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!
*This post contains affiliate links. See my full disclosure policy here.
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.
I am considering making this week. Foremost I want to say bravo and give props to your work creativity and conscientious mindfulness of health. I’m excited to try 🌼
So sweet, thank you!
This was so delicious. 5+ stars! I added smoked paprika to replicate the flavor of my favorite cheese, Gouda, which I’ve had before in an Alfredo sauce. It was also unbelievably easy to make: I made the sauce + steamed some veggies in less than 30 mins. Thank you for one of my new favorite vegan cheese sauces!
So simple, so delicious!
Thank you forsharing
I probably make a double batch of this 2 times a month. I get depressed if I don’t have it in my fridge cuz I add it to most everything! Like literally everything. I’ve been making this for a year or two and can’t believe I haven’t commented on its amazing-ness! Thanks for the fantastic recipes!
Woohoo I love hearing that Melissa!!
Delicious!
It’s the most delicious pasta and not only sauce I’ve ever made!!! I really cannot understand why nobody told me before it existed! Thank you Brandi for sharing it with us! It’s a must in our family every week! My toddler adores it and eats directly from the pan! Thank you for your advice for freezing as well!
What’s the best way to reheat this?
I just use the microwave!
Nothing to add to the other comments, people already said it all : )
I cut the recipe in half, since I didn’t have that many cashews, and added lightly sauteed asparagus and mushrooms. It was delicious! I didn’t think there could be a comparable Alfredo sauce that was vegan, but I was wrong! Thank you for the recipe!
Yay!!
I was sent to this recipe from your Caesar chickpea sandwiches (which were AMAZING!) and you suggested that you use the leftover artichokes for this recipe. How do you incorporate them in, just roast them?
Hi Brittany! I like to roast them yes and just top the alfredo with them!
This is my first time making fettuccine alfredo let alone vegan fettuccine alfredo. Boy let me tell you, this sauce is AMAZING!!!! I cannot recommend this recipe enough!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Woohoo, thanks Jessie!
I’ve tried another cashew Alfredo recipe from a book years ago but I’ve since lost the book. I am allergic to lemon and I can’t remember if the other recipe had it and I just skipped it or what. Would lime juice work for removing the cashew flavor or would that have too strong of a flavor of its own? Any other suggestions besides the lemon?
Lime is sweeter, so it may taste a bit sweeter, but you could always try that.
I was shocked to discover it tasted exactly like guilty Alfredo.
Yay!!!
Amazing. I cooked for my son and friend, both picky. This was a hit! I forgot to get onions from the grocery store, so I used chives from the garden. This made the mix green, lol, so it looked way worse than it tasted. By far the best vegan white sauce I’ve ever made.
Tried it tonight (I usually make the other Alfredo recipe on this site), and it was very good! Even my picky daughter loved it, and she wasn’t expecting to. Score!
Oh my! Delish!!! I caramelized the onions until golden for extra umami goodness and used low sodium miso instead of veg broth. Thank you for the great recipe!
How did the miso do in this recipe? That sounds delish!
I’ve made this before and lost the recipe and just did a google search to find this EXACT recipe again just now. Because it really is the best one. It sucks to hear you aren’t getting credit for your work. I will definitely throw out a tag when I post my dinner tonight. Thank you for sharing your talent with us all! <3 (: