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)
- 1/2-1 tablespoon lemon juice (start with just 1/2 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 1/2 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.
Just here again after a few tears to say my family never tires of this amazing Alfredo sauce. Made it again tonight and served over pasta with chicken ken and broccoli.
I made this sauce last night and could not believe how creamy and delicious it turned out!!
So so so darn good! Loved it! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
I made this tonight for my omnivorous friends and they were so impressed, they said they wouldn’t have known that it was entirely vegan! I liked the taste as its similar to alfredo but personally I always like adding a little more spice to my meals.
So glad it was a hit! Alfredo is a very basic mellow flavor but you can always add any more spices if you want!
I made this recipe before and my family didn’t notice this was vegan. I am the only vegan member of my family and slowly I’ve been serving them delicious food like this Alfredo sauce and they have barely noticed. :). I love this sauce so much that I am going to make it again tonight. Thank you! I really appreciate simple and quick recipes like this- I work long hours and have little energy to cook meals that require too many ingredients and time. Thanks again 🙂
Thank you so much for such kind feedback!!
This is so good and we *have* subbed ingredients (not because the recipe needed it but because I don’t always plan well) but no matter what, it’s always fantastic. Some of the changes we’ve tried are subbing a whole, roasted onion (that was frozen and defrosted), using freeze dried garlic, dubbing unsweetened almond milk for broth, adding oven-dried tomatoes, adding dried red pepper flakes… always comes out great!
Can I sub red onion instead? Thanks!
Hi! You can use either white or yellow but I really wouldn’t use red onion. It is way too sweet and will make the sauce too sweet and a not so pleasant color.
Can we use your replacement “nutritional yeast” recipe in this recipe? My daughter has a reaction to the traditional nutritional yeast. I didn’t know if the flavors would be as good? Thank you for posting amazing recipes! I am excited to try this!
Hi Teri! I actually don’t use the yeast anymore when making it for my husband since he cannot have it (huge gout trigger) and he loves this recipe. I learned awhile back how bad it triggers gout, so I just leave it out now. It is still plenty delicious, but I’ll bump up with some garlic or onion powder a bit if needed after blending and tasting! You can just try that or a little bit of vegan parmesan.
A M A Z I N G!!! We had a vegan/vegetarian potluck and I wanted to make something different and test my tastebuds!! Well this recipe came up when I was scrolling. I love cooking and cooking for people is what I love doing. After reading this I thought Hey I can do this!! Well let me tell you something, first- I have never really followed directions so this was hard. But once o did follow everything to a tee. I was blown away on how delicious it turned out!! So worth it!! So basically I wanted to Thank You for posting your recipe. It was a hit!! This is a keeper for sure!!
This was so good! I used a heaping 1/2 of sunflower seeds instead and it was delicious!! This will be on the rotation now!
Thank you for this simple and quick vegan alfredo. I found the vegetable broth becoming a bit too prolific as I thinned the sauce, so I added a bit of rice milk and bingo! Just an ounce or so of rice milk balanced out the veggie broth and yeast flavors and added that little bit of milkiness I was missing. Thanks again and cheers!
CJ
Oh. My. Goodness. This sauce is delish!!! Amazing recipe! Thank you for sharing!
It came out deliciously creamy and surprising just like Alfredo my non vegan boyfriend couldn’t get enough. Added steamed broccoli at the end for a little extra heartyness! Thank you, another great and easy go to recipe for weeknight dinners!
Mind blown. This is so delicious, thank you for sharing. Added a side of cauliflower, broccoli and peas. We will definitely be making this regularly!
So wonderful, thank you Amy!
This alfredo is so good!! My whole family loved it, including my super picky 3 year old! None of us are vegan, but I’ve been on a mission lately, to put together truly yummy, whole food meals. I adjusted the spices slightly, to more closely mimic my regular alfredo, marinated and grilled some chicken breast, sauteed mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and broccoli, and put it all on top of pasta. WOW! It’s incredible how close the taste is to the “real” stuff! Cashew creams, in place of dairy, might just be my new obsession. I’ll definitely be checking out more of your recipes! Thanks!
That’s so awesome, thank you Brie!!
This is so awesome Brie, so happy you loved it!!
This was AMAZING!! I want it for dinner every night lol. The sauce it’s self I could just eat plain. I served it with fettuccine, beyond hot Italian sausage and sautéed some zucchini, onion and mushrooms!! Such a hit. Will be making this over and over again
Oh that sounds so yummy with the sausage! So glad you loved it!
Hi
My husband can not eat onions as they make him quite ill. Do you think i can make this without them as he loves Alfredo but my son can not eat dairy.
Thank you!
Hi! Make this recipe instead, it doesn’t call for onions. Because the recipe above definitely needs the onions, so it won’t work without them. Here is the other recipe: https://thevegan8.com/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
So easy to make and delicious!
Thank you so much for this delicious sauce, love it!
We have tried so many vegan alfredos, this takes the cake by far!! Its become a staple in our home. I follow the ingredients and instructions exactly. I’ve been known to need to adjust recipes but this one needs no adjustment. It is just a fantastic recipe, thank you!!
Yay, amazing, thank you Mattie!
Can this sauce be stored in fridge for some time ?
Yes, definitely 4-5 days or so.
Oh. My. Goodness. We just got done eating this Alfredo with vegan mushroom ravioli and it is to die for! I’ve made a few vegan Alfredos in the past but non compared to this one. Super creamy and good flavor! I followed the recipe exactly as it’s written. I didn’t need to thin it out after the first blend.
Woohoo, thrilled to hear this Liz!
I tried making this and followed the recipe to a T and it came out bad. Not sure what I did wrong but it tasted like cashews, I kept adding broth, yeast, and lemon juice and I ended up with something totally weird tasting. Supper disappointed. I was looking forward to it and so was my husband. What did I do wrong ?
Hmm, hard to say without being there to know what might have went wrong, but I’ve never heard that and thousands of people have made this. It definitely should not have a cashew flavor. All the onions, garlic, lemon, etc. mask it very well. The only thing that would make a strong cashew flavor would be if you used roasted cashews by accident. Raw cashews are VERY mild in flavor compared to roasted.
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I didn’t change a thing. I thought the idea of putting lemon zest on it at the end seemed strange but I love lemon zest so I I gave it a try. Wow! It went from really good to out of this world. Thank you!!!
You are officially my -‘go-to-resource’ for all things vegan recipes. The fact that I discovered your website based around a maximum of 8 ingredients is great enough, but to find this sauce recipe and taste so so good, well, leaves me smiling for joy. I’ve tried cashew/walnut & spinach sauces which were nice, but not like ‘rocket-to-the-moon’ nice. I followed your instructions about starting with certain measures and only adding if required. I found I added an additional 1/4 cup plant milk and a 3rd tablespoon of nutritional yeast. I’m also glad to learn that while some folks take your recipe and say it’s theirs, that you’re the original cook. So glad to have discovered you :-).
You are the sweetest Kathy, thank you so much for such an awesome review and kind words!
five stars (I forgot to add)
How much sauce does this make? How much pasta (500 grams) should I use?
Hi Meira, it says 2 cups sauce on the recipe card. It will vary depending on how much broth you add. Anywhere from 8-12 ounces of pasta.
The alfredo sauce is super creamy and flavorful. Added mushroom and spinach as toppings. I just finished 3 servings and was still hungry!
Sounds so yummy!
Do I still need to soak my cashews if they are bought roasted?
No, the recipe calls for raw cashews. Roasted will yield way too strong of a cashew flavor, so I wouldn’t suggest it. If you have a vitamix, you don’t need to soak.
Any possibility of replacing the cashews with some other base? I can’t eat cashews and they’re used in so many recipes. Thank you!
You can try raw sunflower seeds but keep in mind they are less creamy and stronger in flavor and bitter, so the flavor will change
Absolutely hands down THE BEST vegan recipe!!! I have tried tons of recipes…this is a keeper!!! Even my non- vegan family loved it. People ask me for the recipe…I just share this link🤗😊
Thank you so much! I now use the same concept of sauteing the onions in my other recipes…way less oil and packed with flavor😋
This was amazing!!! I made it for my omnivore significant other whose favorite dish is fettuccine alfredo and he loved it. I used cashew butter following the tip you left in the comments about using just under 5 tablespoons. There was no sauce left on our plates after we scraped it up with bread! I will be making this again and sharing it with others. Thank you so much!!!
That is so amazing to hear!!
I am making this 5 star Alfredo sauce for tonight’s dinner. My husband wants me to use Angel hair for the pasta. You are truly a genius!!
Brenda Maxey
I’ve never tasted a better vegan Alfredo sauce. Added broccoli it was amazingggggg. 10/10 recommend!!!
Yay! That’s amazing Ray!!
I’ve made this recipe more than 10 times, we love it at my house. I make extra to top my air fried potatoes and my steamed veggies. Delicious!
Omg this was so yummy. I actually added a couple handfuls of raw greens to the blender. I had it over a sweet potato with steamed broccoli and again with Whole wheat orzo pasta poured over steamed bokchoy. Yum.
Oh wow that sounds so delicious!! Love bok choy. So glad you loved it!
Wow this was amazing even my non vegan family loved loved loved it. Will definitely be making again. Very easy to make and tasted very creamy. I was a bit dubious and had a back up plan if it wasn’t tasty but no it was awesome and so healthy.
Thanks for a great receipe,
So glad everybody loved it!
I have a ninja and I can’t get it creamy (not grainy) does anyone have any advice?