Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Easy Vegan Cashew Alfredo

If there’s one thing I love, it’s PASTA! With some veggies and added protein (if you wanna) you’ve got yourself a whole meal! Back in the day, Fettuccini Alfredo was one of my go-to orders from Italian restaurants.

Often times I’d even order it with chicken! Well clearly I’ve moved past those days and I’m on to my new favorite. This Vegan Cashew Alfredo! It’s creamy, cheesy and delicious!

Vegan Cashew Alfredo

How to Make Cashew Alfredo

You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make this Vegan Cashew Alfredo sauce! The key to a creamy cashew pasta sauce finish is soaking your cashews. I prefer to soak mine overnight for a fuss-free meal the next day.

Just measure out one cup of raw cashews the night before you plan to make this, place them in a bowl filled with water and cover them with a lid. The following day, drain the water and you’re ready to get started!

What is cashew sauce made of?

For this recipe you’ll be using the following ingredients:

Vegan Cashew Alfredo

More than likely you’re serving this Vegan Cashew Alfredo sauce over a pasta. To begin, you’ll cook the pasta according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, you can begin preparing the sauce. Sauté the minced garlic in a medium sauté pan over medium heat along with the vegan butter.

Once it’s golden brown and fragrant, you can remove it from the heat. The melted butter left in the pan will seem excessive, but we’re gonna add it to the blender with the remaining ingredients in order to add to the flavor so it’s all good!

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Once the minced garlic has been sautéd, you’re ready to begin blending everything together. Add the minced garlic and vegan butter mixture to your high-speed blender along with the remaining seasonings, unsweetened almond milk, soaked cashews, and lemon juice.

Blend the mixture together until smooth, then transfer it back to the sauté pan you sautéd the minced garlic in to warm. As I mentioned earlier, I like to add veggies to my Alfredo to make it a complete meal.

If you’re the same way, you can add in some frozen peas to the Alfredo sauce as it warms through. No peas? Broccoli florets would work well here too!

Vegan Cashew Alfredo

Tips for Making Great Cashew Alfredo:

When making this Alfredo sauce, it’s important to remember to soak your cashews! This will ensure the perfect, creamy consistency. If by chance you forgot to soak your cashews the night before, you can also boil them until they’re soft.

To me, soaking them just seems easier and fuss-free. This way, when you blend them, they easily create a smooth texture. I made this Cashew Alfredo in my Vitamix blender, but any high-speed blender should work fine.

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

I’ve always preferred a thick, creamy Alfredo sauce, but I realize that everyone has their preference. If you notice that the sauce seems too thick for your liking while it’s warming on the stove, simply stir in small amounts of water or vegetable broth to loosen the mixture.

Want to really set this dish off? Add in some vegan chick’n (if that’s your thing)!

How do you thicken Alfredo sauce?

This Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce is pretty thick as is thanks to the cashews. It will also continue to thicken as it cools. However, if you would like to thicken it even more, you can mix 2 tsp of cornstarch with 2 tsp of water and slowly stir it into the mixture until it’s thick enough for you.

Vegan Cashew Alfredo

Meal-Prepping:

If you follow me on the ‘gram, you know I LIVE by meal prepping! It’s my weekly ritual that I’ve been doing for well over a year (fav meal-prep containers from Amazon are linked below). Not everything is great for meal-prep, but this Vegan Cashew Alfredo can be!

It’s all about how you prep it. I find that the best way to meal prep pasta is often by not mixing them together when cooking.

This is why I advise in the directions to plate the pasta first, then top it with the Alfredo sauce. Not mixing the two will keep the pasta from soaking up all of the sauce, leaving you with dry pasta leftovers the next day. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Naturally, the sauce thickens after being refrigerated. To loosen it up, I simply add a little bit of water to the dish before heating, warm it up, mix it together and enjoy!

Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Enjoy!

I know you’ll love this Vegan Cashew Alfredo. It’s creamy, easy to make and delish! Give this cashew pasta recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments below! Be prepared to say “goodbye” to those pricey vegan alfredo sauce brands in the store!

Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Enjoy:

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Vegan Cashew Alfredo Sauce
Vegan Cashew Alfredo Pasta twirled with gold fork
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5 from 12 votes

Vegan Cashew Alfredo

Easy Vegan Cashew Alfredo recipe that can be made in a blender!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Alfredo, Pasta, Sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Cashew Soaking Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 23 minutes
Servings 5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 16 oz. pasta of choice (I used Linguini)

Cashew Alfredo Sauce

Instructions

  • Begin preparing pasta according to package directions.
  • In a medium sauté pan over low-medium heat, sauté the minced garlic along with the 2 tbsp of vegan butter until fragrant and golden in color. Remove from heat once done.
  • Transfer the garlic and vegan butter mixture from the pan to a high-speed blender along with the remaining sauce ingredients and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Once smooth, transfer the cashew mixture back to the sauté pan used earlier. Over medium-low heat to allow the sauce to warm through (also add in frozen peas if using). Stir frequently.
    Note- if the sauce is too thick for your preference, simply add a few splashes of vegetable broth or water to thin until you've reached desired consistency.
  • Be sure to keep an eye on your pasta. Once it's finished cooking, drain and set aside.
  • Once the sauce is warmed and the peas are cooked (if using) spoon desired amount over each serving of cooked pasta and top with a pinch of extra salt and Italian seasoning to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

Makes about 2 cups of cashew Alfredo sauce. 
If meal-prepping, do not mix the pasta and sauce together. Instead, simply place the sauce on top of the pasta and mix when ready to eat. 

16 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe turned out sooo good and it was easy to make! I was definitely intimidated at first thought of making a vegan Alfredo as I had never successfully made a traditional one, but this came out amazing. My non-vegan husband loved it too!

  2. 5 stars
    If you are vegan, plant-based, or just into trying delicious healthy new recipes THIS alfredo is it! Look no further!! It has all the rich, thick, and creamy flavors of any normal alfredo without the bloating belly and regrets from eating heavy cream-based alfredo.
    I have been searching for an alfredo for months and my eyes lit up after pinning this one. My husband and all my roommates (non-vegan) loved the flavors and the true tones of this alfredo. I highly recommend making for guests coming over or if you are hurting for some comfort food! Looking forward to more delicious recipes.

  3. 5 stars
    IT WAS SO GOOD. Also, so simple to make and not too many ingredients. We will definitely be making it again and again.

  4. 5 stars
    Love this recipe! It’s one of the most balanced vegan alfredos I have tried, as in its only flavor source isn’t garlic! The recipe and ingredients are also very simple which is a huge bonus!

  5. 5 stars
    Easy and delicious! I’ve made several recipes of vegan alfredo, this is my favorite hands down! I used rotini pasta and it was very good. This made a nice sized batch of sauce, fed two adults with seconds and there was plenty of leftovers! Highly recommend this recipe!

  6. 5 stars
    Guuurrrrlll!!!! When I say this was a PARTY in my mouth. I discovered you by accident and I am so happy that I did. This was my first time trying one of your recipes and I can’t wait to try the others. Thank you for sharing:)

  7. 5 stars
    This sauce is amazing! It was so quick and easy, and I want to eat it straight with a spoon (in addition to on top of the heaping bowl of pasta I made). I especially love that all the ingredients are ones I always have on hand, so it’s easy to make whenever the craving strikes.

  8. 5 stars
    This recipe was super easy to make and delicious! As long as I’ve been vegan (Since 2014), I’ve never used cashews to make anything. #AllTheWastedYears
    Now I’m kicking myself. If you’re missing Alfredo I definitely recommend you make this!

  9. 5 stars
    I tried this sauce tonight mixed with some chickpea pasta and veggies. My husband and I both give it a 10/10! Rich, creamy and satisfying!

  10. Hey! This looks so great! Can you freeze the sauce?

    • Hey Selena! I haven’t tried it personally, but I would say it’s definitely worth trying. If you try it, please come back and tell us how it goes!

  11. 5 stars
    Have made quite a few vegan alfredo recipes and have always felt they were lacking- not this one! I will definitely be making this again.

  12. Brittany Lynch

    5 stars
    So easy to make and so so so incredibly delicious. An absolute must have staple, vegan or not!

  13. Wondering if this can be made using cashew butter to cut out a step and how much? My boys love Alfredo sauce and I’m looking for a vegan healthier version thanks!

    • Hey Stephanie, I haven’t tried it personally but that sounds like a great hack! If you do, I hope you’ll come back and let us know how it goes!

  14. 5 stars
    Delicious! I subbed roasted asparagus for the peas and used whole wheat noodles – my family devoured this dish!

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