This dairy-free Alfredo sauce is a perfectly creamy and cheesy plant-based sauce. Serve with your favorite pasta! Gluten-free.
Being able to make a vegan version of the real thing is so satisfying! This dairy-free alfredo sauce will not disappoint.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- An easy recipe!
- Made with plant-based ingredients
- Decadent Alfredo sauce taste
- Only a handful of ingredients
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
Traditional homemade Alfredo is made with a combination of parmesan cheese and butter. Neither is used here.
Instead, pantry staples make up a healthier sauce that is whipped up right in the blender.
Raw cashews - For the base of this creamy sauce, cashews are soaked in hot water before being added to the other ingredients. This allows the cashews to soften, creating a smooth cashew cream.
Unsweetened almond milk - Almond milk adds a rich flavor. No butter or cream is needed! Soy milk, cashew milk, or oat milk (the unsweetened variety) are good substitutes.
Lemon juice - The acid in the lemon helps give this non-dairy Alfredo its cheesy tang.
Olive oil - Adds some healthy fat and richness to the other ingredients. Avocado oil or even melted vegan butter can put substituted.
Garlic - If you don't have fresh on hand, garlic powder can be used as a substitute.
Nutritional yeast - A couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast gives this dairy-free sauce its cheesy flavor. You can certainly make this recipe without it, but it will alter the sauce's flavor a bit.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Get out your blender and ingredients.
Step 1: Place your raw cashews in a high-speed blender. Cover with boiling water. Allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain and return the cashews to the blender.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients to the blender. Blend on high, until the mixture is smooth. Add an extra sprinkle of black pepper if desired.
Tips
- This vegan sauce is easy to prep ahead of time.
- Don't have a high-speed blender? A food processor can be used in its place.
- If you want a thinner sauce, add a little more almond milk.
Serving suggestions
What can you serve with this easy sauce? Here are a few ideas:
Add your favorite gluten-free pasta or spaghetti squash noodles to a large pot and fold in some extra veggies or sauteed mushrooms for a vegan fettuccine alfredo. Make your own sweet potato noodles and mix in the Alfredo for healthy comfort food.
Serve over chicken or shrimp or meatballs.
Use it as a dipping sauce with crackers, breadsticks, flatbread, or vegetables. Put it in a casserole bake or with spaghetti squash.
FAQs
Nut milk such as almond milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk are great replacements for heavy cream. This Alfredo sauce recipe uses unsweetened almond milk and cashew cream.
Yes! With a few swaps like nutritional yeast, spices, and non-dairy milk, the signature tangy flavor of cheese can be attained.
The next best thing to cashew in this recipe is using blanched almonds.
Want to add more creamy goodness to add to your repertoire? Check out my vegan roasted red pepper sauce and this helpful list of dairy-free sauces!
More vegan recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140g) raw cashews
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- couple pinches cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place your raw cashews in a high powered blender. Cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain and return cashews to blender.
- Add almond milk, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to the blender. Blend on high, until mixture is smooth.
- If adding to pasta, transfer to pot with drained pasta and stir over low heat until warmed. This Alfredo sauce recipe works well with 8-10oz package of pasta. If using with other proteins, heat Alfredo sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm.
Notes
- Don't have a high-speed blender? A food processor can be used in its place.
- If you want a thinner sauce, add a little more almond milk.
liz northrop
Question: can I freeze it?
Will you be putting out a cook book??
Tessa
I haven't frozen this sauce but I think it would freeze okay for a couple months. Let it thaw in the fridge, and then reheat on low in a saucepan to reintegrate. I would love to put out a cookbook but no plans to at the moment! :)
Darlene
What can replace the nutritional yeast?
Tessa
Hi Darlene - Probably the best replacement would be vegetable bouillon powder (making sure brand is gf if needed). The nutritional yeast adds a bit more of the "cheese" flavor, but with the other spices in the recipe, I think you could omit it if you wanted.
Jess
Hi, can you substitute soy milk for the almond milk?
Tessa
Hi Jess - Soy milk would work great!
Verena Greh
Is it possible to freeze this?
Tessa
Hi Verena - I have never frozen this sauce. I would think it would do ok. If you try it, I'd love to hear how it goes.
Spencer
Freaking delicious and super easy to make. Thank you so much!
Tessa
Glad to hear it! Thank you!
Irene
These look like a must try.
Tessa
I hope you do!