Learn how to make absolutely #1 The Best Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce as rated by readers! So easy, dairy-free, oil-free, just 6 ingredients (+salt & pepper) and so incredibly creamy and full of flavor!
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VEGAN GARLIC ALFREDO SAUCE
One of most people’s indulgent comfort foods is alfredo sauce. I admit, I used to love it too, but I didn’t love how after just a few bites, I felt sick. There is such a thing as foods being too rich. Feeling nauseated and in a nasty food coma for hours after eating something isn’t really worth it to me. Enter the best Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce you’ll ever have.
HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGAN ALFREDO SAUCE?
Easy, you just need 6 simple ingredients:
- raw cashews
- onion
- garlic
- lemon juice
- nutritional yeast
- low sodium vegetable broth
First, you will cook your onions low and slow until really tender.
Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the onion and garlic to a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until completely smooth.
Serve over pasta and enjoy the decadent, but healthy, vegan alfredo sauce!
No need to try any further anymore. This one is dairy-free and oil-free. Most vegan versions contain vegan butter or oil, not healthy. This one is made from cashews which make it exceptionally creamy. I wanted a whole food version and oil-free.
WHY VEGAN ALFREDO IS BETTER THAN TRADITIONAL
Traditional garlic alfredo sauce has butter, milk, cream, parmesan cheese (or other cheeses) and garlic in it. Major dairy overload! Bloated, icky feeling. It also does not have onion in it. However, I wanted to give my alfredo sauce that slightly, sweet richness typically reached by cream and butter, so I added cooked onions, lots of them.
Here’s a little side by side nutrition for my alfredo sauce in comparison to Olive Garden’s version:
Mine per 1/2 cup serving which is a hefty serving:
125.2 calories, 7 g fat, 5.6 g protein, 11.3 carbs
and Olive Garden’s: (they use heavy cream, milk, lots of cheese and 6 egg yolks, see here)
460 calories, 43 g fat!!, 9 carbs, 8 grams protein
Wow, what a difference! Hey, so it has a hair less carbs, but who cares when all of my ingredients are quality ingredients and not heavy on the heart. Nothing wrong with indulging occasionally, but you could eat my alfredo sauce weekly with much less guilt.
DOES IT REALLY TASTE LIKE ALFREDO?
I know what you are thinking….does it really taste like garlic alfredo sauce?? Well, my hubby said, “spot on” and then “it really tastes exactly like garlic alfredo sauce”. I was shocked. I’ll let you be the judge. I’d say it is pretty darn close, especially considering it doesn’t have any of the typical ingredients!
Regardless, it is delicious and very creamy and you can eat this alfredo sauce without tons of guilt.
Other Vegan Alfredo Recipes to try:
Sadly, this recipe is my MOST popular weekly and is continuing to be stolen and copied and posted by other sites/blogs without ANY credit. It is very upsetting, so please know that I worked hard to create this recipe years back and it is my original creation. If you like this recipe, please give credit where credit is due.
the Best Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced (200g) (MAKE SURE to measure out 1 1/2 cups b/c this is where lots of flavor comes)
- 1-2 cups (240-480g) low sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 x-large (15g) minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 heaping cup (75g) raw unsalted cashews (see NOTE)
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (start with just 1 and taste after blended!)
- 2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast (I highly recommend this Sari brand, it is non-fortified with much better taste.)
NOTE
- It is not recommended to sub or eliminate any of these ingredients, as I cannot vouch for the results if any are changed. The lemon juice is crucial, as it eliminates any cashew flavor.
NOTE
- If you are using raw cashews and you don't have a high-powered blender, then you must soak them overnight in a bowl of water, drain and rinse. Otherwise, your result will be gritty and NOT creamy. A food processor usually works better with soaked cashews versus a blender that isn't very powerful.
Instructions
- Add the onion and ONLY 1 cup of the broth to a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook for about 8 minutes until the onion is very tender. (Add a tiny bit more broth if it is cooking too fast or turn the heat down, so the onions don't burn) After 8 minutes, add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes more, stirring often. All of the broth should have evaporated by now. If not, keep letting it cook until the broth is GONE. You don't want any more liquid once it's done cooking, so the end result is thick and creamy.
Add the cooked veggies (the onion and garlic) to a blender. Start out by adding JUST 1/2 cup more of the remaining broth and add the remaining ingredients (salt, pepper, cashews, starting with JUST 1 tablespoon lemon juice, nutritional yeast-starting with just 2 tablespoons yeast). Blend on high for a couple of minutes until very creamy and smooth. Add any more broth to reach desired consistency, if necessary. I did not. If you don't add more broth, you would likely not need any more yeast. Taste and add any more salt & pepper or lemon, if desired.
- Serve over preferred pasta. Note: When preparing your pasta, make sure to salt your water well, so your pasta has flavor and isn't bland, which can affect the end flavor result of the dish. I add around a tablespoon to a large pot of boiling water. Garnish with parsley, lemon zest and salt & pepper, if desired. Add any veggies you like. I like to add broccoli or even peas. Store leftovers in the fridge. The sauce will thicken up even more overnight, which you can thin out a little with a touch of broth when reheating, if necessary.
Cashews really are pretty magical aren’t they. Must say your Alfredo looks exactly like the real deal, the nutritional yeast will give that cheesy taste. This is a perfect sub for dairy laden Alfredo! Very nice!
Oh yes Suzanne, they mimic the creaminess of butter and milk! Adding the onion makes it soooo flavorful too! Thank you.
It’s great for people who can’t or don’t want dairy either!
What do you recommend for someone who is allergic to cashews/nuts? How would you replace for the sauce? Thanks!
Hi Kristen! I actually created a nut-free version of this sauce here just for that reason 🙂 https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/26/nut-free-vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
If you’re allergice to nuts, you can use seeds or coconut cream. Pretty sure that the cashews are to add fat which makes alfredo creamy from the traditional cream, milk and butter. Also, you can use coconut oil to add more fat if it’s not rich enough for you.
I created a very rich and creamy alfredo for those who can’t have nuts. It’s already tested and posted here. It’s made with tahini. Doesn’t need oil, it’s rich and creamy! https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/26/nut-free-vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
Brandi I cannot thank you enough for sharing this absolutely incredible recipe! As a vegan it warms my heart when I come across recipes such as these 🙂 Question for you – do you know if the sauce would do okay if i stuck it in the freezer to save?
I measured each ingredient as listed and follow each step. My sauce turned out gritty and orange-yellow. I’m clueless on how others are saying it’s perfect.
Hi there! Hmm, not sure what went wrong on your end. I make this monthly and it is smooth creamy and perfect everytime and there are 80+ reviews I’ve gotten with all excellent results. The only reason your sauce would be gritty is if you didn’t soak the cashews prior and/or your blender isn’t powerful enough or it wasn’t blended long enough. Soaking and blending the cashews turns them completely creamy. I use cashews weekly and they are a trademark in vegan cooking for turning creamy, but some people’s blenders may not be powerful enough, which is why soaking is suggested. As far as orange, the only reason it would be orange is that you used a broth that was a strong tomato or carrot base or there wasn’t enough broth added to the blender because of the nutritional yeast added. Some broths are very dark I’ve noticed. I always use light colored broth and the sauce is a very pale yellow as pictured.
Hey! I just made your recipe, and while it was delicious, mine also turned out gritty. I think the problem was either that I didn’t soak the cashews for long enough or that my blender isn’t powerful enough. I’m not sure if I understand the soaking directions. Do you think soaking the cashews the day before I make the recipe instead of the 2-4 hours in hot water would achieve the creaminess I’m trying to get at? I also have a ninja blender. Is that not powerful enough to get the desired results?
Hi Danielle! Yes, it was definitely because of the blender or not soaking long enough. A ninja isn’t as powerful as a vitamix or blendtec, so I would soak the cashews overnight just to ensure they are plenty soft and just blend it for a long time until smooth. There’s over a 100 reviews and every one has been success, the only ther one who’s turned out gritty was because she used a food processor and that will never work for this sauce (she left a comment on Pinterest telling me she had used a processor) and I want you to have success like the others, so just soak them overnight in warm water and that should work better! Thank you!
The sauce may be gritty if roasted cashews are subbed.
If you have a high-powered blender, it would still be smooth, but roasted cashews I wouldn’t recommend because it will make the sauce taste more like cashews.
Also different vehetable broths have different colors. The broth I used had a carrot like color so my sauce ended up looking a bit like nacho cheese sauce but still had great consistency and color.
Lady K: I agree with Brandie as to the reasoning behind the grittiness, however, is it possible you used Vegetable Stock instead of Vegetable Broth. Many vegetable stocks have more of an orange-red color (I think there is more tomato) whereas vegetable broth tends to resemble the color of chicken stock. Hope this helps!
*Brandi* not Brandie
Thanks Carey! Yes, she admitted on Pinterest that she used a food processor and not a blender and that would definitely be why it didn’t work. You must soak and blend the cashews up in a blender…the only way to get it creamy and it makes a HUGE difference!
Just made this and it is incredible. Mine was smooth and creamy without soaking the cashes. I am using a Vitamix and I am sure that makes a big difference. I will make this again and again.
typo meant to type cashews
The orange color could come from the vegetable broth you’re using? I use TJ’s veggie broth and it has a very vibrant reddish orange color. It is by far the most flavorful veggie broth I’ve found; but it can tinge things orange when they would be white with other brands of broth. 😊
Don’t worry about it being yellow, that’s because of the nutritional yeast and can’t be avoided. If someone’s sauce turned out perfectly White, they might have just added more cashews or used less nutritional yeast than the recipe called for. And the reason why it’s gritty is probably because [if you’re using a regular blender or food processor] you didn’t blend for long enough to make it smooth or you needed to soak them longer. Also, it blends smoother if you blend everything right away while it’s still hot so have all your spices and other ingredients already in the blender or on the side ready to add in a second.
Hi there.
Just made your dark chocolate chipotle sweet potato fudge and LOVED it. So, I thought I would look through the other recipes listed. Any ideas for a substitute for the cashews? Unfortunately, I have a nut allergy, which has made my doctor recommended gluten-free vegan diet a real challenge. Thanks for any suggestions you might have!
All good things,
Kristen
Hi Kristen! Oh wonderful! So glad to hear you loved the fudge. Since it’s a brand new recipe, would you mind at all leaving your review on that recipe?….so it’s tied to that one as well…I’d really appreciate it! Also, as far as the nut substitution, I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard of people subbing cashews with white beans or even tofu for a creamy effect. I don’t know what the final texture or taste would be, but I do know people have done it. It’s on my list to try it. I would try 1/2 cup of pureed white beans and see how that works. Let me know please if you try it!
White beans do work very well instead of the cashews – I’ve made it this way and it’s a wonderfully smooth texture (and sneaks beans into my kids!).
Wonderful Emma, so glad you loved this! Thank you for the feedback!
Cauliflower would probably work too! Steam some or cook the chopped cauliflower in a pan with some water/vegetable stock for 5-10 mins or until the cauliflower is tender w a fork and just put it in the blender same as u would cashews.
Hi Liz! Yes, there are lots of cauliflower alfredos on the web! I wouldn’t do it here though, as the richness and thickness that comes from the cashews is perfection here! But if one wants cauliflower, there are probably thousands online that I’ve seen, haha 🙂
Agree. The onion and garlic really make it stand out. I made this last night for the family, and the hubby absolutely loved it! I paired it w the lemon herbed zucchini on the side and added broccoli, and sliced tomatoes to the pasta. #Yum! So glad I found your site; what a blessing
I just made your Alfredo and used it on fettuccine. I completely followed your recipe (one exception I reduced the salt in half, though I’m sure it’s just as good with the full amount). I used a delicious homemade vegetable stock (no sodium added).
Before making I looked over your recipe and knew it would work well. I have to say, it exceeded my expectations. Really an ingenious recipe.
Can’t wait to share this with friends and family. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I just tried this recipe for the first time and I LOVED it! It is so creamy and rich. Thank-you! Thank-you!
This sounds amazing although I realize I’m a few years behind 😉 I’m just wondering if the nutritional yeast is added purely for taste or if it also serves another purpose? Thanks!
Hi Jodi! The yeast is added to give a slight cheesy taste to the alfredo and it also helps to thicken it a bit. It will be on the bland side without it. If you prefer not to use it, then I would make either one of these other recipes. The 20 minute alfredo uses 2 tablespoons but you could replace it with extra salt and maybe a pinch of miso or spice to make up for the flavor. It’s really delicious even without the yeast.
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
Or this one doesn’t use any: https://thevegan8.com/2017/10/13/vegan-cream-cheese-alfredo/
Wondering what is the herb (green flakes) pictured. Cannot see it in the recipe
Hi! It’s just dried parsley!
Omg this is amazing.. Soooo happy to have vegan option of my fav pasta. Even my hubby and kid eating
Omg!!! Your a genious girl! I was craving this but can’t do cheese. I saw your recipe today and I was like YES! I made it anf so in luv with it! Making it again this week!!!
Thank you so much Tiffany!!! You made my day with this comment….and thank you for jumping to make it so quick! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your photo on Facebook as well! 🙂
It has garlic and lemon – it has to be fabulous!!!
I’m with you on too much dairy. This sounds like a wonderful alternative.
I am impressed – it looks delicious
Thank you Cindy so much!
Easy to make and we really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much for making it and I’m so glad to hear that you all enjoyed it!
When I was younger Olive Gardens fettuccine alfredo was my favorite dish..I am so disgusted by that fact now! HAH! As I got older I started liking alfredo less and less, and now of course I don’t eat alfredo at all. I am obsessed with making nut cream sauces, but always keep them fairly simple. I will have to try these spice additions! This would be great on a grilled pizza too!
Oh me too! This one is so simple and few ingredients…most vegan recipes have at least 10-15 ingredients for this sauce!
MMMMM,…A beautiful plate of fine, healthy & very delectable food! I never tasted ” the classic Alfredo sauce ” before but being lactose-intolerant, I will go for your tasty re-creation, for sure!
It looks lipsmacking delicous, dear Brandi! 🙂
Yum Yum yummmmmmmmm! 🙂 xxx
Thank you so much Sophie!! I’m sure you will love it! 🙂
I made it alreday 3 times & I am loving it every time, dear Brandi!It is that goodddddd! xxx
Wow, Sophie! Thank you so much! So happy to hear that 🙂
I completely agree with you on the traditional Alfredo Sauce – it’s waaayy too rich for me. I can’t eat any nuts except pine nuts. I’d love to try this – do you think it would work with pine nuts too?
I’m not sure…I’ve only tried it with cashews and cashews become very, very creamy which is why it works so well to mimic alfredo sauce. However, I’m sure the pine nuts would work for the recipe, it just may not be as creamy, but I’d love to hear how it turns out for you, texture and taste wise! Please let me know 🙂
How wonderful taht yo’ve been able to recreate this classic alla vegan! There are many who will sing your praises. Way to go, Brandi! Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year!
Thank you so much John!! Yes, several have already made it all with amazing feedback! My mother made it tonight and served it to my dad unknowingly that it was vegan and was shocked … My mom loved it so much , she said she wanted to drink it, haha! The response has been overwhelming just in the past 24 hours with 1600 views already… Who knew so many wanted a real tasting vegan garlic alfredo sauce ?! Exciting!
This recipe is to die for! I haven’t eaten real alfredo sauce in years, too afraid of the fat content; but this sauce is the personification of alfredo. It’s is super easy to make so it will definitely become a regular in my menu planning. My husband said it tasted exactly like alfredo sauce and called it “fantastic”. He even went back for seconds which he doesn’t do unless he’s really impressed. You have out done yourself on this one!
I made this last night for my carnivorous parents who are visiting for the holidays. My husband and I thought it was quite amazing, but I knew it was a real winner when my dad asked my mom if she could get the recipe from me and try making it at home. Thank you for developing these tasty and healthy recipes :).
Thank you so much Bromley for the wonderful feedback!! I’m so happy everybody enjoyed it…and what a compliment from your parents! 🙂
It doesn’t say when to add the yeast and cashews? Do I blend it when blending the onion? I’m confused.
Hi Rebecca! It’s there! First sentence in the second paragraph “Add the cooked veggies to a blender. Start out by just adding 3/4 cup more of the broth ‘with the remaining ingredients’.”
Just made this sauce…. I had some sautéed mushrooms that I added on top of the pasta cause I love them…. Poured the sauce on top of it all with a splash of hot sauce…. I loved it!
I’ve made cauliflower based alfredo but I wasn’t a big fan. I’ll definitely have to try this cashew one! Yummy! I use cashews in my mac and cheese 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I agree….cauliflower unfortunately is never going to get that ultra creamy “alfredo” texture. This one tastes very authentic. I sure hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Nothing like a dish that needs 4 kinds of dairy to make it rich. Love yours much better and I’m sure it even tastes better than it’s traditional version. I always thought Alfredo was like swallowing paste after a few bites the way it coats your throat and sits in your stomach. Much better here with the cashews and onion 😉
Hahaha you’re so right Angela… Yes traditional alfredo sauce is tasty at first, but a little too rich and thick….totally paste like now that I think about it! I just hate that only a few bites and I’d be sick to my stomach. No more!! This one is perfect for us. 🙂
Oh my gosh, I love this recipe! I love Alfredo sauce too, but I usually only use a little bit because it’s so rich and indulgent. I love that your sauce is pretty much guilt free…you’re amazing Brandi!
Happy New Year Brandi! I hope you still remember me 🙂 I’m sorry it took me so long to visit your new blog. What a great transformation and you look more stunning then ever! This is a sauce that I will make. Same like you, I love Alfredo but the classic ones are just too dairy overload. And thanks for having a printable version too! Warmest, Danny – now writing from hong kong.
Happy New Year Danny! Of course I still remember you! So good to hear from you and thank you so much for the compliments…no apology needed…we all have busy lives. Thanks so much for visiting 🙂
This looks almost identical to a vegan alfredo sauce I made up from the top of my head and posted on my page. The difference is that I used a little white wine in mine. It truly is creamy,
Interesting! I’m not sure what page you are referring to where you posted it, your link doesn’t go anywhere. Do you have a blog/site? Guess we have similar ideas because I made this from the top of my head too! I’ve never had a version with onions, but most vegan versions have cashews. Yours with white wine I’m sure is tasty!
Seriously delicious. It’s going in the regular rotation. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Thank you so much Caroline! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I’m very appreciative of you leaving feedback!
Well, I’ve made it twice this week. The second time I used it as a dip for buffalo cauliflower “wings”. Oh. my. gosh. The flavors worked perfectly together! The hubs is diabetic so we don’t eat pasta very often, but I’m scheming of ways to use it otherwise…. and in fact, am planning on making it a third time over the weekend. LOL. I’m hooked!
That’s so awesome to hear and using it on buffalo cauliflower sounds AWESOME!! Omg!
Another super yummy (and EASY!) recipe!! I made this tonight and served it over organic whole grain pasta shells and added sautéed baby portabellas on top- OMG!! My husband and 15month old gobbled it all up! 😀
Wonderful Tatiana!! Sounds fabulous with the mushrooms..mmmm! Thank you so much for letting me know…it means a lot to me when people like you leave feedback! Thank you so much! 🙂
Brandi, you’re amazing. You’ve managed to take fatty (albeit absolutely delicious) alfredo sauce and make it healthy and vegan! I never make it at home because of how fatty it is and rarely order it out in restaurants (I only eat it once or twice a year as a treat). I can’t wait to try this.
My daughter is allergic to raw or fermented yeast. How will this turn out without it?
Hi Lydia! It should still turn out good. The nutritional yeast is there to give it extra depth of flavor and a cheesy flavor, but it should still be good and flavorful without it. Let me know!
What kind of noodles did you use? I wonder how rice noodles would work in this recipe? If you need gluten free that is.
I actually used gluten-free brown rice noodles, so yes, use any noodles you like 🙂
It looks delish! I am gluten intolerant, allergic to dairy & would love to try it, but sadly, I am allergic to lemon too. You would not believe how hard it is to find recipes that are GFCF and free of lemon/lime! Wish I could find an alternative…
Oh my goodness you are allergic to lemons too?! I’m so sorry! Hmmm, well you could still make it without it, it just won’t have that definitive tang…you could try subbing with apple juice, or maybe a little bit of apple cider vinegar or maybe even balsamic vinegar and see how it turns out. I would only start out with a teaspoon first and taste and see if it needs any more…you don’t want it to taste like vinegar! Let me know if you make it 🙂
I made this last night and it was a big hit. I am too disorganised to soak cashews overnight, so I did two soaks in boiling water (i.e. drain and put boiling water on again when it cools) over two hours.
I didn’t have any lemons but had white wine. I did saute the onions a bit first and then boiled them in about a cup of white wine. While the onions were cooking I blended the cashews as I don’t have a high-speed blender with a little stock. I didn’t have any problem with a grainy finish even though it’s a totally average food processor, the extra time did the trick.
After that, I followed all the instructions when the stock had cooked into the onions I added them hot to the cashews.
I added roasted asparagus, edamame beans and peas and served with a green side salad.
Will be making this again!!
Brandi this sauce was yummy! My husband, 4yr old 1 1/2 yr old loved it. My 4yr old kept saying, this is so good Mommy! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!
Scrum-diddly-umptious! I doubled your recipe and jarred the other half for later. Later might just be tomorrow! I made this with yellow onion instead of white, because thats what i had…and it was fabulous!
Thank you so much Kacy! I’m super thrilled to hear how much you love it!
Omg I found this recipe on Pinterest a couple months ago and I make it at least once a week! I just got a vitamix which makes it even better and more creamy. We are not vegan but just healthy eaters (most of the time) and my husband and I love this way more than traditional Alfredo sauce! Thank you so so so much for coming up with this recipe – it’s the best! I’ll make it for life
Thank you so much Robyn for such wonderful feedback!! I truly appreciate it and so glad to hear you and your husband enjoyed it BETTER than traditional alfredo sauce, yay! 🙂
Hi there! Just wondering, you listed the Calorie and fat for this recipe, is this including the vegan butter ?
Thank you
Sherry
Hi Sherry! I didn’t include the vegan butter since I personally never use it, I only added it in case somebody wanted a more butter taste, but I don’t believe most people who have made this use it. However, if you want to add a tablespoon to it before you blend it up, the nutrition stats would change as follows per 1/2 cup serving: 145.2 calories, 9.2 g fat
Hope that helps and please let me know how it turns out, thank you!
I figured it out! I used 2 1/2 cups broth total because I doubled the recipe! So I guess I only used 1 1/4 total for 1 recipe. It doesn’t matter because it was delicious!!!! Yum! Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Oh, awesome!! That makes sense! I’m so glad you loved it so much, thank you so much for making it and leaving feedback! 🙂
I tried this one and loved it so much. Last week I tried you ceasar dressing and this week the alfredo sauce. I had the two for a complete, vegan and oil free dinner. I had a moderate serving of each and felt full and satisfied. I put alfredo sauce over wheat pasta. So yummy!!!!
Next I am going to venture into your desserts.
Wonderful Roxanne!! So glad you enjoyed both the Caesar salad and the garlic alfredo pasta so much! Such a great idea to combine the two! Have fun with the desserts, that’s where my true passion is..you should try the No Bake Nutella Bars, they are super popular. Let me know when you do…thanks again!!
Hello Brandi! This sauce was absolutely delicious! I stumbled upon your site while searching for vegan garlic cashew sauces and I’m so glad I did. I actually used this sauce to make a vegan pasta primavera and I’d like to report that it was truly amazing!! I used sliced mushrooms, sliced zucchini and julienned red peppers (sautéed separately in a bit of olive oil), but any favorite veggie combination will work. Everyone in my family loved it… it was as good as any of those butter and cream laden ones! We were all very happy. I was asked to please keep this recipe and make it often!! What more can I ask? Thanks, Brandi.
Elizabeth, your feedback made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to come by and leave me such wonderful feedback, I always love hearing it and I really appreciate it. So glad everybody loved it and I agree, just as good as the dairy ones, but SO much healthier!! Thanks again!
Delicious! Even my “meat and potatoes” husband loved it!
Awesome Sarah!! I love hearing that! Thanks so much for the feedback, made my day 🙂
This would be a great dipping sauce for artichokes!! I’ve made a couple different vegan alfredo sauces, but looking forward to trying yours 🙂
Oh goodness, that sounds fabulous to dip artichokes in!! I love artichokes! I hope you enjoy this as much as everybody else has, please let me know!
It was sooooooo good with artichokes! My hubby wouldn’t eat it because he doesn’t like nooch. I feel sorry for him, hehe. Had some for lunch today poured over roasted zuch, tomatoes and mushrooms. Love it!
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear that….I definitely need to try that next time…thanks so much for the awesome idea! Yeah….too bad about the hubby not liking nooch…I am so obsessed with it, haha!
I LOVE this sauce! I’ve made many varieties but this is the one! I like that it doesn’t have any added soy or almond milk. Except,( or and!) , I did it exactly as you the first time, the second time I got adventurous and added 1/2 of a roasted red pepper. Both exceptional. Thanks for this keeper!
Aww thanks Susan! So glad to hear this is “the one”!! Thank you so much for letting me know and I love the addition of the red pepper…sounds SO good!! I need to try that myself 🙂
I just made this for the family tonight and they all loved it! Which is saying ALOT because my sister is a picky eater and my Dad is skeptical about anything meatless. I think I am slowly winning them over with my vegan cooking. Definitely will be making this again 🙂
That is so wonderful to hear Grace!! Yay! Thanks so much for making my recipe and coming back to leave feedback, that means so much to me!
I am not sure how I found your recipe but I am so glad I happened upon it! I made this tonight and it was SO delicious! Thank you for sharing it, I will enjoy this many, many times.
Wonderful Helaine! Thank you so much for coming to leave feedback, I really appreciate it and I’m so glad you loved the recipe so much!
Made this tonight and everyone loved it. Super creamy and delicious. Added it to a primavera with quinoa pasta. The kids loved it – they’ve never had cheesy alfredo sauce but I have and this is so much better, if only for the reason that you don’t feel cruddy after eating it, but also because it is just so good. The teenagers wanted to know if it was easy to make so they could add it to their cooking rotation and I could happily say YES! So easy, so good. Thanks for posting this!
I used a fresh onion from my mother in law’s garden for this sauce. Wow. I soaked my cashews a couple hours and blended everything for about 7 minutes. It is so good I couldn’t stop liking my spatula! This is an amazing recipe for a unique sauce and I can’t wait to start trying your other recipes!!
Thank you so much Kayla! I love hearing feedback and yours brightened my day. I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much! Please come back and let me know how others turn out, it means the world to me to hear from my readers!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was super easy. The only thing I struggled with was the patience to wait for the broth to evaporate from the onions. I did end up adding a little onion powder and garlic powder to the sauce at the end and had to taste it a couple of times to get the salt level just right. Served it over brown rice spaghetti to which I’d added some beautiful asparagus tips and matchstick carrots. I am adding this to our rotation, so many possibilities!
Thank you so much Lisa for the wonderful feedback, so glad you enjoyed it! Haha, yes, that is really the only hard part…waiting for it to finish, although mine cooks in about 10 minutes, so not too long at all. If you like a really strong onion/garlic flavor, then certainly feel free to increase it! I find it just right for my taste, but it’s so easily adaptable. Thanks again 🙂
I made this sauce last night to serve with our mungbean fettuccine and chickpea cutlets and it lent an excellent creamy texture and flavor to the dish. In the future I think I’ll add more spices and maybe some hot sauce or tamari to add just a bit more depth of flavor, but it was a very quick sauce that I whipped up in no time at all.
Only changes: quick soaked my cashews in hot water for just 20 minutes (I have a Vitamix), sauteed my onion and garlic in a teeny bit of olive oil + water when needed instead of broth. Also used half unsweetened plain almond milk + half veg broth for the blender portion. I must have added too much liquid because my sauce was VERY runny so I just added it back to a clean pot over low heat and stirred in a slurry of organic corn starch until it thickened up exactly how I wanted.
What did my family think of it? Well, there are almost no leftovers! 😉
Thanks, Brandi!
Hi Robin, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m so glad everybody loved it! Yes, definitely sounded like you added too much liquid because it should not be runny AT ALL. You are the first person to say that it was runny, so I would definitely make sure to double check the measurements next time because I make it almost weekly and it’s never runny, but nice and creamy/thick. 🙂 Also I would stick to just using the broth to both cook the veggies in and blend up because of all the flavor it has….almond milk has no flavor and will dilute the alfredo flavor. The end product is very flavorful and a strong garlic and slight “cheesiness” from the nutritional yeast. Regardless, I’m glad everybody loved it and thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
This was so good! I modified mine a big (added some tomatoes and carrots as well) and boiled the cashews beforehand. Delish. Thanks!!
That sounds fabulous with the tomatoes and carrots! Thank you so much for the feedback…so glad you enjoyed it!
Love this recipe. At the last minute I found out I didn’t have vegetable broth so I used pasta water to thin the sauce in the blender. It was so, so good! I’m sure it will taste even better with the veggie broth. I plan on using this as a base for many pasta dishes. Thanks for coming up with this wonderful recipe.
Thank you so much Kimberly for leaving such wonderful feedback. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much!!
Thank you for the recipe! I just made it tonight for my husband who is absolutely in no way a vegan, but it was a hit! He loved it. I forgot the parsley, but added sautéed mushrooms and sundried tomatoes, and soaked my cashews (even though I do own a Vitamix)…we will be having this alfredo sauce again 🙂
Wonderful Sharrae!! I’m so glad to hear even your husband loved it, that is so awesome! Thanks so much for the feedback!
i made this tonight for dinner with chanterelles and zucchini, and roasted buternut squash/garlic over pasta. it was pure bliss. it was perfect. i don’t think i’ve ever had dairy-based garlic alfredo, but this was delish! and my mum said it was the beg veg. cheeze sauce she’s had :D. and she’s not vegan!
a tip for speedy cashew sprouting – add a dash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt when you let the cashew soak, and they will sprout rapidly (it mimics ideal sprouting conditions in soil! akaline + minerals!). usually my cashews soften like that in about an hour or two, and if i’m in a hurry, 30 minutes (i use a food processor to ‘cream them’ and it works well).
Wow, I’m so happy to hear that Nicole! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, I really appreciate you letting me know!! So glad it was a hit!
Thanks for the great tips, I didn’t know that!! 🙂
We just made this last night and it was incredible. My husband was practically drinking the sauce!
We’ve tried a cauliflower Alfredo but this is definitely more like the real thing.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Haha! Drinking the sauce is a great sign! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thank you so much for letting me know!!
I’ve made this sauce several times and, as I’m soaking some cashews to make this again tonight, I just had to let you know how much we love it! I’ve been vegan for about 3 years now and the only thing I miss from my “carnivore” days is cheese. I was so thrilled to find this recipe because it doesn’t involve tofu or starches for thickening, like many others do. Those tend to taste a little “off” but this recipe is perfect. The last time I made it I used oven-roasted garlic cloves and WOW that was good. I love this as a pizza sauce and I’ve even used it as a smear on my grilled tomato sandwich. Heh.
Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s in my top 5 favorites. 🙂
I, nor my husband, can have cashews (or pistachios). Do you have a recommendation of another nut or seed that I could use? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Melissa! The best sub would be macadamia nuts. They tend to be gritty though as they are much harder to get completely smooth than cashews, so my recommendation would be to roast the macadamia nuts at 300 degrees for 15 mins and then proceed with the recipe. They do not produce 100% as creamy of a result as cashews, so maybe scale back a tad on the water and add as needed. I think that should work. Please let me know how it turns out! Thank you!
I have tried a number of these dairy substitutes and they are often grainy or a little funky tasting. This was incredible. I’m visiting my Mom and her husband who are not Vegans, and we made this with spaghetti squash. It was the best squash and sauce I’ve ever had. Thank you for your hard work vetting these items.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad to hear it was such a hit! Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it! 🙂
Omgoodness!!
Alfredo sauce in one of the things, on a very short list of items I miss after going Vegan.
We tried this tonight and my entire family loves it.
Thank you!
Wonderful Marisa! Thank you so much for letting me know, I love hearing feedback! So glad everybody loved it!
This is 6th recipe of yours that I have made and my family loved every one of them. Thank you for posting this blog. Being a vegan family with 2 small children can be difficult at times. This website has saved me so much time and your creativity has my 2 yr old licking the plate. Thanks again and I’m exploring your recipe index now for this weeks dinner.
Can I just tell you how much your comment made my day?!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave feedback…I work so hard to produce wonderful, SIMPLE recipes for my readers and when I hear feedback like this, it makes it all worth it! I’m so happy you and your family have loved all of the recipes and even better, your 2 year old is licking the plate, haha! Thanks again for making me smile 🙂 🙂
Oh my god. I’m a vegetarian slowly transitioning to vegan. I gave up meals that were dairy-focused and opted to reserve dairy for sprinkling feta on salads and whatnot. But I’ve miiiiiiiissed Alfredo. I love Alfredo so much that it was the main course at my wedding, but that was the last time I let myself eat it (3 years ago!)! I made this tonight and it is SO. GOOD. I tried califlour Alfredo the other week and it was meh. But this is my new favorite dish. Followed closey by vegan korma curry – also with blended cashews and onions! Such a winning combo!
Thank you so much for the amazing feedback, it made my day! I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit and thank you for letting me know!!
Made this tonight and it was REALLY tasty. Served it over zucchini noodles with artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers. I went heavy on the lemon because we like it in our house and my husband was a very happy guy!
Oh I love artichoke hearts! Great idea! I’m so glad you loved it, thank you so much for letting me know and the wonderful feedback!! I really appreciate it 🙂
Super easy and yummy. I made this over macaroni and baked it with panko. Thanks for the delicious recipe once again. They’re all good.
Omg that sounds wonderful with the panko crumbs, thank you so much for sharing and making my recipe! Thanks so much for the feedback!
I made this tonight for the first time and let me tell you, it was delicious!!! I used pine nuts, instead of cashews and it turned out nice and smooth. It was also super easy to make too!! Thank you Brandi!!!
Awesome Melissa! I’m so happy to hear that and thrilled that it was still delicious with the pine nuts! Thank you so much for the feedback! If you like pine nuts, you should try my Ceasar dressing 🙂
https://thevegan8.com/2014/03/06/vegan-caesar-dressing/
I love dairy so much so trying substitutes after I went vegan has always been disappointing. This, however, was actually really, really good! I served it over zucchini noodles with some spinach and mushroom and everybody loved it. I put the leftover sauce in the fridge and two days later it tastes even better. I will be recommending this to EVERYONE. Very easy, and very delicious! Thanks!
Awww yay!! So thrilled to hear that! So glad it was such a hit and I truly appreciate you leaving me feedback, I love hearing it. Thank you for sharing the recipe with others too, you are so kind!
Came across your blog through Pottery Barn and made the garlic Alfredo sauce today. We LOVED it.
Can I freeze some of the sauce and re-use it? I made too much
Hope to hear from you soon
Keren
Hi Keren! Wonderful! Thank you so much for making it and I’m so glad you loved the sauce! I haven’t tried freezing it myself, but I would think it should fine since there is no fillers or weird ingredients in it. You should be able to reheat it on the stove, but I would do it at a very low heat and maybe add some more broth, since cashew sauces thicken up the longer they are cold. Thanks again!
I am making this without the yeast (Daniel Fast), but can you tell me the purpose of the yeast in the sauce?
I’ll report back on my results.
Thank you so so much!!
Hi there! The nutritional yeast is there for flavor. Since traditional alfredo sauce tends to have cheese in it, the nutritional yeast is added to this for flavor, as it lends a slight cheesy flavor and more depth of flavor. If you leave it out, it will be more bland. It’s a crucial ingredient to the sauce flavor. You can try subbing with a tablespoon or so if tahini and a teaspoon or more of low sodium soy sauce and that will help a tad with the similar taste of the yeast. Will not be the same as the yeast, but it’s something.
Super excited to try this recipe. Can I use Brewers yeast instead of nutritional yeast? Or will this change the taste too much? It’s all I have at home right now!
Hi! No, definitely don’t use brewers yeast, it is entirely different than nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast provides a specific flavor, kind of cheesy and there isn’t really a sub for it.
Some stores sell it, but I find many in the stores to have a strong vitamin taste, so I always order it online.
Here is the one I like: http://amzn.to/2yXw6qr
OR, you can make my other alfredo and just omit the yeast called for (only 2 tbsp) and increase the salt just a bit.
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
I made this tonight with tempeh bacon instead of the real stuff. So good! Thanks for the recipe.
WOnderful! Thank you so much for the feedback….that sounds SO delicious!
I am new to the vegan lifestyle and this recipe is fabulous! Thank you!
Wonderful Tammi!! Thank you so much for making it and the wonderful feedback!!
I made this tonight and it turned out great. I added some extra lemon juice for some extra tang and also threw in a few handfuls of spinach when cooking the onion so I made spinach and garlic alfredo. Thanks for sharing!
Oooh the spinach sounds like a wonderful addition, thank you for sharing! Thank you so much for making it and providing feedback, I really appreciate it!
Ok so this was so good the first time I HAD to make it again. I didn’t have an onion in my fridge so I used a zucchini for a filler.. turned out the exact same as before (if not a bit creamier)! Would definitely recommend zucchini if you don’t have an onion 🙂
Oh wow, that is so awesome that zucchini worked! I can totally see why since zucchini gets mildly sweet just like onion! I make a soup from cooked zucchini and it’s so good. Thank you so much for sharing and I’m so glad you love it!
I was wondering could I add sundried tomatoes to this as i love tomato alfredo sauce. How would modify the recipe? Sorry if this has been asked already. I’m excited to try this out!
Hi Brianca! I have never tried it so I am not sure how it would affect the taste. Could you maybe just add them on top of the sauce and pasta? If you want to add them to the sauce, I guess just add a few while blending it up and just taste and see how much you want in there. Let me know how it comes out!
Hi! I want to make this tonight for dinner…I am confused though when you say to add the cooked veggies to a blender….I do not see any veggies in the ingredient list? :/ TIA!!
Hi Kelly! The first step is cooking the onion and garlic (veggies), then that is what you are adding to the blender. I just added that extra note. Enjoy and let me know how it turns out! Make sure to soak your cashews now if you don’t have a high powered blender.
OMG!! Spot on! I love this recipe! Thank you for sharing it with us. Someone posted your pizza with Alfredo sauce recipe on fb today and I was looking for an Alfredo sauce- it was meant to be 🙂 first time coming across your website and all your recipes I’ve looked at seem to be winners!!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Brandie!! So glad you loved it!
SO I made this tonight for dinner and it was AWESOME! Honestly, Brandi, thank you for the wonderful, easy and flipping delicious recipe 🙂 I added in heaps of mushrooms because we are big mushroom fans around here! This is the best Alfredo I’ve ever had – vegan or otherwise! My boyfriend loved it as well! Everyone should make this recipe – the best part? You feel like a million bucks after eating it with a very happy tummy unlike the traditional stuff 🙂 Thanks!
Thank you so much for making it Ceara! I’m so glad you loved it so much! Better yet, that your boyfriend loved it too!! xo
Is is necessary to use whole cashews, could you use pieces instead?
Hi Paulette! Cashew pieces should be fine, if you have a scale, just make sure to use the correct weight amount, so you get the right consistency. Since the pieces are smaller, more will fill up the cup and might make it extra thick, so you may need to increase the broth or spices slightly. Let me know how it turns out!
This sounds perfect! I hope to make it for my boyfriend for his birthday dinner. Would it be ok to make the sauce the night before and add it to pasta the next day? Also, would this work ok with regular broth (instead of low sodium?) I have Better than Bouillon Vegetable now but if not what kind/brand would you recommend?
Thanks so much for the recipe and sorry for all the questions!
Hi! Yes, absolutely, you can make it the night before. It will thicken up some in the fridge overnight because of the cashews, but you could always add just a tad more broth to thin it out if necessary. Yes, regular broth should work as well, just decrease the salt and taste it and adjust if necessary. Please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Delish!! Made this for my family last night and they really liked it…which is saying a lot because my husband doesn’t “believe in my veganism” and “thinks its stupid” ….his words, even tho I’ve lost 100 lbs on this lifestyle. I’m never going back!!! Bit it has made it very hard to afford to be vegan when we have two different grocery lists. Recipes like this will help my wallet, and help me get my family healthier without them freaking out that they are giving up “real” food lol I’m so grateful for your recipes and this one was a winner for us! Thank you for an awesome recipe, it was awesome and we will definitely be eating this again!! >3
Omg! I just made this Alfredo and it is AWESOME!! We put ours over blanched zucchini….yum-oh!! My uncle said he could just eat a bowl of this stuff. Thank you!
well I was skeptical especially when i’ve never used nutritional yeast and I’m new to cashews but I must say I was very impressed with the outcome. I was always huge fan of real Alfredo sauce but this was really good. mine wasn’t vegan as I used chicken broth but still delicious thank you so much for the recipe!
I’m so happy you loved it so much and it surprised you in a good way! Thank you so much for the feedback, I truly appreciate it!
I am so grateful for this delicious recipe. I am a lifetime vegetarian who was recently diagnosed as severely intolerant of gluten, dairy and soy. I’m learning a new way of cooking and eating. Cashews and nutritional yeast are high on the list. And this yummy, creamy sauce will becme a satifying staple in my diet.
That is so wonderful Kerry! I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe so much!
Found your site yesterday, started with this recipe and couldn’t be happier! I wish I had found your site a year ago! Our 15 yo daughter is a vegetarian, wanting to move more to a vegan diet, and we want to support her as well as provide nutritious meals for her. It’s been very challenging learning a new way to cook, overwhelming at times, with long lists of unfamiliar ingredients. Your approach to 8 or less ingredients is fantastic. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
You are so sweet Kristi, thank you so much for your kind words!! I’m so happy you love the site and recipe, thank you!
Any substitutes for nutritional yeast that is not parmesan? I can’t find it at all where I live.
Hi there! So sorry I’m just seeing this comment, it just came through for some odd reason…anyways, there isn’t really a substitute for nutritional yeast unfortunately. It is just one of those ingredients that can’t be mimicked. My best suggestion would be to try and replace it with another salty/nutty flavor since that is what nutritional yeast provides. I would try adding a bit of soy sauce and/or worcestershire sauce (Whole Foods sells a vegan one) and maybe a tiny amount of tahini. It’s not going to have the same exact flavor, but you can do your best to adjust and taste as you go.
Weird. Olive Garden alfredo sauce they make in the restaurant does not have egg yolks in it.
Hmmm, it’s right here on the Olive Garden website, 6 egg yolks. Maybe they’ve changed? Hopefully!
I’ve been making this for like over a year now and I still love it sooooooooo much. I do make a few subs (almond milk instead of veg broth) and I add miso (lots of extra flavor depth!) but however you make it, it is amazing. Every dairy loving, meat eating person who has tried this LOVES it. Thank you so much for posting this 🙂 I make this all the time and take it for lunch at work.
Wonderful Kal! I’m so happy to hear you love this sauce so much! Miso sounds great! I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible for readers, but miso I’ll definitely try sometime! The veggie broth does add a depth of flavor and saltiness but I’ll try the miso sometimes too, thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Made this for dinner tonight. I added peas and “fried” tofurkey slices chopped up to mimic a carbonara. The whole family loved it!! I will admit that I never really liked traditional alfredo, so I was nervous I wouldn’t like this either (hubby loves alfredo though, so wanted to make it for him), but I thought it was great! Therefore, in my opinion, this doesn’t taste “exactly like garlic alfredo sauce”…it’s BETTER!
Thank you so much Jenn for such wonderful feedback!! I’m so happy your whole family loved it, that makes me super happy!! 🙂
Used this recipe as the starting point for a very yummy dinner. I added spinach to my portion and my husband had his straight. Definitely have to try this on pizza next. So good.
Awesome Jess, thank you so much! So glad to hear it was a hit and spinach sounds like a wonderful addition!
Help! I just made this and all I taste is a yeasty thick sauce. I used 1/4 cup plus 1/2 tbsp of nutritional yeast and blended it in the vitamix with everything else. The consistency is good but it really just tastes like yeast to me. I’ve squeezed in a while lemon and added more salt and pepper but still overwhelmingly taste the yeast.
Did I miss a step?
Hi Samuel! Yes, definitely sounds like you missed something, you shouldn’t be tasting just yeast at all. There’s a 100 plus reviews above all with success and nobody has said anything about tasting yeast. When I make it, I don’t even notice the nutritional yeast taste…did you by chance use brewers yeast?? Double check the ingredients…did you leave something out? It’s really hard for me to tell you what happened without being there to troubleshoot…the only thing I can think is you used the wrong yeast.
this is a fantastic recipe. just made it for my wife and I; I think I had a little too much broth because I don’t often measure things out exactly, but a little flour made it the perfect consitency, and it totally tasted like the real deal
Thank you so much Brent! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe so much, thank you so much for the feedback!!
Hi. The recipe sounds amazing and I definitely wanna try it, but I have a bit of a problem with the whole cup thing. I’m from Austria and here we measure everything in grams and ml. Could you probably tell me the conversion “sizes”? For example especiall with the yeast. I have no idea how much that’s supposed to be..
Hi Valerie! I just updated the recipe with the ingredients to grams and mL, hope that helps now! Let me know after you try it! Thank you!
Thanks so much!! I’ll try it asap 🙂
Brandi, I’ve been posting your recipes on my IG (@fullyc0nsciousliving) for the past week- so far I’ve tried 5 that have been absolute hits. This garlic alfredo is #2 on my fave list (#1 was the chickpea sweet potato soup!) it was absolutely creamy, and punchful of garlicky flavour! Loved it!
Wow, Michelle! Thank you so much for this awesome feedback! I’m so happy that all five recipes you’ve tried have been such hits and I apologize for just seeing this feedback…I’m in awe that the chickpea soup beat the alfredo sauce, lol! But I absolutely LOVE that soup myself and it’s probably my favorite! Thanks again!
This is so many times my go to dish on Sundays, especially when I know that the first part of me week is going to be crazy. But this has also become one of my new comfort foods. I can’t get over just how close it does taste to real deal and sooo much better for me. Thank you for all your yummy dishes!
Are you on Instagram by chance?
Hi Kim! Thank you so much for such wonderful feedback, I really love hearing it and appreciate it so much! Yes, I’m on Instagram under “thevegan8”! 🙂
I’m eating this recipe over lentil pasta spirals while I post. My wife and three kids loved it! A grand slam that satisfied even the pickiest of eaters – my 2 year old daughter and 5 year old son!
So wonderful to hear Lindsay! Thank you so much! So glad to hear it’s a hit! Thanks for the feedback!
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This was amazing! My husband continues to be amazed with the vegan recipes I’ve been making. I have quite a bit leftover. Do you think it could be frozen?
Thank you for this great recipe!!
I’m so sorry I just saw this comment Barbara! Yes, I think freezing would be just fine. I haven’t tried it, but there are no weird ingredients in it that I haven’t frozen before, so I think it should be fine. Again, so sorry for the late response…I get so many that sometimes they slip through the cracks. So glad you both loved this!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I prepared out this evening and my nonvegan boyfriend served himself seconds!! I plan to make it again but add the sauce to a plate of vegan nachos. Thanks again
Oh that sounds awesome on nachos!! Thank you so much for the feedback Eva, I’m so happy you and your non-vegan boyfriend loved it so much, that is wonderful!
I just made an alfredo sauce that used cauliflower; it was good (yours looks better!) but hubby was a little freaked it had cauliflower ~ its probably the one veggie he doesn’t like. And, yes, this is the same hubby who was a little freaked over sweet potatoes in chocolate ice cream! 😉
Haha Julie! This has been one of my most popular recipes and everybody has loved it, it is very rich and creamy just like traditional alfredo so I think hubby will like it, let me know! 😉
BEST
SAUCE
EVER!!!
First, thank you so much for putting the calorie information at the end of the recipe, Brandi! But much more importantly, THANK YOU for taking the time to create these amazingly delicious recipes! My daughter has several illnesses that severely affect her dietary health, including celiac disease, irritable bowel, and Sjogren’s disease. A gluten-free, dairy and oil free diet is a must in helping her symptoms. She also chooses not to eat meat. As a mom who has always loved to bake and cook, I was at the end of my rope wondering what I could make her for meals and snacks. It was hard enough finding gluten-free, vegan food on the grocery store shelves, but to find something that didn’t contain some kind of oil was impossible. I don’t remember how I happened upon your website, but when I say it has been a lifesaver, that is a true understatement! Your recipes have been life-changing. I can make my daughter breads, muffins and cookies again! We can enjoy salad dressing and pasta sauces! I just love making your new recipes and enjoying them with my daughter. We are so thankful you have decided to share your fabulous creations. Please don’t ever stop! (PS- I have told so many people about your website I have lost count. I will continue to spread the word of your awesomeness! 🙂
Colleen, this was one of the most heartfelt and kindest feedbacks I’ve ever received. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write all of it out to me! I work so very hard non-stop to share amazing content with you all and to hear from my readers saying it has changed their life or been a “lifesaver” then all the hard work I do makes it so worth it.
I’m so ecstatic that your daughter can enjoy desserts again too and them be much healthier for her than the stuff at the stores. Thank you again for the comments you have left on my blog (I got all 3!) they really made me happy! 🙂 🙂
I’ve been looking for a vegan cheese-like sauce since January and hadn’t found anything to my liking until I followed this recipe to a Tee. SO TASTY. I sauteed mushrooms, kale, green onions, and tomatoes, and folded them in on top. Pair that w a homemade, 100% whole-grain foccaccia loaf, and you have a very hearty meal. My husband was very happy. 🙂 Pls continue to share your masterpieces. I’m now following you on Instagram as well. Cheers!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for the follow and the wonderful feedback! So glad that this was finally “the one” you liked! Adding those veggies on top sounds divine! I typically do bell peppers and zucchini since those are our favorites but the kale and greens onions sounds really yummy too. So happy the hubby loved it too, thank you again!
I am heart broken to see cashews. 🙁 my daughter is deathly allergic. I need another recipe for this that tastes great and is clean
Hi Mindy! Try mashed potatoes instead, measure a similar amount of mashed potatoes and try that. It should work. I use potatoes a lot in my recipes instead of nuts. It will be a bit lighter in texture, taste but should still be delicious. To make up for the lack of creaminess by not using cashews, then I would use a plant milk instead of the broth that you add to the blender. Let me know if you try it!
My husband and I both LOVE this dish. I follow the recipe exactly as stated and it is perfect every time. We also love the leftovers cold the next day!! Thank you for this recipe.
WOW! I just made this and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve been gluten and dairy free for 2 years now and I have not tasted anything this amazing that doesn’t contain either. Thank you for sharing this I’m so happy right now as I’m completely stuffed and I doubled the recipe so I still have enough for dinner!!!
SO wonderful to hear Neb! Thank you so much for such sweet feedback, I really appreciate it and am so happy you loved this so much!
this was incredible! I had it over noodles with broccoli, chicken, and mushrooms. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it so much, thank you so much for the feedback Merrick!! So appreciate it!
I see that it calls for raw whole cashews. I have raw chopped cashews. Doesn’t matter, right, since it’s going into the VitaMix? Thanks….this is tonight’s dinner.
Hi Shellie! If yours are chopped, then just make sure you use the right weight amount for the cashews, because otherwise more will fill up the cup as chopped, versus the whole ones, and you want the right amount for flavor/texture.
So I’ll weigh out 2.6 oz…..and will buy whole raw from now on. So many of the different recipes I’ve made with cashews I never thought of whole vs. chopped making a difference. I was always buying whole, but figured since I was throwing it in the VitaMix it wouldn’t matter. I learned something new today. Thanks so much for the quick reply. 🙂
You are so welcome! Let me know how it turns out!
I saw this in my FB feed, and it sounded amazing. So I made it for dinner for my omni father-in-law and brother-in-law and they loved it! I licked my bowl clean too. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, thank you so much for the feedback!! 🙂
I made this sauce with pasta and broccoli the first time and then used it over other things throughout the week. I like that it was very good without a lot of tofu. It’s another very simple recipe, but great depth of flavors as usual.
Creamy and right consistency, but not a substitute for alfredo. I’ve been vegan/vegetarian since birth, so I’m used to subs, but this wasn’t right in the flavor. Too much nutritional yeast, onion (don’t use yellow!) and garlic made it very strong. Not like they creamy, mild alfredo we are used to. I doubled the broth and cashews to tone it down and it’s still not right. Next time I will change the onion/garlic/nutritional yeast ratios, add more lemon/salt and it will be perfect!
Hi Karen! Thank you for trying it out. Sorry you feel that way. I’ve received a couple hundred reviews on this recipe as you can see tons above, that have all felt the complete opposite, I’ve even had multiple non-vegans make it who are used to traditional alfredo and love it, so I’m sorry you don’t like it as so many others have. But I do thank you for your feedback and for trying it out, I know we all have different tastebuds 🙂
Also, it’s a garlic alfredo, so it should have a garlic taste to it, but I actually find it mild myself, but if you like things very mild, then definitely use less if you prefer. I also noted to use less yeast if preferred. because I know some people I have found either love it or can barely stand it, haha! I’ve had some people double the nutritional yeast on this recipe and some use half, so it just boils down to preference! Maybe you would prefer the cauliflower type of Alfredo’s out there? I’ve seen tons of them around, but I find them too bland for my taste, but if you think this one has too much flavor, I would suggest oh she glows cauliflower recipe. I’ve heard it’s good. Hope that helps! 🙂
I just used this instead of my usual white sauce to make a vegan lasagne. It adds a completely new dimension to what is already a favourite dish. Thank you again from me for this amazing sauce
What a wonderful idea! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving feedback!
Nutritional yeast kills my stomach, what else could I use instead??
I made this last night and it turned out delectable! My husband loved it. I can’t wait to make a large batch again. Would love to see more flavourful sauce recipes on your site that can be added to pastas…. I really dislike the bland store-bought sauces. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Is nutritional yeast GF? I’ve been GF for a long time but I’m about to embark on a DF experiment. This looks delicious!
Yes, nutritional yeast is gluten-free 🙂
I’ve been vegan for just 5 months and am in search of great recipes. I’ve had some epic fails. So many in fact that I keep a stash of vegan burritos in my freezer. Well, I am so happy to say that this recipe not only satisfied my craving for cheese but I Wvm got a fistbump from my meat eating 13 year old son. I did not deviate from the recipe at all but I’m super stoked to try it again adding extra veggies! Good job!
Wow, thank you so much Amanda for such wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit with everybody! Thank you so much for letting me know and for making it!
LOVED it! Just made this for dinner! 🙂 Since I don’t own a high speed blender, I decided to use a little bit less than 1/2 cup of organic store-bought cashew butter for the heaping 1/2 cup of cashews — it worked perfectly! (super smooth, not gritty).
Thank you sooo much!
(Leaving a picture for you on Facebook)
Wonderful Barbara! I’m so happy to hear your wonderful feedback, thank you so much for making it and I’m glad you loved it! Thank you, will check facebook!
Hi Brandi
Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight and it was the perfect consistency. unfortunately I actually added double the amount of nutritional yeast and I’m still not hooked on the stuff so I’m a little disappointed 🙁 however I’ll try again and hopefully get it right next time. Do you know if I can freeze it?
Hi Corinne! Wow, really? Double the nutritional yeast would ruin the taste I would think for sure, so I can understand that. As you can see above, there has been over 200 rave reviews on this sauce, so I hope you can try it again and get it right next time like you said. I have never tried freezing it so I’m not sure, but I would think so. Also, as another suggestion, my newest “20 Minute Alfredo” has absolutely exploded with amazing reviews from readers, we all even love it more than this original one. It is so much like real alfredo that many dairy-lovers have loved it MORE than traditional alfredo. And it only takes 20 minutes! I would definitely encourage you to try this one and let me know! Make sure not to sub any of the ingredients, so you get the right flavor/texture! 🙂 https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
Brandi, I just made this for dinner about an hour ago and it was to die for 🙂 (Used brown rice pasta and threw some mushroom in before mixing sauce in.) I found you through a McDougall FB group and printed out the recipe yesterday. Just spent last half hour going through the group trying to find the post just to thank them! So glad I found your blog. Can’t wait to go through your blog and try more. Thank you!
Oh this is such kind feedback Susan! Thank you so much for making it and leaving feedback, I really appreciate your kind words!
Hi there! Couple questions… I should NOT make this in a food processor right? I do not have a blender 🙁 But I do have an immersion blender, maybe I could try that. Second, do you have to have the nutritional yeast? Is that jsut sold in stores? Thank you!!
Hi Jocelyn! Actually, you should totally be able to use your food processor because the cashew butter is already smooth 🙂 Should work just fine! I think either would work to get it smooth. Yes, some stores sell nutritional yeast in containers or in the bulk bin section. It adds depth of flavor, so it’s kind of important. But if you leave it out, you definitely need to add I’d say extra garlic, some onion powder and maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon or so of dried mustard powder to make up for the flavor. If you can though, get the yeast. It’s also sold on Amazon. Let me know what you think!
Hi Jocelyn! I apologize, I responded regarding cashew butter thinking of my other alfredo sauce on the blog. If you don’t have any blender, then I would definitely make my other one using cashew butter, because a power blender is not needed, and it would totally work in a food processor. Here is the link. It is actually a better alfredo in my opinion too!
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
I just made this and it’s SO cheesy and delicious! Sometimes nutritional yeast can be too overpowering for me, so I reduced the amount of that ingredient by almost half, and found it still worked for me! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Thank you so much Robyn for the wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear that!
This is one of my families favorite recipes! Tastes FREAKISHLY similar to the real thing – I don’t know how you do it!
Awww thank you so much Megan! I’m so happy you love this so much!!
OMG, just made this… Its amazing!!!! I bought cheese flavored nutritional yeast so its really really cheesy and creamy. I don’t have a Vitamix and used my regular blender so I had to blend a bit longer. I also soaked the cashews for 6 hours. I am going to make my DH try this… He is the opposite of a vegan so this will be a great test.
Wow, thank you so much Paula for the awesome feedback! I’m so happy to hear you loved this so much! Thank you so much for letting me know, I love hearing it!
I just made this for dinner. Excellent recipe. I did add some olive oil bc I like the taste of it and chili flakes for a kick. Definitely something I will make again as it will fill my creamy Italian food craving. (I can’t do dairy).
How long does it last in the fridge? I couldn’t finish all of it at once.
Thanks for posting
I’m so happy you loved it Leonne, thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
Alrighty, I am officially amazed. I’ve been vegetarian for a while now but have had this overwhelming sense that vegan is the ‘right’ thing to do. So this weekend I decided to try this recipe and see how I went, whether it could really take the place of a diary packed alfredo. Pretty much all my fears about taking the ‘vegan plunge’ have disappeared. I made it in no time at all using a nutri bullet and it was a perfect consistency. Vegan8 just became my bible.
*dairy, I mean
Hi Fray! Oh, I’m so happy reading your feedback. I’m thrilled to hear how much you loved this recipe and even more, how much you are excited about the vegan lifestyle. It is a decision you will never regret. Thank you so much for your kind words!
I just stumbled on this recipe a few days ago and made it for the first time tonight–it was excellent!
I did make a substitution though. I am allergic to onions so I left out the onions and replaced them with a can of great northern beans (pureed) for bulk. I didn’t use as much broth and added more garlic (okay, I probably at least doubled it, I LOVE garlic) to compensate for the missing flavor. I also added just under an eighth of a teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken it at the beginning.
I served it over gluten-free chickpea pasta. I’m also thinking that next time I make this, I might decorate it a bit with sun-dried tomatoes or broccoli. The brood ate it like it they were starving and I thought it was delicious, so I’m putting this one in the win column.
Hi Lisa! Oh wow, allergic to onions? That’s such a huge part of the recipe, so I’m really glad you were able to make a couple of substitutions and make it work for you, that is wonderful! Thank you so much for the feedback and letting me know, I really appreciate it!
I really enjoyed this recipe! Since I do not have a high powered blender or soaked cashews, I boiled the cashews for 10 minutes and it all blended together really nice. I put it over Zucchini noodles. So good! Thank you for sharing this. Great recipe to make often.
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that Steph! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful feedback, really appreciate it!
As an addict of your fat-free cheese sauce, I already knew I’d love this… but WOW! It’s not just good, it’s great! SO delicious! I add the Italian spice mix, as you suggest, and it really kicks it up a notch. I keep forgetting to buy brown rice linguini noodles so I’ve had this more mac-n-cheese style. I’m pretty sure I could cut up cardboard and pour this sauce on and it would be great. ha ha! Thanks! You hit it out of the ball park on this easy and delicious recipe!
Thank you so so much for such amazing feedback Liz! I really am so happy you loved it! Hahaha, please don’t put it on carboard, lol!
I made this recipe for dinner, although I subbed vegan parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast because I couldn’t find anywhere near me, and it was absolutely amazing!! I already recommended it to my family and friends! Mine was also a bit yellow/orange colored due to the vegetable broth I used. I also didn’t have a high quality blender but boiled my cashews instead. I put the 1/2 cup of cashew in a pan with some water, brought it to a boil, put a lid on then turned off the heat and let them sit for a little over an hour and had no trouble! Added some sautéed mushrooms and it was absolutely delicious!! Thanks for this amazing recipe I will be keeping this one for sure!
Yay! Thank you so much Brenna for sharing this wonderful feedback with me! I’m so happy to hear you loved it and thank you for sharing it with others! So glad you were able to boil the cashews and make it work! Yes, I have a trader joes brand of veggie broth that turns everything really yellow/orange, haha, so I know what you mean! Thanks again for the awesome feedback!
True confession: I’m not vegan, or even vegetarian, but I wanted to recreate a healthier and less heavy version of my grandpa’s famous fettuccine Alfredo with peas & ham. I made this sauce using roasted & lightly salted cashews from Trader Joe’s, because I had them in the house, so I cut back on the added salt, and I used real Parmesan cheese because I love cheese and I dont really know where to buy nutritional yeast. I also used zucchini noodles instead of traditional. I soaked the cashews for probably six hours and used my Ninja pulse blender, and it turned out great!! I ended up boiling the zoodles quickly with the frozen peas and then adding it back into the pan where I had previously cooked the onion and where I was already frying the chopped up ham in a tiny bit of oil. Added the sauce back in last to reheat & blend.
I’m amazed, really, it didn’t taste like cashews are all. What it did taste like something that should be really bad for me, but it isn’t! I’m in love!
Aww thanks so much Lindsay for such wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit! So great to hear this was delicious on zucchini noodles as well, so funny because I just posted a new alfredo (nut-free) sauce yesterday on zucchini noodles! Thanks again for the feedback!
Hey Brandi!
I’m eager to try this recipe but I just saw in the comments that you wouldn’t recommend using a food processor for it. My sister borrowed my magic bullet so I’m not sure what else to make it with- what would you suggest? I’ve used my processor for vegan cheesecake recipes that called for soaked cashews, but perhaps that would achieve too thick a consistency for this one?
Thanks in advance!
Fiona
If you soak them first overnight and drain them, then it should totally work in a food processor! Just keep running it until it’s totally smooth. It should work fine then 🙂
I’m excited to try this recipe, it looks delicious! Would raw cashew butter work instead of whole cashews?
That should work fine, I would use 1/4 cup cashew butter 🙂
Or you can make this one instead, it’s only 20 minutes and is made with cashew butter and I like it even more! https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
I made this tonight and it was heavenly! I have tried your 20 minute alfredo as well which was fantastic however I liked this one even more. It was amazing! I will be making it again tomorrow as I am already craving more and it will definitely be one of our weekly recipes. It was approved by my toddler daughters and husband as well and let me tell you, they are a picky crowd haha!
SO wonderful to hear Nicole, thank you so much for such amazing feedback!!
Delicious! Made this tonight and I am sooooo keeping this recipe for any time I want Alfredo again. I had soaked cashews left over from a lemon dessert I made and decided to use them for dinner. I was hesitant because it’s the first time I’ve seen your blog, but I thought, the worst that could happen is it won’t taste good. So I went for it and I was not disappointed. Seriously, will not make another Alfredo sauce again. Fast, easy, healthy, and delicious! And true the name!
So wonderful to hear Rita, thank you so much for the awesome feedback, I’m so appreciative!
What is the difference between vegetable stock vs broth, and would it be ok to use stock? Also what do you mean when u say “separated”?
Made your creamy red pepper sauce and it was delicious, so looking forward to this one!
Hi Louise! Yes, you could use either! I think stock is a bit thicker, but either should be just fine. Separated just means that you are adding broth at separate times during the recipe, but I have noted exactly how much you need to add and when in the directions, so you won’t have any trouble 🙂
Brilliant, thank you!
Wonderful. Made this at Christmas,soaked the cashews and powered through with a Magic Bullet and it was great. Just made it tonight with my new Vitamix…so much easier. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear that Dorothy! The vitamix is pretty amazing, huh?! So glad you love this recipe, thank you for the feedback!
I came across this recipe while searching for a vegan alfredo sauce and must say it was truly delicious! I love mushrooms so fried up a few on the side and added them with the pasta at the end. Thank you for such a great recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it Linda, thank you so much for the feedback and for making it!
I’ve been on a whole foods-plant based diet for 30 days now, and while there are a lot of plant based (vegan, etc) recipes online, very few are low oil, so thank you for this site! I made this sauce as written, with the exception of adding a bit more salt. I ended up soaking my cashews for over 24 hours (due to procrastination), and the end result is VERY tasty!
Awesome Betsy!! I’m so happy you loved this recipe so much and yes, you will find all oil-free recipes here 🙂 Thank you so much for the feedback!
I made this tonight and it was perfect!!! Even with a $15.00 blender 🙂 Key point to remember, soak your cashews. My children couldnt tell that it was made with cashews. Thanks for posting this recipe.
So happy to hear that Sonya! Even better when it’s a hit with the kiddos, thank you so much for the feedback!
Tried recipe and was good- BUT I don’t like how you refer to dairy and eggs as unhealthy. If you use good quality dairy and eggs, you’ll feel full on less food. Also, the whole heart healthy thing- the study about which fats were bad for you accidentally grouped saturated and Trans fats together, two totally different fats, one natural one artificial. Same with meats. So the next time you say that animal products are unhealthy…we used to eat lots of them before we (america) became very obese
Hi Lucy, thanks for trying the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
There are many opinions out there, but for me, I 100% believe animal products are unhealthy, which is why I run a vegan blog, it’s the whole reason I started it. My husband used to live on crutches from severe gout because of the inflammatory effects of meats and dairy (he is now off crutches and med-free). They cause acidity in the body, raise cholesterol and throw off the alkalinity in the body. It isn’t just my opinion, it is what many plant-based doctors have proven through numerous plant-based studies and reversing heart disease, among many others by switching to a plant-based diet. You can find out much more info from Forks Over Knives, just for starters. But the best way to share why we choose to live this way is all laid out here in my story. You will understand more why I say (and believe) why they are unhealthy. Our lives improved drastically when we cut them out.
https://thevegan8.com/2014/09/08/how-my-life-has-changed-since-going-vegan/
Brandi,
This sauce is astonishing! There simply aren’t enough accolades to do it justice. I had never understood why people found Alfredo sauce to be that exciting; however this one is blender-licking good. Not only did I try to get every bit out of the Vitamix, had I been alone in the kitchen, I would have been tempted to lick up the few drops that spilled on the counter.
I did have sufficient willpower to stash away enough for tomorrow’s pizza…
Haha, I love this feedback Molly! It made me laugh too! I’m so happy to hear you loved it so much, thank you so much for the feedback!
This was a really good recipe! However one thing that threw me off was the color. By the pictures, the sauce looks white, however it ends up being an orange color because of the nutritional yeast and veggie broth. With the ingredients to make this, I have no idea how the picture have it as a cream / white coloe
Also I followed the instructions really, really closely and used boxed veggie broth
Hi Beckah! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Ok, that is due to the brand of veggie broth of yeast you used. I used a Trader Joe’s veggie broth one time and it turned my sauce completely orange! Some broths or veggie stocks are much darker than others. Is your broth a clear-ish color or is it pretty colored and orange? That is how you will know. I’ve only ever had that happen with the Trader Joe’s brand. Also, some nutritional yeasts are much more orange then others, which will also affect the color. I use this one by Sari Foods…it is lighter in color, has a much better milder taste and isn’t fortified with synthetic vitamins, so it is a much healthier choice too. Hope this helps! http://amzn.to/1WcXL9U
I just made the garlic alfredo sauce tonight and was very disappointed. It was creamy and all that, but the recipe I think called for a tablespoon of lemon juice which just dominated the flavor making it taste like lemon sauce. I tried to fix it by adding more salt and pepper, more broth, etc. but I could not get rid of the overpowering lemon flavor. I will try making it again, but not use lemon or at least not a tablespoon.
Hi Deborah! Wow, that’s very odd, out of over 200 feedbacks, you are the first person to ever say that, and I make this nearly weekly and it’s not overpowering at all in lemon flavor, because 1 tablespoon isn’t much at all. Are you sure you added enough of the broth, it’s nearly impossible for the lemon juice to be too strong with all of the broth that is in this sauce. In fact, the lemon juice is only there to hide the cashew flavor. But if you are extra sensitive to lemon juice, then definitely leave it out, just keep in mind you may taste the cashews then.
I doubled the recipe, but still only used a tablespoon of the lemon juice. If I had had more cashews, I could have fixed it but I didn’t. I saw all the feedback so don’t know why mine came out so lemony. It would have been good if I was making shrimp scampi, but being a vegan of course I don’t cook with shellfish. I will try it again and first leave out the lemon and see how it tastes. Then add it only sparingly if I need to.
Ahhhh ok, that is likely why then because there wasn’t enough cashews for enough body to absorb the flavor. You shouldn’t taste lemon at all, so definitely try it again 🙂 Or, also, this one, my 20 minute Alfredo is probably my #1 recipe right now with readers and it doesn’t use lemon juice and is my personal favorite. So, maybe try that one instead, definitely no lemon flavor 🙂
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
well, now I can’t find my comment to reply to your reply.
Hey I was just wondering if there is a substitute for the Lemon Juice. I can’t have citrus but the rest of the recipe sounds wonderful!!
Hi Katie! Yes, you can use apple cider vinegar, but I would start with 2 teaspoons and taste it and add more if necessary.
Brandi, you are a genius. This sauce is incredible. I also made your cinnamon sweet potato muffins this week with the sweet potato caramel, and was blown away. THANK YOU for your recipes. I feel like a whole new world of vegan cooking has opened up. Sincerely, thanks!
Casey, your comment truly made my day, it means so much to hear from my readers! I’m so happy you love this sauce and the muffins so much! What a compliment, so glad you are loving vegan cooking such much now! 🙂
My husband and son have Not enjoyed my transition to plant based eating – until I found your website recently and made this dish. We all LOVE it!!! They have requested I make this weekly since I first tried it s month ago. THANK YOU! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Yay! That is awesome to hear Kim, so so wonderful to hear that your whole family loves it, thank you for letting me know!
I’m looking forward to trying this! I tried a similar recipe from someone else’s sight, and it used steamed cauliflower, the same amount of cashews as yours, AND 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts. I used 2 tbsp of lemon juice, but still…all I could taste were nuts! It wasn’t wonderful. Since yours calls for less nuts and no cauliflower, I’m sure that won’t be a problem!
Soooo delicious!!! I made it with spaghetti squash, so all veggie and amazing!! Thank you for making this available for free, I am learning how to cook and prepare food differently and I can’t wait to try your other recipes!! One happy family over here!
I made this for supper tonight and it went over great! Even my 2 year old daughter loved it! I don’t have Instagram or I would have taken a picture and tagged you. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
SO happy to hear that Mary, what great feedback, thank you so much!
Hi, I was wondering if we could substitute coconut milk instead of blending the cashews? will it come out the same? I guess my question would be for any recipe that calls for blending cashews if like cashew milk or coconut milk would work the same, or is it a thicker texture and if there is a recipe to get the same texture if we used the milk instead of processing it etc.
Hi Melissa! I don’t think coconut milk will work the same since the cashews are so heavy, they really are what makes this so creamy. You would have to use full fat coconut milk to even get a close result and then it would taste like coconut, which I don’t think would be very good, haha! If you need a nut-free alfredo, then try this one. It’s super popular with readers and no nuts! https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/26/nut-free-vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
Hi, I was wondering if we could substitute coconut milk instead of blending the cashews? will it come out the same? I guess my question would be for any recipe that calls for blending cashews if like cashew milk or coconut milk would work the same, or is it a thicker texture and if there is a recipe to get the same texture if we used the milk instead of processing it etc.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Melissa! I’m so sorry, I somehow missed this comment! You actually need to use the cashews because coconut milk doesn’t reach the same thickness or creaminess, or flavor even, as cashews. If you used coconut milk, it would taste like coconut unfortunately. If you are needing a nut-free alfredo, I have one of those! Here is the recipe: https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/26/nut-free-vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
Amazing. I added some zucchini and summer squash, and some gardein meatless chicken. Added a bit of basil and oregano also.
Simply fantastic. Thanks!
So happy to hear you loved this Greg, thank you so much for leaving feedback!
Just made this, AMAZING!! It was a little too wet so i added cauliflower to thicken it. SO GOOD!
So glad to hear that Joseph, thank you so much for the feedback!
This is my second time making it and i’ve had the same problem as someone before. My sauce came out orangy and gritty. The orange colour doesnt bother me because it really depends on the vegetable broth you use. Some are darker in colour than others. However, I cant get a smooth consistency. I soaked my raw cashews in hot water over night. literally 8+ hours. I have the ninja blender, and I thought it was a high quality blender. Could the blender really be the problem?
Overall, the taste of the sauce is great and my vegan friends love it.
Hi Elda! Yes, unfortunately a Vitamix and Blendtec are more powerful than a Ninja and seems to be the only way to get it 100% smooth. However, if you blend it really long, I would think that should work, OR, do you have a food processor? I make my cream cheese in my food processor after soaking the cashews 12-18 hours and blending it for several minutes gets it incredibly smooth, so it is possible. But it’s harder for some blenders to work unless it is a Vitamix style.
Literally JUST finished my plate and was about to close this window, but this was so good that I had to comment. This hit the creamy, cheesey spot.
Yay Melissah! So glad to hear!!
I love this recipe, have made it several times. Just now I put some leftover sauce on rice with the juice from artichokes that come in a jar and it was really delicious. I used roasted cashews this time because I didn’t have raw and it turned out fine. I cooked them in the simmering broth and onion for a few mins to soften them up and it seemed just as creamy.
So so wonderful to hear Meg, thank you so much for the feedback!
So is it 2 cups of raw cashews or 1/2 cup? I’m seeing two different measurements?
Hi Maria! I’m sorry, where do you see 2 cups, it only states 1/2 cup in the ingredient list. It is just 1/2 cup.
My pantry was bare tonight but I had most of what I needed for this so set out to make it. I only subbed a tsp onion powder for the onion and I used a tsp of vegeta powder and a cup of water. Everything else in the recipe was left intact. Oh. WOW!!! This stuff cannot not be laced with cream, oil and cheese….it was simply astoundingly the best pasta I have ever tasted!!!! Scared now to try it with the real onions as I can’t see it possibly getting better lol!! Thank you !!
So wonderful to hear Esther!! I’m so happy that you loved this so much, wow, such great feedback! You made my day 🙂 Thank you!
This is my new alfredo go-to sauce. It was absolutely delicious and so quick to make- I just love it. I added a bag of heated frozen peas and a can of petite diced tomatoes and it was to die for. The peas added protein while the tomatoes added a juicy component. I am trying to eat low fat so I also added the extras to increase bulk so that I got less fat in my serving. By my nutrition calculations with 2 cups of pasta and dividing the sauce into 6 servings, it came to 9% of calories from fat (my goal is 10% or less). So it definitely does not have as much fat as some other cashew sauces- and of course, wins hands down compared to Olive Garden!! Great recipe Brandi- your genius is a true blessing on my journey to better health. You are a goddess!!!
Wow, Swann, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback and kind words! You are incredibly sweet. I’m so happy you loved this so much!! 🙂
SO glad I made this! Will make again. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Just bought a Vitamix today and this was my first recipe. So awesome! I made it just as described except that I doubled the lemon – I’m tart like that 😉
Thank you for sharing.
So very happy to hear you loved this Sandy! I’m so honored you chose my recipe to break in your new Vitamix, yay! Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Amazing—unbelievably amazing and delicious! WOW!
So glad to hear you loved it so much JoAnn! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback!
Just made it. A very delicious! Do you or does anyone know if you can freeze the sauce?
Hi Kara, so glad you enjoyed it! I have never tried freezing it, but I’d imagine it would be okay. Just reheat it slowly on the stove and add any broth if needed. I’m sure it will freeze really hard, so I’d suggest thawing it first in the fridge. Hope that helps!
I just made it. It is amazing! Thank you!
Wonderful, so glad to hear!
Just started seeing your blog and the ideas sound good but do you have a recipe for creamy sauce without nuts and potatoes. I am low salt low potassium and low carb
Hi Sandy! Without nuts or potatoes? That is going to be pretty hard because one or the other is needed to make things creamy. I do not do low carb or low salt, so this is definitely not a low carb blog. The right kind of healthy carbs are needed and super good for us, so I am not sure if I will have the kind of recipes you are looking for. There are recipes out there online that use tofu instead of nuts or potatoes, but I don’t do tofu because it is so highly processed and prefer to use the whole food nutrient ingredients like nuts or potatoes. If you are avoiding both, try googling some tofu sauces. Hope that helps!
Made this last night for a carbonara. Delicious. Really rich and decadent. My carnivore husband loved it too!
That’s so awesome Stephanie, thank you so much for the feedback!
Update on this sauce: it’s perfect over broccoli! I had a little leftover from last night’s carbonara so I thinned it with some veggie broth and over my side dish it went. Right alongside my jackfruit BBQ sandwich. Such a good meal!
It sounds amazing! Reading through this, I don’t understand when the whole sauce is heated up, and the best method for that? Or is it served cold?
I gave this link to my daughter to make your recipe first, and her sister and another guest loved it and let me know how good it was. So, tonight, I’ve made it and tasted the sauce and its delectable. Please keep this web site going with recipes and or probably publish a book to buy on Kindle or hardcover.
I got a vitamix blender 4 months ago and honestly, the recipes I have tried did not turn out very well so I haven’t used it much at all in the past 4 months. I came across this recipe and had everything but the cashews, so went to bulk barn to get some…made this recipe a couple of hours ago and OH MY GOD is this alfredo sauce SOOOOO GOOOODDDD!!! I put it on raw spiralized zucchini noodles, and after blending for a couple of minutes, the vitamix made the sauce hot so when I poured it over the noodles, it warmed everything up and made it just right. Thank you so much for posting the recipe. I can see myself making this on a regular basis and am now glad I have a vitamix after all this time! lol
I’m so very happy to hear you loved this so much Angie!! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, I really appreciate it!
I made this last night, and everything went well. I made sure to soak the cashews for a looong time because our blender is just your run of the mil Cuisinart. It was smooth as smooth can be. However, it did not taste like alfredo. It didn’t taste bad, just not what I was expecting. I am 100% sure it is because of the nutritional yeast I used. Do you have any favorites, that don’t have such a strong flavor?
Hi Michelle! Yes, the nutritional yeast definitely can ruin the taste. This is my most popular recipe and as you can see by the reviews above, it’s a big hit, so I definitely want to help you! Most nutritional yeasts have fortified vitamins added which can give a really strong, nasty taste. I only use this nutritional yeast. It’s all natural and no synthetic vitamins added. It is much milder and doesn’t overpower like most brands in the stores. Also, make sure you are using a really light veggie broth, not a tomato or carrot based one, as that can ruin the flavor too.
http://amzn.to/2fFVCm9
Years ago, before I was vegan, my little girl LOVED this place in town that served a pretty mean Alfredo. Sadly, more often than not, one of the chefs made a really, really BAD one, in opposition to the other chef, who made a really, really GOOD one. The odds were like, 5:1 that you’d get a bad one. So, way back in the nineties, I got turned off for Alfredo sauce.
Until tonight. My little Princess of a wife made this, and I became an Alfredo lover again! THEN, she showed me the nutritionals on it. LMAO! Olive Garden can KEEP the ‘cardiac event’ version, because this stuff just became a household standard.
Haha, this comment really made my day Steve! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, I’m so very happy to hear it was such a hit!
Hi!!!
Just wanted to say that I made this sauce and it was delicious!!! Thank you for such an amazing recipe 😘😘
I’m so very happy to hear that Joy, thank you so much for the feedback!
This looks so good! I just discovered your website while looking for a vegan Alfredo sauce. Thank you so much for posting this! I can’t wait to try it. I just need to get a blender first.
Just made this tonight to rave reviews. Honestly, one of the best sauces I’ve made in a long time, and I’m a pretty stellar cook who eats meat and dairy. I was vegan for several years, so I’ve developed a love for nutritional yeast, but I didn’t think this recipe was too strong on the flavor at all. It sometimes is a bit overpowering.
I added some crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest, a small drizzle of tamari and a little bit of grated nutmeg, as that always seems to add a little depth to cream-based sauces.
Will definitely be making this a billion more times.
Yay! I’m so glad to read this Ali! So happy you loved it so much and thank you very much for leaving your review 🙂
This is so amazing! I love the simplicity of this recipe, I usually have all of these ingredients in my cupboard. I can definitely see this becoming one of my go- to recipes when I’m craving comfort food this winter!
So yummy 🙂 Thank you for sharing this.
I’m so happy you loved it Jaclyn, thank you for the feedback!
I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! It’s so smooth and creamy. My son is dairy free, and mac & cheese was one of his favorite meals before dairy was removed from his diet. He LOVED this and both my kids couldn’t even tell the difference. Thanks for this recipe. I’m definitely going to use this as a “cream of..” substitute in casseroles as well. Yum!
That is just wonderful Kelly, so very happy to hear it was such a hit! So glad your son loved it!
First of all, I’m not vegan and I love cheese and eat it regularly. I didn’t have any nutritional yeast, but made it without and this sauce was amazingly delicious! I have a son who is lactose intolerant and daughter who doesn’t like tomato sauce, so I’m always at a loss when I make pasta. I was so happy that my whole family could eat it and loved it! Thank you!!!
This is so awesome to hear Genevieve! I love hearing from non-vegans who loved this sauce so much! Thank you so much for the feedback, I truly appreciate it!
I’ve been meaning to make this one for a while, but after seeing you prepare it on Eating You Alive, I decided to finally give it a try. And can I just say – wow! I’ve made a few vegan alfredos over the years and this is by far the best I’ve had. I can’t wait to eat it again!
Sabrina, thank you so much for this amazing feedback! So happy it’s the best you’ve tried! You should also try my 20 Minute Alfredo and see which one you like better!
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
I’m curious, what did you garnish it with?
Sometimes I do roasted broccoli, sometimes peas, but spinach or really, anything you like! Some people do mushrooms!
Great recipe. Didn’t have lemon juice, but I will try it again with lemon juice. I was lazy and used 1/2 cup of organic creamy cashew butter (no sugar, no salt). Seemed easier and was very creamy. Will be using the method of cooking down the onions for gravy or SOMETHING soon – was fun! Since I haven’t had non-vegan anything for about 2 years, it was very welcomed. Had with whole wheat thin spaghetti, and I didn’t even mind the spaghetti was whole wheat.
Thank you so much Terry for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
I tried this tonight and it was a huge hit. Even my son who accuses me of trying to feed him hippie food was surprised at how delicious was. I’ll be making this again for sure, I use an organic vegetable paste to make vegetable broth which I completely forgot to add and the sauce still tasted like regular alfredo sauce. Thank you so much for this recipe, it is going to become a favourite in this house.
Haha, that is awesome! Hippie food, lol! So glad it was such an all-around hit, thank you very much for the feedback!
Favorite Alfredo recipe. Only had a quarter onion but it still turned out great. Thank you.
Wonderful! So glad to hear it! It’s super duper yummy with all of the listed onion, more depth of flavor, so definitely try that next time 🙂
Do you think I could replace cashews with white beans for a higher protein and lower fat version? White bean carbonaras generally tend to turn out quite creamy.
Hi Hannah! I personally am not a fan with a 100% swap of beans for cashews. I have tried it before and find the texture to be too beany/grainy. So, in my opinion, it’s not nearly as good as the cashews. It doesn’t taste like that true rich alfredo. If anything, you could try subbing half cashews/half beans and see if you like that.
Made this tonight and it came out perfect! We added steamed broccoli. Great recipe, definitely filing this one away.
Awesome Stephanie! So happy to hear that!
Thank you! This is so creamy my boyfriend and I really enjoyed it. He went back for thirds. I am very happy I made a double batch. Soooooooo good!! We served it over pasta. We topped it with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, red pepper flakes and vegan sunflower “parm” I cannot wait to get hungry again so I can have more! You are a culinary genius!
That is so awesome Amy! Thank you so much for the wonderful review!
I made this for lunch yesterday and it was a hit. I have left over sauce and was wondering wether it would be good to pour over sliced potatoes and bake in the oven, like a vegan potato gratin? Might try it out later.
Hi Robyn! So glad to hear it was a hit! I think it would be delicious but cashew sauces bake up pretty thick usually, so you might need to add a bit of extra liquid, I’m not sure. Would be a good trial to see!
While we are certainly not vegan, but paleo, this totally hit the spot tonight. Made my first batch of paleo pasta and paired it with this sauce some broccoli and chicken. Amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Thank you so much Susan for making it and I’m so happy you all loved it!
This recipe is amazing!! I have been dairy free for a year and a half, this is the best thing I’ve eaten since.
Awww, wow, so glad to hear this Nadean! Thank you very much for taking the time to leave this amazing feedback!
This recipe is fantastic! Such a great alternative to the traditionally heavy and thick alfredo sauce.
Thank you so much, so glad you loved it!
SO GOOD! My first try at a creamy cashew sauce. I am vegan going on 2 years now and starting to get more adventurous with my cooking. I just got the Nutribullet Max and it is great for making creamy cashew sauces. I used rice pasta and lightly steamed carrots, broccoli, kale and yellow pepper, then tossed it all together with the alfredo sauce at the end. Thank-you for this recipe. I love it!
Awesome Johna! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much and all of your veggies with it sound so delicious!! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
Wow!!!
After recommendations from both my rheumatologist and my GI doc, I’ve been vegan for the past two months. It’s made a made huge difference in my psoriatic arthritis and overall general health. I’ve always been healthy, and love the fresh fruits, veggies and grains of adopting this type of diet,…but I had a little meltdown the other night. After two months of munching beans, kale, and brussels sprouts, I was just missing a bit of true comfort food. I’d just ordered a Nutribullet RX and had heard that cashews could make s great Alfredo Sauce and thought I’d give it a whirl.
This recipe is off the charts amazing!!! I followed it to a tee, except for the fact that I didn’t have lemon and used lime instead. It was delicious with the lime juice, but I understand why she’s so explicit with her ingredients and measurements. My husband became vegan two days ago and we moaned and groaned throughout the meal. (I made it with roasted cauliflower and broccoli and gluten free pasta.). Thank you for giving us an unbelievable recipe when we need a bit of healthy vegan comfort food! This will be a weekly treat!
I’m so very happy to hear and read this Debra! Such a wonderful feedback! So glad you and your hubby loved it so much and I love that y’all moaned your way through the meal, haha!
Absolutely love this recipe (eating it now actually lol). I’ve seen a few people commenting on not being able to blend the cashews well enough – my blender is awful but i have a small food processor. I processed the cashews for a minute or two before adding it to the blender with the rest of the ingredients and it worked out perfectly!
This recipe is also great for curbing any unhealthy fast food (albeit vegan) cravings and is super filling!
That is so awesome to hear James, thank you so much for the review! And thanks for sharing your tip!!
Absolutely delicious. I have made homemade vegan alfredo sauce before, but this is my favorite recipe. Tasted JUST LIKE regular, dairy alfredo sauce. 10/10 would make again!
Yay Taylor! That makes me so happy to hear this is your favorite! Thank you so much for the wonderful review!
I am on the third week of a vegan lifestyle and going strong. I made this wonderful sauce today and I am blown away by its flavor! Thank you so much for helping me along the path of healthier living and delicious recipes are so important to keep a person on track! I have already lost three or 4 pounds and I’m excited every day to try something new! Blessings to you and please continue to Develop and create new recipes! 🙏💞🙏
Awww, that is the best to hear Heather! Congrats to you and thank you so much for such kind feedback!
I’ve been vegan for a month now and I have been craving something creamy. This sauce was the perfect cure! I followed your recipe and it was delicious! The second time I made it I used a sweet onion and added extra garlic (I can’t get enough garlic!!) both variations were fantastic. Thanks for sharing!
SO happy to hear that Brittany, thank you so much for the awesome review!
Good day Brandi, I’m going to try this recipe sooner than later. How long will this last in the fridge. I’ve read people making it on a “weekly” bases. I’m just starting (2 full weeks) a plant based diet and I must say it’s not that bad. Work keeps me pretty busy. And as you can imagine I have minimal time to make dishes on demand. I use the weekends to tray and prepare as much possible for the week and keep on track. With that said….. I would love to add this to my repertoire.
Hi John! This will last about a week in the fridge. It makes a good amount and if it’s just you, then you can make it last a few dinners. Hope you love it!
We just tried the Alfredo sauce on spiralized carrots and zucchini instead of noodles. It tasted decadent and delicious. Can you freeze the alfredo sauce?
So glad you loved it Liz! I have not tried freezing it personally since we go through it so fast, but since it’s made up of all whole foods, I would think it would freeze well. I would just thaw it 1-2 days in the fridge before you are ready to eat it again and then reheat very low over the stove.
Just made the sauce–yum! Can I freeze it? Thanks!
Can I freeze the sauce? Thanks!
Hi Kel! Yes, you can freeze it! Lots of readers freeze this sauce!
Great, thanks!
Hello –
This recipe sounds great and I can’t wait to try it! However, I’m confused about quantities. The recipe seems to say that it makes 1/2 cup of sauce? So to make enough sauce for five people, I would need to quintuple the quantities? Please advise… (and thanks!)
That just means a serving, it makes about 2 cups of sauce, a lot 🙂 I will fix that!
This recipe is so delicious! I have my whole family begging me to make it all the time! Can’t wait for your cookbook!!
That is the best news! Thank you so much Morgan!
I just made this and it was just about the most delicious meal I’ve had in a long time. I love alfredo, but never feel very good after eating it. It’s a really heavy meal! This recipe, however, was a dead ringer for creamy garlic alfredo! Just as tasty with none of the digestive discomfort.
I’m eyeing up the leftovers as we speak. I served the sauce over rice fettuccini and lightly steamed broccoli. Husband loved it, too! Lots of “mmmms” as we ate. Thank you for sharing!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear Kat! Thank you for the wonderful review!
This is my favorite thing I’ve made from your blog thus far. Absolutely amazing! It was the perfect amount of sauce for 8 oz. of dry pasta that was then cooked. We added some more ground pepper to the finished product. It was sooo good, I’ll be making this one a lot.
That is so wonderful to hear Tom, thank you so much for the awesome feedback! Made my day!
I love this recipe. I come back to it again and again. But one thing I can’t figure out. Cooking the onions on low for 8 minutes is not nearly enough. I have to saute on med for 20 minutes. Sometimes I’m not patient to wait til the liquid is gone! Love it anyway. Thanks!
Hi Lori! That should be medium..just fixed it. Can’t believe I’ve never noticed that, haha. You can always raise the heat to cook it faster if you like, you just are really wanting to cook them several minutes to really make them super soft and flavorful 🙂 Glad you love the recipe!
Tried your recipe, it was the best alfredo sauce I’ve ever had. Thank YOU!
Yay! I love to hear that Dan, thank you so much for the review!
This looks so yummy!! I was just wondering how you would think it would be without the nutritional yeast. I have candida and can’t handle it at all. I think I’m going to try it without it though and see. Looks like the real deal and I love onions and garlic
Hi Amy! The nutritional yeast adds some thickening as well as a of flavor, so you will need to add others flavors to it so that it is not too bland. Nutritional yeast is also salty, so you will need to increase the salt. I would add some garlic powder, onion powder, a few Italian herbs and some dry mustard to it. Start out with 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, as it can be strong, then just adjust to taste! Place back on the heat to thicken it if needed.
Thanks so much!! I’ll try it
We LOVED this dish!!! We’re new to eating less meat – baby steps – and this recipe was soooo good! I made it according to your directions and it turned out perfect! Looking forward to trying more of your creations. Thanks so much!
That is just so wonderful to hear Trisha, thank you so much for the awesome feedback!
I am always on the lookout for recipes that align with my specific diet, which has been developed to curb the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) This recipe fit within the parameters, and surpassed my expectations by a lot! Your alfredo is much yummier than the original alfredo. After the meal was over, I intercepted the blender before my husband could get a chance to wash it; and I licked the last of the alfredo as I used to back when I was a little kid licking cake batter.
Haha! I love hearing that Lisa! I lick the blender too! Thank you so much for the awesome review, so happy you loved this!
Thank you for this! I have finally found an Alfredo I can make that doesn’t take weird ingredients, or have an “I want to be Alfredo, but I’m not” taste. This was the real deal — both my husband and son were convinced it was the real deal. My one regret is I had run out of garlic — I think I’ll add more next time!
This Was THEE BEST damn Alfredo sauce EVER. Vegan or otherwise. I’m new to your site … love LOVE love it!
Tank Q
Yay! This made me so happy to read Omega, thank you so much! If you get a chance, would you mind star rating the recipe? It really helps me out so much, thank you!
This is such a lovely sauce, I realy love it! As a former cheese addict I was realy surprised how close this gets to a creamy cheesy sauce. When I finished my bowl, my cat cleaned it out completly. We can recommend this to both vegans and non vegans, this sauce is tha bomb!
Greetings, Marianne
I made this and LOVED it! I had been craving something rich and this hit the spot. Thank you for creating such a good recipe!!
As I’m getting older, I’m learning that their certain foods that I cannot eat anymore. Sadly dairy is one of them. I have been craving for a dairy free Alfredo sauce and I think I might have just found it. It is so flavorful and I did not leave out any ingredients. Thanks for sharing your awesome recipe!
So very happy to hear you loved this Sunshine, thank you so much for the review!!
I have made this recipe several times now… my kids call it “cheesy noodles” and they really have no idea it is so healthy. I have a Vitamix blender, so this comes together very quickly. I find a little of the sauce goes a long way! And, we add cooked peas to it. Thank you for sharing this!!!
That is so wonderful to hear Mina, thank you so much for letting me know! If you don’t mind star rating it, that would be so awesome too as it really helps me out, thank you!
I just made this and it turned out DELICIOUS! I had leftover homemade cashew milk/cream that I wanted to use, and that worked perfectly. I love the strong garlic flavor! I mixed in some finely chopped steamed broccoli and garnished the dish with some chopped parsley. I actually took a picture but I don’t think I can post it here. So far, 3 out of 4 people in my household love it, and I am the only vegan. The 4th one is at work and will try it later. Thank you for this recipe!
Yay! That is the best feedback, thank you so much Sadiya for sharing!!
OK so I just wanted to check in again. Just served this to 2 non vegan men with roasted broccoli and it was huge huge success, as always! ❤️❤️❤️. Thank you, thank you.
Thank you so much Estee for the amazing review, makes me so happy to hear!
Hi, new to your amazing blog. I was wondering if I could cheat and use cashew butter instead? And how much would I need. I am oil free and vegan and am so excited to find you!!! Are you still active? I notice most posts are several years old.
Thank you!!!
Katharina
Hi Katharina! Welcome! Oh yes, extremely active, haha. That is because you are on a post that is from a few years back when I wrote it, BUT it’s the #1 recipe on my blog all these years. I have hundreds and hundreds of recipes and I started blogging in 2012, so that’s why 🙂 Be sure to subscribe to my blog in the red box so you can get my email updates each week. For this recipe I would actually refer you to my more current one that I specifically created using cashew butter and is just as popular. It’s faster too. Here is the alfredo recipe! https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
Wow! This was amazing, I could just dip a spoon in at eat it! I have done other vegan cashew sauces they are good and I enjoyed them but your adding the onions and garlic cooked in the veggie broth brought it to an amazing level!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Yay! That is so wonderful to hear Lisa, thank you very much for the awesome feedback!
I’ve only been vegan three months – vegetarian almost 50 years… I’ve been getting by with my beans and rice and soup dishes but it was time to up my game and use an actual vegan recipe. I found your site and used this recipe first, for a dinner for my husband and me, and a family friend. My husband is a meat eater, btw. This dish was quite appreciated, even though our nutritional yeast here in Germany isn’t quite as tasty as back home. I’ve never thought of grating lemon on top of pasta. Delicious. Oh, and this was the first time in my life that I sauteed onions and garlic without oil, using the broth instead. Any why not? You are a very clever cook and I’m looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thank you.
Thank you so much Shirley for the rave review and your kind words! I’m so glad this dish was such a hit, thank you so much for letting me know!
Hi. This is Allie. Will boiling the cashews fix the gritty problem if one does not have a high power blender or mixer?
Hi Allie! I have heard that it helps, but I have not personally tried it. If you have a food processor, I believe that will work much better for boiled or soaked cashews, versus a standard blender. I make my homemade cream cheese from soaked cashews in my processor and it turns out perfectly smooth. I do soak them for a long time though…not sure how that compares to boiled, but you can give it a shot and see. Just blend in your processor for several minutes until smooth.
I have to comment because we have used this recipe many times. It is a complete winner and family crowd pleaser. It is our favourite pasta meal!
Made this tonight and it was fantastic. I’ve tried many many cashew based sauces and this one by far was the best. My husband who is a skeptical plant based convert said it tasted just like Alfredo which was amazing because he taste tests everything trying to find something wrong with it. Going to try this on pizza later in the week. I’m sure it will be awesome. Thank you for the recipe. It’s a keeper for sure.
That makes me so happy to hear Tammy, thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to leave a wonderful review! So happy your skeptical hubby even loved it, haha!
Does this freeze or refrigerate well for real prep or later use? Or should it pretty much be used as it’s made?
Hi Emma, yes you can totally make this ahead of time. You will need to reheat it on very low heat over the stove, do not use the microwave. Cashew-based sauces don’t reheat well in the microwave.
Thank you for the tip. This recipe is great by the way!
Wonderful, I’m so glad to hear that!
I have tried dozens of vegan alfredo recipes and this is by far the best! I highly recommend!
So very awesome to hear that Rayne, thank you so much for the review!
I just made this recipe and it is amazing! Thank you. I will be sharing with my vegan friend because we’re always on the look out for cheesy vegan sauces 🙂
So wonderful to hear Caitlin, thank you so much for the awesome review!
Hi Brandi! First I would like to say thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I have a quick question. Since I’ll be cooking for 4 and will have to double the recipe serving amount….Do I just double all the ingredients. Thank you.
Hi Lourena! Yes, you would double everything 🙂 This does make a good amount of sauce though!
Seriously THE BEST pasta sauce I’ve ever made! I highly recommend to everyone. Cannot get enough of it!!
Whoop, thank you so much Travis! Love to hear that!
Can you freeze this sauce and thaw it later?
Yes, just thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat on low over the stove.
THIS IS MY GO-TO DISH to show people what’s possible with plant-bast cuisine. It’s 100% the best vegan alfredo sauce EVER!
I’ve made this for years now. I never comment on recipes, and that’s why I’m finally saying something. I felt I had too after looking up this recipe for the millionth time now. (pretty sure I know it by heart, but I like to double check sometimes)
This is my boyfriend’s favorite dish that I make, and our diets/taste are completely different. He’s also brutally honest about what he likes and dislikes, so when he said, “This is better than other Alfredo sauces.” I knew I found a winner. THANK YOU! I’d be honored to cook with you one day!
Aww, this is the sweetest comment ever Beacon! Thank you so much for making it for years, for one and second, for taking the time to come and rate the recipe and letting me know how much you and your boyfriend love it! I really love hearing it, thank you very much!
Hey, I was wondering if I could substitute the vegetable broth with anything? I don’t have any vegetable broth, stock, or bouillon cubes.
Hi Dhara! There is a good amount of broth in the recipe for flavor, can you get some? Any store sells veggie broth, as it’s a very basic ingredient and inexpensive, so it shouldn’t be hard to find and water isn’t really a good substitute as it will make the sauce more bland.
I love it! Thank you for all your hard work and for sharing with us!
Wonderful Tina, thank you!
I’m concerned about not having a blender that is powerful enough to really blend up the cashews – could I use oil-free cashew butter instead?
Yes, you can sub with the same weight amount, 75 grams, which is about 5 tablespoons. It should work just the same that way!
We made this tonight and LOVED IT!! Thanks!
SO awesome to hear that Jeanne! Thank you for the review!
I just made this sauce, but added the zest of a lemon also, and it was a delicious lemony, creamy, delightful sauce that I stirred through quinoa and amaranth pasta and added pumpkin and broccoli….will certainly become a regular comfort food dish for me…delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Is it possible to omit the nutritional yeast from the recipe? What is its purpose. I have never used nutritional yeast.
i tried your recipe and the spghetti turned out great!! Thank you so much!
Wonderful, thank you Farida!
This was absolutely delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly . I served it with noodles and broccoli. Wow. I will definitely be using more recipes from this site.
Thank you so much!!
So wonderful to hear Lonnie, thank you so much for the awesome review!
Thank you for this 100% spot on recipe! Your directions are great. Including the gram measurements for the garlic and onion took out any guess work. No tweaks needed!
Wonderful Jody! So glad it was such a hit, thank you for the feedback!
This is amazing! It does taste like alfredo sauce! I took a bite as soon as I finished blending and I couldn’t believe it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I want to make this and I have salted cashews on hand. I’m wondering if it really matters for me to go buy unsalted cashews or if it wouldn’t make a noticeable difference in taste to just use the salted ones? Thanks!
My 5 stars didn’t power the first time… Anyhow,
This is amazing! It does taste like alfredo sauce! I took a bite as soon as I finished blending and I couldn’t believe it. Thank you for sharing.
Yay, thank you so much Margot, so glad it was a hit!
This Alfredo Sauce is SOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!!! I made it last night and served it for dinner to my boyfriend. He LOVED it as much as I did! Thank you so much!
I love this recipe, thank you 💜!! It does make more than I use at one time so I stored it in the fridge. Had the rest tonight (6 days later). That led me to wonder how long it actually can hang out in the fridge. Any thoughts?
Hi Lesley, so glad you loved it! I’d say a good week and then I don’t usually keep it much longer than that, but I’m weird about old food in the fridge, haha. I know others have kept it longer, but I think a solid week is still good!
Nutritional yeast….
Help me out…..
This is the first time over ever tried it.
I bought a bag of non synthetic stuff about 3 weeks ago.
The smell makes me want to puke!
I’ve tried cooking with it several times, including making this recipe tonight…..
And omg it’s disgusting! I was sooooo excited about finding a cheesy option and yet i can’t even smell it let alone eat it….
What is it actually meant to taste like??
Do I just have a bad batch….. or am I going to forever more miss out on cheese 😩
Hi Alex! Oh no, yeah, some people just absolutely hate nutritional yeast and can’t stomach it. Or, it takes a bit to get used to. Oddly though, many non-vegans make them and have never mentioned anything about the yeast. I would try to sub the yeast with some mellow white miso instead, start with just 1 tbsp and that will give that salty cheesy bite to the overall flavor. Or, I also have this alfredo, it is a Cream Cheese Alfredo but has no nutritional yeast!
https://thevegan8.com/2017/10/13/vegan-cream-cheese-alfredo/
I’m a baby Vegan and this is absolutely AMAZING!!! I absolutely love fettuccine Alfredo, I just wasn’t sure if I would like this recipe and I am totally blown away!! This recipe is truly delightful!! Eating it now for leftovers!!
Thank you so much Erin, so very happy to hear this! Yay!
OMG this was my first vegan recipe that I have made. My boyfriend is a no nonsense meat and potatoes guy so I am always hesitant on trying healthy food options. He told me to go ahead an try it and we were so surprised how yummy it is! He even went in for seconds!
Thank you!
Yay! Thank you so much Amanda for the glowing review! So happy you both loved it, thank you for letting me know!
Brandi! This was soooooooooooooo awesome! Girrrrrrl, you put your foot in that! I would have never guessed this was vegan. AMAZING!!! This is going to be my go to. I’m so sneaking this healthy sauce in on my Mom. My husband LOVES it. It’s so spot on. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Laketa for this amazing review! You are so sweet! So glad it was such a hit!
Excellent turns out every single time. Personally, I add more garlic and lemon juice, we love love love this pasta dish, total comform food without all the nasty calories and animal products. Have also tried the leftover pasta with pan-fried mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Excellent. YUM a 10 for sure.
Thank you so much Marlene! So happy to hear how much you make and love this, thank you!
This was really good. The onions took about 20-30 minutes to cook, it could be that I didn’t cut them small enough but it would have taken that long for the broth to be evaporated as well. My husband said it tasted like real alfredo sauce. Yummy, thanks for developing this.
That is wonderful to hear, yay! Wow, really?! Never takes me more than 10 minutes! Just turn up the heat next time 🙂
Just made this for dinner tonight and it was good. We are actually omnivores trying to only eat meat once a week. My hubby’s always very skeptical of copycat vegan dishes so I had to present it as pasta with sauce lol. He liked it and so did I! Our toddler ate his all up! It tastes more like a nutty garlicky cheesy sauce to me rather than an Alfredo but the flavors all come together really well and it makes me want to eat more and more. Yum!
I’m so glad it was a hit Elle, thank you so much for the review! Yes, it is not 100% like true alfredo since that one is made with nothing but cheese, butter and cream, so it’s entirely different ingredients, but this one comes so close and is actually healthy, so readers can’t get enough!
How do you think mushroom broth would taste in this?? Or should I just stick to using plain veggie broth?
Hi Madeline, I would stick to low-sodium veggie broth since that is what has been tested and gotten all great reviews. I have never had mushroom broth so I can’t give advice on how it would taste but I’m afraid the flavor might be too strong. I’d hate for it to ruin the flavor and you waste all your ingredients.
Made the sauce, its good, and Ill make it again! A couple things though: it was quite lemony – almost overpowering so Id say err on the side of less lemon when you make it because you can always add more if you really like/want that lemon flavor; and my sauce came out WAAAAYYYY peppery and I only added a smidge over 1/4 tsp.
I’ve recently converted to vegan (though Im not always 100% I do try to keep it at least vegetarian, its a work in progress) and I dont know if my taste buds are waking up or what. Is it just me or has anyone else thought it was a little heavy on the pepper? I am probably just crazy.
Hi Sunshine, glad you liked it! But to me, that is very odd, it sounds like you forgot the remaining broth or didn’t add enough or something because I’ve had probably at least 1000 people make this and not once has anybody ever said it tastes too lemony, and certainly not too peppery. For this amount of sauce, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper is extremely miniscule. You shouldn’t even taste pepper. I can’t imagine anybody being that sensitive to such a small amount for you to say it is wayyyyy peppery, so something sounds odd! With that said, you could always just leave it out next time!
This recipe is amazing! My 20-month old inhaled it without hesitation!
Oh that is so awesome to hear Stephanie, thank you!
Brandi, every recipe that you share with the world is delicious! I made your Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce again tonight and it is the best! I doubled the recipe this time and froze half for the future. I have done this with your Mexican cheese sauce and it freezes/thaws beautifully. Thank you for being so creative for us!
Oh yay Carolyn!! So happy to hear that and thank you so much for your sweet words! Great to hear about the freezing part as well 🙂 Would you mind leaving a star rating too, they are so helpful, thank you Carolyn! 🙂
Mine also turned out gritty, however I know it’s because I didn’t soak cashews long enough and I used a food processor. But honestly my husband and I didn’t care that it wasn’t creamy because it was delicious anyway! I’ll definitely be making it again and hopefully can get it to the proper creaminess but if not that’s ok! We also added some peas on top and that tasted good too.
Hi Brit! Oh yes, that’s why I note how important it is to use a Vitamix or soak them overnight. Impossible to get it smooth otherwise. But glad it was still delicious!
Finally, a chance to make this for a new vegan potluck dinner club and it was a huge hit! I tripled the recipe as I didn’t know how hearty an eater some of the guests would be but the extra sauce is just as delicious reheated. I used it with thin whole wheat spaghetti noodles and a vegetable melange (zucchini, yellow crook neck squash, carrots, celery, red pepper & broccoli) stir fried with sun dried tomatoes. So it was pretty as well as tasty. A great recipe that will be made again!
Thank you Peggy for making it and even moreso for all of your guests! So glad everybody loved it, yay!!
Hi!
I want to make this for a new mama who can’t have dairy – have you or anyone tried to freeze the already prepared sauce in portions to thaw & eat? They don’t have a high-speed blender and I’m going for simplicity.
Thank you,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie! Yes, you can definitely freeze it in individual portion sizes. Just let your friend know to thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge first before eating it and heating it on low over the stove is better than the microwave and to whisk it well as it is heating 🙂
WOW WOW WOW!!!! 😮. I just made this for the first time. Absolutely no difference from the dairy sauce taste wise. My omnivorous husband said it’s the best recipe I’ve ever made him and had three servings!!
This is the first vegan alfredo I’ve tried and Im done my search. This is it. Thankyou sooo much for this recipe. And no oil or other nasties. Completely health promoting 🙂
I’m just so very happy to hear that Michelle! Thank you so much for this amazing review!
Tonight I made “the Garlic Alfredo sauce and it was so good and creamy. I added some peas and carrots to them, since I go shopping each week at a farmers market. I was so good it will go onto my ” will do it more often” food plan. My hubby loved it as well, A big Thank you
I’m so happy to hear that Kerstin, thank you so much for the amazing review!
There are VERY few recipes that I lick my vitamix for when it’s done. This was one of those very rare recipes that tasted SO good I had my fingers all down in the (unplugged) Vitamix licking every drop I could!! This is AMAZING! I followed the directions to the T and it came out absolutely perfect! I bookmarked this recipe to my phone because it was so good! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Haha, licking the vitamix is a really good sign of it being delicious! I’m so thrilled to hear how much you loved it, thank you very much for the lovely review Jill, I was so happy reading it!
Made this tonight and it turned out perfect! So delicious and amazing! Did a quick soak for 15 minutes in hot water for the cashews, did everything as mentioned, and blended in my new Vitamix. Came out so good! Thank you for this recipe! 🙂
I’m so very happy to hear that William, thank you so much for the wonderful review!!
Brandi this recipe was soooo awesome!! I made it tonight and added a little rosemary. It honestly tastes better than “real” Alfredo sauce, husband loved it. Thank you so much for sharing! I posted the link to the recipe on a vegan challenge Facebook group, everybody needs to know about this amazing Alfredo sauce!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yay Melissa! That is so awesome to hear! Thank you for the amazing review and sharing it with others!!
Love love love it!!!
Wondering if you could can this-like mason jar canning?
My grown girls loved it and it would be great to put a few jars in their pantry.
Thanks so much for putting it all out there for all of us to enjoy!!!
Jen
My 7 year old grandson was visiting and I needed something for dinner. I made this sauce and it was a big hit. I doubled the recipe because I was making planned leftovers. I measured the onion, but weighed the garlic. Only used 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Omitted the nutrition yeast because I did not have any. Super creamy. This is going on my list of make again.
Wonderful Nancy, so glad to hear it was such a hit!
Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but mine was watery and not very creamy – it also had a somewhat sweet taste to it. 😕 any opinions on what I could be missing? Maybe not enough cashews? I did measure them?
Hi Alex, hmm, that’s very odd, never heard that before and as you can see from all the reviews above, hundreds have made this and loved it. It should be creamy and taste like an alfredo. Did you follow the steps of cooking the onions until all the liquid is gone and then just start with adding ONLY 1/2 cup broth to the blender? Also, the lemon juice counteracts any sweetness from the cashews, as well as the nutritional yeast and garlic. Are you adding all of that? Weigh the cashews? It sounds like too much broth got added to me. Also, when you add the sauce to the warmed pasta, that helps the sauce additionally to thicken up but it should not be watery at all in the blender, but creamy and thick like in the photos.
Delicious!🤗
Wonderful Platty, so glad to hear that!
This sauce is incredible! My friend made it yesterday and it is spot on! Full of flavor and richness! Had I not watched her make it from start-to-finish I would have never known that it was not traditional alfredo! Excellent job creating this sauce. I will definitely be using this recipe from now on!
That’s so awesome to hear Jessica, thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious, I had my doubts but it was incredible, my husband and friends loved it, not a bit left….thank you
That’s so wonderful to hear Tammy! So glad it was an all-around hit. Thank you for the wonderful review!
I’m not vegan, but I’m allergic to milk, so I do a lot of vegan recipes. I just made this. It’s delicious, but I did make a few changes. I used about 2 tbs more nutritional yeast, and added in a little basil and paprika at the end (which I always use in pasta sauces. More a personal taste than anything else). It is a little thin for my tastes. Next time I make it I will probably use just 1/2 a cup broth to cook the onions and garlic and start with 1/2 cup to start in the blender.
Hi Amber! So glad it was delicious! Yes, the recipe ingredients lists the range of 2-4 tbsp of nutritional yeast because everybody varies on their tolerance of the flavor. As well as the directions of stating to taste and add more, as it’s up to you how much yeast flavor you want.
Also, I list specifically on the directions to cook the onions and garlic until all the broth cooks off, as well as mentioning to ONLY start with 1/2 cup of broth to the blender. So, it is noted on there so if you added the full cup and didn’t cook off the liquid, that’s why yours was more thin. It works perfectly every time when following those exact steps and is perfectly creamy to coat the pasta well. 🙂
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! I followed to a T. I used 2 T lemon juice and 4 T yeast. I added a little more pepper. Thank you so much! I’ll be making this often to eat with steamed veggies!
Wow! I absolutely LOVE this sauce! To be honest, I was a little unsure about how it would turn out, and I am so impressed:) I followed the recipe exactly and I like this better than traditional alfredo sauce. I only became a vegan about 6 months ago and your recipes have me so incredibly inspired ❤️ Thank you so much! 😁
So so kind! Thank you Penny for the amazing review! I love it so much better than the dairy version too! It really is better and doesn’t make me sick afterwards. Thank you for your kind words! 🙂
I became vegan nearly two years ago and often host meals for non-vegans. I came across your recipe this week and I just made it for a dinner party that I will be having tonight. I wanted to take a moment out before my guests arrive to tell you I tried the cheese sauce while I was cooking and it is amazing!!!! I can’t wait for the guests to try it. I have been trying all kinds of cashew recipes to achieve that cheesy flavor and for my taste buds, this is the first recipe to achieve that flavor.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am sure I will make it often.
Hi Kathy, thank you so much for this amazing review! I’m so very happy to hear how much you loved it!!
I am loooooving this recipe!! I added sliced mushrooms that I sautéd in the skillet I used for the onions. So delicious! Thank you for this recipe 🙂
I’m so glad you love it Maike, thank you so much for the awesome review!
I must be stupid, I can’t see where it recommends how much pasta is needed for the original recipe. It sounds so good I’m sure I will probably start off with at least a double batch. Being vegan, I like to prepare a lot for the week and use it as leftovers.
Hi Lonna, no not stupid at all, it isn’t listed! The recipe is just for the sauce so I don’t have pasta listed. I usually make around 12 oz of pasta 🙂
OMG I made this tonight I absolutely loved it. I doubled the recipe and used 1 pound of pasta and I did add a bag of peas to it also. I can’t wait to show it off to my friends, especially the vegan ones.
Awesome!! Thrilled to hear that, thank you for the feedback!!
Love, love, love this. Made it today for my hubby’s 70th birthday. A real keeper, him and this recipe! Thank you for your inspiration.
Awesome, so wonderful to hear that!