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.
This garlic alfredo sauce is addictive! I tried it over spaghetti squash with green peas, plus a dash of cayenne. Definitely a recipe to repeat!
I’m so happy you loved it Kathy, yay!
The absolute best vegan alfredo sauce ever!! I found this recipe in the last year since going vegan and I cannot get enough of it! Guilt free and super delicious!!
That is the best to hear Josee, thank you so much for making it and leaving a review!
I just made this and absolutely loved it! I added it to a casserole with lentil pasta, zucchini, mushrooms, and Brussels spouts. Thanks so much for this yummy recipe!
My family’s FAVORITE Alfredo sauce. We’ve been making this at least once a month for over a year now. I can’t believe how awesome this sauce is!
This is so wonderful to hear Bree, thank you so much for letting me know!!
Made this recipe for dinner tonight, it was a huge hit! I’ve been trying new vegan recipes and trying to get my friends and family to open up to vegan recipes and new experiences – and this dinner is definitely something they did not regret!! I have some leftover sauce left and was wondering if I could use it for something else? I wouldn’t want this amazing sauce to go to waste. Maybe pair it with another main course/side? Would love some help xx
Hi Liz, oh that is so wonderful to hear!! Really awesome news! I know of some readers who have used it in lasagna and I also like to use it to make a white pizza! Here is an example of how I’ve used it on pizza from one of my posts on Instagram! Here is the link: Instagram
This recipe was AMAZING! I was searching forever for a healthier version of Alfredo recipe that was vegan and came across yours. I’m so glad I tried it! This is my third recipe of yours that I’ve tried and all of them thus far have been spot on delicious and nutritious. I topped my Alfredo recipe with roasted asparagus and mushrooms – will definitely make for years to come!
Yay Suzanne, so very happy to hear this! So glad you are loving my recipes, that means so much, thank you for the kind comment!
YAAAAAAAASSSSS!!
Hi – loved this! I am a vegan who learned to cook (and still learning) when I went vegan about 2 1/2 years ago. It was so easy to follow your directions. The sauce came out great and I love the low calories! I probably overdid the pepper which added a little kick (I loved it but my wife was sweating . . . she still thought it was great). Will look for other ones from you!
So glad to hear it Tim, thank you!
So easy to make. So flavorful. Thank you for this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it Jeremy, thank you!
I’ve been looking for the perfect vegan Alfredo recipes for quite a while … and this one is it! It’s shockingly good. I threw in some peas, and will probably try asparagus, broccoli or mushrooms next go around. Honestly, the sauce is so good any veg is gonna work here. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you found the one you love Rachel, thank you so much for making it!
What the flip! This is soooo good. There were no left overs. Even the meat eaters devoured this. I added an extra clove of garlic because for me there is no such thing as too much garlic. Will be making again ASAP! Thank you thank you!
Really wonderful to hear Michelle, thank you!
I just made it and it was so delicious! Definitely better than non-vegan version that makes your tummy so bloated with dairy products. I substituted cashew with macadamia nuts ( my son is allergic to cashew nut) and vegetable broth with filtered water. I also added mushroom and baby spinach. Thank you so much for the recipe!! I love it!
Yay, thank you for the amazing review! So happy it worked with macadamia too!
Just made this tonight! So I popped the cashews in water to soak this morning. Got home and realized I only had my tiny magic bullet blender haha – no idea where my large one went. I was determined to make it and the cashews were soaking all day so I made the sauce in small batches. It didn’t take long and worked perfectly into a smooth and creamy sauce. Was delicious!
I got this recipe off of the whole foods page and I love it!
I’m so glad you loved my recipe DJ! What do you mean you got it off the Whole Foods page though? This is my recipe I wrote back in 2013 so just curious where it is listed on their page?
Hi…
This is great!! can’t wait to try this.
I only have food processor, so i need to soak overnight then blend it long enough to get the smooth texture right?
Hi Lim, yes, exactly! Soak them for 8-12 hours for the best results, drain and rinse and then proceed!
This is my go to Alfredo recipe. I added broccoli the first time I made it, which was fantastic. Last time I used mushroom broth instead of vegetable broth because that’s all I had, I also added mushroom and asparagus. Super delicious recipe!
Really glad to hear that Kaitlin! Asparagus sounds so yummy!
What a great find! Saw it on a documentary- tried it the next night- even a score with my 12-year-old grandson . Thanks for helping me eat healthier!
Thank you fot the idea! Yesterday I tried it and it was sooo delicious! It’s one of the best vegan alfredo sauce I’ve ever eaten!
Yay, so glad Josha!
This doesn’t taste anything like Alfredo sauce. It’s a thousand times better. It has enormous flavor, just the right consistency and is easy peasy to make. I’m throwing in sautéed mushrooms. Holy moly, is this a huge hit!
Haha I got nervous when first started reading the first sentence, lol! Thank you for the amazing feedback!
This is the BEST vegan Alfredo sauce ever! I’ve tried tons of vegan Alfredo recipes. This tops them all! I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. So yummy!
That is so awesome to hear Corinne!!
Would unsalted roasted cashews be a substitute? Or do they need to be raw? Thanks!
Yes, raw yields the best flavor. Roasted cashews have a really strong flavor and would not taste nearly as good.
OMG! Such a great recipe! I have made this last night! The taste was so great as it looks! Thanks a lot for sharing with us.
SO awesome to hear!
Thank you so much for creating and taking the time to share this Brandi! I’ll be trying this soon as it’s the kind of thing that can go with so many things!!!
Sorry your not getting the credit you deserve!! I’ll be trying it this weekend ❤️
Thank you, it’s ok, I’m grateful for all the people that find and make this recipe!
Tried this recipe a while ago and loved it! My son who is all about carbs and dairy even loved it. Has anyone tried to freeze the sauce? I am considering making a fairly large dish with spaghetti squash, mushrooms, broccoli, and chicken (sorry I’m a meat eater) and would like to freeze in smaller lunch size portions for quick grab and go lunches or dinners. Do you think it would hold up okay?
Hi Stacey, so glad y’all loved it! I’ve never froze it personally, but since it’s all whole foods, it should freeze just fine. Just thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat on low heat over the stove whisking well to break up any lumps!
Vegan butter, oil unhealthy? How so? I use Miyokos personally.
Yes, oils are pure liquid fat with all the nutrients removed, as opposed to fats in nuts or seeds or avocado, which are Whole Foods with all their nutrition. Many plant based doctors teach the importance of avoiding oil. Look up Dr. Esselstyn.
Omg, this is amazing especially since im not a fan of tofu. Thank you!