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
- 1/2-3/4 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’m not vegan but this alfredo sauce but my husband is so I made this primarily for him. It was a huge hit even with the kids. It’s going to replace our regular store bought alfredo sauce for sure. Thank you!
OMG this so soooooo good, even my meat eating family asked for seconds.
I haven’t eaten dairy since I was in the 5th grade when I learned I had an allergy to milk. I saw this recipe and went to the store at 11pm to get the ingredients to make and I am not disappointed in the slightest. This is sooo amazing!! Thank you !! I added capers to it and it was really amazing.
So happy to hear this, Ellie!
I’m so thankful for this recipe! So good! Literally couldn’t find anything that taste like Alfredo that’s healthy/ plant based till I seen this! Lovely! Can’t wait to live off this for the rest of my days 🙂
That’s amazing Steven, so happy to hear that!!
We put this on fettuccine noodles. It was good and my family, including 2 children enjoyed it. I added sun-dried tomatoes and green peas to mine. Was very good.
The flavour rocks. However: As directed, I cooked the onions then the garlic in 1 cup of broth. Once these veg were soft, instead of waiting for broth to evaporate, I simply sieved the onions and garlic out, saved the remaining (now 1/3 C of broth) and when it came time to add the broth to the food processor, I just used the broth from the onions and garlic cooking. Didn’t need any additional liquid, perhaps because the onions n garlic were wet enough. Finger-licking good–I wish I had mushrooms to saute and serve with this pasta dish. Delish.
So glad you loved it!
Can I freeze this sauce
yes, just reblend once thawed so it gets smooth again.
Tried your sauce and found it to be absolutely wonderfully DELICIOUS. Such a gift – something that is so good for you and yet it tastes like the real sauce after which it was created. Thank you for taking the time to create it and especially sharing it with others – I am ever so delighted and grateful.
This Alfredo is AMAZING. I am very shocked at how much it tastes like Alfredo.. it’s a healthy version, but actually tastes amazing. I used whole wheat pasta and that tasted great with it!! I don’t have anything else to say except for this is one of my new fav meals!
Phenomenal. No yeast at the store today but added plant-based parm plus sautéed mushrooms spinach broccoli and vegan unbreaded tenders. Soaked cashews in hot water for 90 min so a 5 min pre prep and then about 40 min for everything else. Family kitchen activity and will
make again soon!
Oh. My. Gosh. I made this a few days ago, and I am forever changed. It was so simple, so easy, so quick. I truly enjoyed it. I cooked it up with some vegan spicy sausage, rigatoni pasta, and a side of steamed broccoli. (Chef’s kiss) thank you, thank you for this creamy, beautiful, delightful and most delicious Vegan Alfredo Sauce.
Aww yay, that is amazing to hear, thank you Selina for the feedback!
I am allergic to dairy products and made your garlic Alfredo
Sauce and was amazed at how delicious it was!!
How long can it be kept in the refrigerator or freezer?
I will gladly give you credit!
Susie Hensel
So good! The search is over! THIS is the vegan alfredo recipe I will using from now on. Your instructions were perfect. Thank you for sharing.
The best creamy vegan pasta, absolutely unrivaled. I sliced some pan fried portobello mushrooms into this and I’m going to try it with some broccoli stirred through next time. Gorgeous.
This was AMAZING sauce! I will most definitely be making this again. Creamy & delicious!!!
Love, love this recipe! When I discovered the most delectable cashew gravy, I knew this could be done! Thank you for your work to make this incredibly creamy delicious Alfredo . My family says this is a keeper.
So kind, thank you Ronda!
So good
Delicious! We subbed soaked raw sunflower seeds for the cashews and the sauce turned out so well that we’re making it again this evening.
This sauce is amazing! My very picky family who never agrees on a meal, ALL raved over this sauce. So stoked, I added it to my family’s recipe book.
It’s very rare I make something the entire family will enjoy but this was a big hit even with my finicky kids. Thank you!
On point on what an Alfredo sauce should be. Easy to whip up on a week night. Creamy and tasty. I definitely would recommend to non-vegans as well.
Delicious recipe! Turned out great 🙂
👏 THIS SHIT SLAPS SO HARD 👏
that is all
hahaha that made laugh!
This hands down is the BEST vegan Alfredo I have EVER made!! My Omni hubby loved it and wants in our dinner rotation . I will definitely take pic next time I make it and tag @vegan8 in it . We gobbled up this creamy deliciousness before I even thought of posting it . LOL. I may have “tasted “ the sauce way more than once before putting in on the pasta. 😂 Love your recipes !! You are genius !!I asked for your cookbook for Christmas!! 😍 You are the bomb dot com!!
Yup. So good. I just declared August 2020 vegan month. So I made this, added extra garlic, threw some petite frozen peas in the sauce, served it on zoodles and crumbled a tempeh “bacon” strip as a garnish. I just found the best Alfredo Carbonara ever..
Sounds amazing!!
I can’t say how extremely happy I am to have found this recipe! I love fettuccine Alfredo but could never eat it due to the amount of dairy + how much it upset my stomach. After craving it for so long, I decided to search and was convinced I could find a recipe that came close to a real Alfredo. Let me tell you – no other recipe matches this one.
This was AMAZING, thank you so much for sharing! I followed the recipe exactly and it surpassed my expectations! I let it sit in the fridge through the night to soak up the flavor and it tasted even better the next day for lunch! My co-workers and the entire office were asking me where I found the recipe because it smelled so good. Very impressed! Will always be my go to.
Awww you are way too kind Marina, thank you so much for such a lovely review!!
Hi! I made this recipe yesterday and it was DELICIOUS! It reminds me of a dairy filled dish that I would eat prior to going vegan. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It was absolutely delicious! I’m not a big pasta fan (I know, I’m an oddball, haha) so I actually put it over a baked potato with broccoli. So yummy!