the cashews in a glass measuring cup.
Sauté 1/2 an onion and 6 cloves of garlic in a small pan for 5 minutes.
Add the drained cashews, onion/garlic, almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt to a high powered blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
Add sauce to pasta, mix and warm if needed. That’s it!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make it without cashews? I recommend you try my Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce, which is nut free. You can also try substituting sunflower seeds or raw slivered almonds for varied results.
- What if I don’t have a high powered blender? It’s possible to make the sauce in a regular blender or food processor, just know it won’t be as creamy as the photos. Try soaking the cashews for a half hour at least in hot water to make them extra soft for blending.
- How long will the sauce keep in the refrigerator? Store in a covered container for 4-5 days.
- Can you freeze vegan Alfredo sauce? Yes, it freezes well. Freeze sauce separate from pasta. Pour into freezer friendly containers, leaving a little room for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight is possible and rewarm in the microwave or stovetop.
Variations
- “Chicken” Alfredo – I often cook up some vegan chicken or simply Gardein nuggets. Slice and serve with the fettuccine Alfredo.
- Add some heat – I almost always sprinkle a good amount of red chili flakes on my Alfredo pasta. So good!
- Mix in some vegetables – Serve a veggie on the side, or mix them right in! My favorites are steamed or roasted broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cooked kale, green peas or asparagus.
Want more creamy vegan pasta recipes?
- Creamy Vegan Carbonara
- Dairy Free Mac and Cheese
- The Best Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
- Tuscan Vegan Gnocchi
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fettuccine pasta, optional
- 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, if using
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain, then add it back to the pot and cover until the sauce is done.
Make the sauce
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil (I use my tea kettle). Pour the hot water over the cashews and let soak for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until fragrant and the onion is translucent. Remove from heat.
- Drain the cashews and discard the soaking water. Add them to a high powered blender along with onions/garlic, unsweetened almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt. Blend until very smooth.
Serve
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir. If the noodles are still hot, you may not need to cook it any more. If you want, heat the pasta with the alfredo sauce on low heat until warm. If it becomes too thick, add a bit of water to thin out the sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free pasta.
- Cashew Free: Use raw slivered almonds instead of cashews, or even sunflower seeds. Cashews give the sauce the best buttery and cheesy taste though.
- May use water instead of almond milk. Other plant milks work as well – soy, cashew or coconut. Just make sure the milk you use is both unsweetened and unflavored.
- “Chicken” Alfredo: Cook up some vegan chicken nuggets (my favorite is Gardein brand), slice and serve on top of the pasta!
- To Freeze: The sauce freezes well! Freeze in small freezer-friendly containers. Leave an inch or so of room for expansion. Re-heat in the microwave or stove top until warm.
- If you don’t care for nutritional yeast, it is okay to omit it.
- Alfredo sauce is also wonderful drizzled on baked potatoes, on pizza, spaghetti squash, cooked vegetables and more.
- Calories are for 1/6th of the sauce, and does not include pasta.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published in September of 2019. The recipe is the same, but the writing is updated to provide answer to frequent questions and variations/options.
This is legit! I’ve made other vegan alfredo, but this one could definitely fool people. Obviously not quite as creamy as real alfredo because there’s clearly no cream, but it’s pretty darn close! I added just a bit more nutritional yeast because it wasn’t quite as cheesy flavored as I wanted. Definitely a keeper!
I had high hopes for this recipe. I had to use sunflower seeds since I didn’t have almonds or cashews. I have tried a lot of Nora’s recipes and this is the only one I haven’t liked, so maybe I just don’t like nut-based alfredo sauce. I’ve tried other alfredo sauces made with cashews and i think I’m just not a fan. Sorry, Nora, nothing personal. I think you’re still the best vegan cook online. Your brownies and choco chips are amazing.
Hi Lexi. So you used sunflower seeds, which have a very different flavor, level of creaminess and texture when blended than raw cashews. Since you didn’t make the recipe as written, it’s hard to know for sure if you would have liked it had it been made as intended. I’m glad you like some of my other recipes. Our tastes and preferences vary, but I wish you had made it with cashews before rating it, you may have been impressed!
This sauce is so easy to make and tastes delicious! I love that it makes a bunch of servings because I’ve been diggin the leftovers! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Michelle. I’m glad you love the sauce. I agree that it makes for delicious leftovers! Thank you for taking time to share your review!
Absolutely delicious, and so easy to put together!
Thanks Mia! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Is there anything to substitute the nutritional yeast with? My family and I do not like taste of it.
You can leave it out if needed, if you don’t like it.
We love this recipe! All 4 of my kids like it – it’s a miracle. ?❤️
Hi Tiffany! I’m glad your family loves the sauce! Thank you!
I followed the recipe accordingly and used unsweetened oat milk. I loved the texture and look of the sauce. Super creamy and the perfect consistency.
The only complaint I have is that it was a little too sweet. To balance the sweetness, I added more lemon juice and salt. When I make this recipe again I will try soy or almond milk.
I think my favorite is unsweetened cashew milk, if you can find it. But soy or almond work, too. Or even water if needed. Thanks!
Can I leave out the lemon juice?
Sure, you could.
I plan to make this on the weekend, but was wondering about the sweet onion. Can I use a yellow onion instead? Would that make any real difference? I did “google” and it was suggested to cook the onion a little longer… just wanted your opinion beforehand. Thank you!
Yes, you could use a yellow or white onion really. I don’t think you need to cook it extra long, just until it’s softened and translucent. Hope that helps and you enjoy it!
I finally got around to making this and we were all BLOWN AWAY how delicious this is! I did use oat milk because it’s all I had. Only difference is the sauce looks a little darker. Another big piece for me was how ridiculously EASY this was to make! Nora, please know how much your efforts are appreciated and keep up the good work. Your passion shows in these recipes! (PS. I did the Best Vegan Brownie last weekend and it didn’t disappoint at all-it was really the BEST brownie I’ve ever had in my life…I’ll never eat any other!) Thank you!!!!
Hi Christina! I appreciate you taking your time to share your awesome review! I’m so glad you use and enjoy my recipes! Thank you! Happy cooking!
This is SO freaking good!! Ate it over angel hair with some sauteed mushrooms and spinach. Followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfect. Makes a ton of sauce too – I’ve been keeping it in the fridge and its just as good heated up for subsequent meals. Thanks for a other winner Nora!
Hi Maria. I”m glad you love the sauce! Thank you!
Amazing and kid approved!! ?
Hi Tami! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. The first time I made it. And it’s good!
Hi Arlene. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you!
Made this Alfredo Sauce today and it’s delicious. All of our plant based juices that were open had sugar so I had to use a bottle of store bought barley juice which is a pretty deep brown. I was a little worried but the sauce is perfect in color and taste.
Nora, thank you for creating and sharing these wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome!
This is fast, super easy, and incredibly creamy! Like others, I added a few things to taste (nutmeg, black pepper, vegan parmesan) and this was really nice. Thanks so much for recipes I can always, always trust!
You’re welcome!
This was unbelievable! I have been searching for recipes that I’ve missed a lot, but will stay plant-based. This did not disappoint. Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
Just made this sauce, and it taste delicious! Thank you
Wonderful to hear! Thanks!
I can’t figure out why my sauce was so sweet. I added 2 lemons, and at least double the salt to try to balance it out. I even had to check my milk to make sure I used unsweetened almond milk ? my cashews weren’t raw, but I usually don’t use raw cashews, could that have been why?
Are you sure you didn’t accidentally use vanilla unsweetened almond milk and that it truly had no sugar added? Also, the flavor would be off if using roasted cashews here instead of raw. Raw are so mild and creamy in flavor, and when I’ve tried using roasted cashews in sauces I never enjoy it. Next time, try it using raw cashews, and perhaps just use water instead of milk if for some reason that was adding sweetness. It’s still plenty creamy using water. Hope that helps!
I haven’t made this yet but am planning to. I don’t really keep almond milk on hand, so you think oat milk would be a decent substitute?
Yes, as long as it’s unsweetened and unflavored.
Great recipe! Told my husband (who eats cheese)to try it first before adding Parmesan. He liked it and didn’t add cheese.
That’s great to hear! Thank you.
Delicious and kid approved!!
This is out standing. We served with Brussels one night and then I sautéd some mushrooms, zucchini, and onion and mixed in the 2nd night. Was even better left over. Thanks for the awesome dish.
You’re welcome!
We made this tonight to use on our pizza. I’m vegan, he isn’t so my side is 100% vegan and his includes chicken and dairy cheese–both sides have the sauce.
Wow–this was so good. It’s the first time I’ve enjoyed pizza since going vegan!
That’s great to hear!
I initially made this recipe including the nutritional yeast, but I did not like the flavor of it. I made another batch without the yeast, and it was just right. I added sautéed mushrooms, and it was super tasty! Definitely a keeper.
That’s great!
For time purposes I used cashew milk from the carton. The pasts was good but didn’t taste like Alfredo. I wanted to see if that made a huge difference in the recipe.
Yeah, very different. Using real cashews makes the sauce super creamy and a little cheesy.
Easy and delicious. What more can I ask for????