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
- 1/2-3/4 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 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 made this tonight, and at the end added one cup of white wine and a package of button mushrooms, chopped. I simmered it for a few minutes to cook the mushrooms and burn off the alcohol.
WOW this was delicious ! I made it for my husband who is not vegan and usually is really picky with vegan dishes that I make and he loved it.
Awesome Elizabeth, so glad you and your hubby loved it! Thank you for the feedback!
This is the absolute best alfredo recipe I have tried, and I have tried a few. So delicious. Thank you sooooo much! Lin
That is so amazing to hear Lin, thank you so much for making it!
This is a favorite of mine. I make this once a week. Awesome recipe.
So happy to hear that Nicole, thank you!!
Oh wow, this is deliciously scary!!! I just made it and I am very pleased, I also added some oregano and parsley to it! Thank you!
Wonderful Sara, so happy to hear that!
Oh girl, you’ve outdone yourself with this one. Absolutely delicious!! We made this for dinner tonight and it was a HIT! My stepdad (who’s always a bit skeptical about vegan sauces that mimic classic sauces made with cream and cheese) turned to my mom and I and was like YEP THIS WORKS!! We served it with balsamic roasted brussel sprouts, a divine combo if I say so myself!
Oh wow, that is an awesome testimony! And serving it with brussels sprouts is an awesome idea! Sounds so delicious!
Hi Brandi,
I feel really badly for you on the hijacking of your recipes. It is like using copywrited software without permission or paying for it!!! It really upsets me knowing this as I realize the work you put into these recipes and then you turn around and just share them with us. It is such a generous thing to do and you ask nothing back but to not “steal” them by placing them on our websites without your permission or giving you the credit. So on to the recipe itself. A year and a half ago I embarked on a WFPB diet. I was driven by the fact that 3 years prior I had been diagnosed with diabetes and put immediately on metformin and Lantus. I had been prediabetic for 10 years and thought I could control this on my own. But the fatal day came when my blood sugars went out of whack on a regular basis. The diagnosis read to me as a death sentence as I knew the silent effect on internal organs this had not to mention eyesight. At 3 years I became adamant to irradiate the disease. I tried several things, read books and then came across Dr. Furhman, McDougall,T Colin Campbell and son, Neal Barnard, Dr. Esselstyn and son, Dr Ornish, Michael Gregor, Dr. Klaipeda, Alan Goldhammer, Garth Davis — yes I read a LOT of books and watched a lot of videos and YouTube shows. Then I started looking at recipes and buy books by these doctors and recipes book. Brandi, your website was one of the first that caught my eye because of the minimal ingredients and ease of putting these together. I invested in a VitaMix (best investment ever!) and went to town. I especially liked that you give options in your recipes for those with allergies to something or those that want to cut down on the fat (even natural fat from coconut products). I viewed all your online recipes and purchased your book before it was release to be sure I got a copy (actually got mine as a online pdf to be viewed in Kindle). I have yet to make a recipe of yours that does not become a favorite. But THIS ONE is my favorite. You have perfected this to a “T” to taste so much like Alfredo we have all come to know and love, but without all the things that we want to avoid on a WFPB diet. I cannot thank you enough for the time you put into your recipes passing on the finished product to us. I know it can seem at times like a thankless job when other steal your work as their own, but just remember there are many many more of us that respect and give you the credit you so abundantly deserve. You book has been immensely helpful to me, too, in explaining the difference in what pans to use when baking and how the product turns out differently. I know have cakes and muffins that actually come out as they should because I am using the correct pan. Thank you for all you tips and tricks you have shared. For me, over the last 1-1/2 years, you have been a literally “lifesaver” in providing recipes that have kept me on the straight and narrow not waivering from my original goal, to irradiate my diabetes. I am now off all my diabetic medicines, and nearly off of 3 other prescriptions I take in addition to losing over 115 pounds and still losing. I cannot thank you enough for spending the time to help me and others achieve our goals, no matter what they may be. Your generosity of time and effort is greatly appreciated.
This was the sweetest comment ever Deborah, thank you so much! I’m so touched my recipes and my book have been a lifesaver to you, and you don’t know how much I needed to hear this today, of all days, so thank you! I’m so honored you took the time to write this, thank you!
This came out awesome for me! The best vegan alfredo I’ve tried.
So happy to hear that Nicole, yay!
Hi Brandi. I’ve made your Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake many times — it’s a big hit with friends and family. I’ve made this Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce twice now (in the past week!), and it’s so amazingly delicious! Both times I served it over broccoli florets and whole wheat fusilli pasta. I’ve already shared the link to your recipe with several coworkers and with my Indianapolis Veggie Meetup Group. Thank you for making healthy vegan recipes that taste great!
Fantastic to hear Amy, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such an awesome review!!
Hi, Brandi, I just made this this evening and I loved it. And it’s funny I had been coming to your site and looking at your recipes and happened to see this one on the side and I just stared at it again and again and again. I even imagined how good it would taste, and boy, was I right. I followed your recipe to the T as you admonished, EXCEPT… I bypassed on the nooch. I really don’t like the taste of it, and didn’t want to mess up this beautiful recipe. It didn’t skimp on taste or texture. I prepared a quinoa pasta, and everything was a hit! I have tried several of your recipes and have yet to be disappointed. I really appreciate your awesome cooking talents. 2 thumbs up and 5 gold stars 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Hi Patique! Yay, what a glowing review, thank you so much for the awesome feedback!!
I am amending my comment, in the first one I mentioned that I left out the nooch because “I really don’t like the taste of it”and I didn’t want to mess up the sauce, but a friend bought some and was certain that I would like it, so reluctantly I tasted it and liked it and it just so happened to be the one you suggested for this recipe. So, I made the sauce again last night, this time with the nutritional yeast, it was sooooooooooo GOOD! And the bottom line is, you get 10 gold stars from me 🎉🎊🎈👏🏾. Just wanna say thanx again for such a wonderfully good recipe.
This is so wonderful to hear Patique! I’ve definitely found that the brand of nutritional yeast certainly does make a difference!
I love your cookbook so much! I attempted to make this particular recipe tonight and it was definitely not right 🙁 Then I noticed that you said to soak the cashews in hot water overnight (which I did not do). How do you soak something in hot water all night, though?
Thanks so much!!
Hi Laurie! So glad you love my cookbook, yay! Yes, if you don’t have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, you definitely have to soak the cashews or the sauce will be gritty and not taste or feel right. I just mean add super hot or boiling water to the bowl of cashews to cover them, this will kickstart the softening process. Leave them to soak overnight, then drain and rinse, then proceed with the recipe. If you have a good food processor, that may work even better to smooth the sauce if you don’t have a great blender. Soaked cashews get really creamy in a food processor, just process for several minutes, scraping the sides and don’t stop until it’s smooth. 🙂
Thanks so much! I will definitely try this again 🙂
I have to say the Alfredo sauce is AMAZING!! This recipe has become a favourite in our house. Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that!!
This was amazing! My whole family loved it! I added some zucchini and it was so warm and delicious. Thank you for helping us vegans out with food cravings 😀
If I use veggie stock instead of veggie broth, will it alter the taste drastically? I only have stock on hand. Thanks.
Hi there, I think it should work, not sure since I’ve only ever used a light veggie broth. Veggie stocks are generally much stronger in flavor which could be a good thing or a bad thing, just have to try and see!
Yummy. I made this tonight and served over whole wheat spaghetti with sautéed mushrooms and steamed asparagus. It’s the best vegan Alfredo sauce I’ve tried. It’s a keeper!
Yay, thank you so much Anne for the amazing review!
Hello! I had a night alone since my boyfriend was working and I wanted to make myself a nice meal and binge watch Netflix…..don’t judge me. I am a pescatarian who doesn’t eat diary and I thought I’d give your recipe a try! It was AMAZING! the only thing I changed was I added oyster mushrooms in the pan because I was feeling mushrooms. It was so delicious! Thank you! I have plenty of leftovers and I had a great dinner!!! You are awesome and the lemon TOTALLY canceled out the “cashew” flavor that a lot of recipes fail for.
Can I use this recipe without the nutritional yeast added?
Yes, but the flavor will be more mild but you totally can! You can add a pinch of ground mustard powder and onion powder and maybe extra salt if needed!
My go-to alfredo recipe! i do a little less lemon juice but everything else is spot on. The sauce still has a tang to it, so i like to pair it with lemon pepper seasoned chickpeas. So good, thank you!
So glad you love this Cierra! I can totally see how using lemon pepper chickpeas would be a good lemon kick to slightly reduce the lemon it the sauce! It would taste too much like cashews without the tablespoon or two regularly but those chickpeas sound delicious!
Fanflippintastic!
This is HEAVENLY 😍 So so good! Thank you very much Brandi. 5* and AAA+++
This tastes really good! I’m just starting out on a vegan diet. Trying to find decent replacements in my small town is hard and some vegan substitutes can be pricey. It’s really good even for a newbie and my boyfriend who is even less excited about it! Overall this tastes really good but the vitamix or a high powered blender is really going to make it better in terms of consistency. I used my food processor and it did turn out a little gritty just as a heads up! Still tasted great tho!
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!
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!!
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 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!!