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For a winning meal, serve this Easy Vegan Alfredo Sauce topped on freshly-cooked pasta. It'll be a surefire hit with a hungry crowd and will take you no time at all. Just 25 minutes! The base is made with cauliflower and cashews which creates an ultra-creamy and luxurious sauce (nut-free option available).
If you're looking for a quick and easy meal with a gourmet flair, you've gotta make this sauce! It's perfect for a romantic dinner or a busy weeknight meal.
I adapted this from my 30-Minute Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo which is made with potatoes and cashews as the creamy base. The cauliflower version is just as luxurious and delicious.
The cauliflower flavor is very subtle, but if you're not a fan at all, you may want to make the potato-based version. You'll love it!
How to make Vegan Alfredo Sauce
* This is a quick overview with step-by-step photos. For the complete ingredient amounts and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Chop cauliflower head into florets.
- In a large pan/pot, sauté garlic in butter until lightly golden
- Add vegetable broth, cauliflower, and cashews. Bring to a low simmer and cover for 12-15 minutes or until cauliflower is fork-tender.
- Add everything from the pan into a high-speed blender, along with soy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, granulated onion, and salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
Success Tips
- If you don't have a high-speed blender, the sauce may not get completely smooth. I would suggest cooking the cauliflower longer until it's really soft (add a few splashes of broth if needed). You can also try pre-soaking the cashews in cool water for 1-2 hours before cooking (or overnight).
- The consistency of the sauce should be thick and creamy. If it seems thin, you can cook it down a few extra minutes on the stove to thicken up. If you want it extra thick, you can add a cornstarch slurry. Add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to 1 tablespoon of water. Combine well before stirring into the sauce. Cook for a few minutes until it thickens.
The Best Way to Use Alfredo Sauce
Pour it on pasta! This yields enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta and It's perfect with fettuccine noodles! If you decide to use this sauce for pasta, you can boil the water and cook the pasta while you are preparing the Alfredo sauce. Drain the noodles and drizzle them with olive oil to prevent sticking. Add the noodles to the sauce and gently combine. Top with fresh-cut parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, freshly cracked pepper, and Vegan Parmesan Cheese if desired.
More Delicious Ideas:
- Top it on Vegan Pizza
- Use it for Casseroles
- Make it into a Dip
- Use it for Vegan Lasagna
Can you freeze the sauce?
Yes, this sauce freezes really well. Just let it thaw out in the fridge overnight and heat it up in a saucepan over medium heat. I usually add a few splashes of vegetable broth to thin it out a bit. Stir often to prevent burning. It should take 3-5 minutes to heat throughout.
Nut-Free Option
Just add 1 ½ tablespoons of Tapioca Starch/Flour to the blender (along with the soy milk, nutritional yeast, onion, and salt). After blending, return the mixture to the pan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens up nicely.
If you LOVE cauliflower, you may want to check out these 20 Game-Changing Vegan Cauliflower Recipes. There are so many tasty ones to choose from!
I love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Alfredo Sauce, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Recipe
Easy Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound cauliflower , cut into florets (about 1 medium head)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ cup raw cashews , unsalted
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth , low sodium
- 1 ½ cups soy milk , unsweetened (or any plant-based milk)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast , more to taste
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ¾ teaspoon salt , more to taste
Recommended Equipment
- Large Pan or Pot
Instructions
- In a large pan or pot (that can be fitted with a lid), heat the butter over medium heat. When melted, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute until lightly browned.
- Add the broth, cauliflower, and cashews. Raise heat to bring to a boil. Now turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover with lid. Cook for 12-15 minutes until cauliflower is fork tender. Remove from heat.
- To a high-speed blender, add soy milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, granulated onion, salt and the cooked contents from the pan. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Pour mixture back into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat to warm up a bit. If the sauce seems thin, let it cook down for a few minutes to thicken up.
Kay walker
So easy and delicious to make. Thank you 😊
Melissa Huggins
That is the goal Kay! Glad you liked it. Happy weekend. 🙂
Eric Lovelace
Wow! We loved it!
I added a can of drained white beans, as well as 1/2 Tbsp white miso. Used sunflower seeds instead of cashews.
Everyone ate way too much and wants to know when we are having it again!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Eric! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe and that it worked out well with the substitutions. Thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂
Shel
I'm excited to try this recipe. Always looking for ways to sneak veggies in
Nadia
Can it be freezed?
Melissa Huggins
Yes, it freezes really well for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on medium-low. You may need to add a few splashes of broth to thin it out. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Kelly
This was absolutely delicious I’ve made creamy vegan sauces before with cashew but they always seem a little gritty and thick, The Cauliflower in this sauce did the trick. I am so impressed with how creamy it turned out. Not only was it super easy to make but it was flavorful And Lucious. I used coconut oil in place of vegan butter, and onion powder instead of onion granules. I also added a bit of red pepper flakes and a dash of truffle salt. I’m so glad to hear this freezes well... this makes a TON of sauce and my leftovers are currently in my freezer!. Definitely adding this to the recipe box.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Kelly! It's wonderful to hear that you loved the recipe and that you will be making it again! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
esmeralda
Can i use almonds instead of cashews?
Melissa Huggins
Yes, you can use blanched almonds instead of cashews, but you may want to soak them for a few hours first. I'm worried they might not soften enough during the cooking time.
Sophie
Absolutely the best vegan Alfredo sauce I’ve ever made. Thank you!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Sophie! What an amazing compliment! We're so happy you loved it, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Quin
I was hoping someone had asked already! To be clear, I am to add the liquid from the pot to the blender as well?
Melissa Huggins
Yes, add it all and blend it up into a smooth sauce. 😀
Autumn
Do you think this recipe would work with frozen cauliflower?
Melissa Huggins
Yes, it will work with frozen. 🙂
Emilie
Hi, I would love to make this recipe but I am allergic to cashew. Do you have a good substitute?
Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Emilie, you can use macadamia nuts. Can you have those? If not, you can use silken tofu instead. Just pop it in the blender with the other ingredients. 🙂
Kristin
This is an instant favorite that I will make regularly and share with friends. Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
This is so nice to hear! Thank you so much! 🙂
April
So delicious!!! Thank you for this amazing recipe! I will be telling everyone about it! My daughter likes this better than the “real” way! I’m so happy that I can have Alfredo again!
Melissa Huggins
Hi April, this is such a nice compliment! I'm so glad you and your daughter liked it. Thank you so much! 🙂
caitlin
I love this pasta!! We make it at least once a week!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Caitlin, I'm so glad it's a part of your recipe rotation. Makes me happy! Thank you! 🙂
Amanda
This turned out fabulous! I added a bit of nutmeg and parsley for flavor but the sauce turned out well! I soaked my cashews and used an impression blender and it turned out very creamy and good!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Amanda, I'm so glad you liked it! It sounds perfect with the nutmeg and parsley! Thank you for giving it a try 🙂
Heather
Do the cashews need to be soaked?
Melissa Huggins
You don't have to soak them because they soften while they are cooking with the cauliflower. However, if you don't have a high-speed blender, you may want to soak them for 1-2 hours first to make them really soft. Thanks for stopping by 🙂