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.
Sumply wonderful!
This was AMAZEBALLS!!!!! I can’t handle dairy so I’ve been trying to find a recipe for alfredo that was dairyy free. My son and hubby were very skeptical but they both polished off their bowls and asked for this to be made regularly. My son actually texted his girlfriend a picture of his meal telling her how good it was and she should ask me to make it for her when she’s over for dinner. Thank you thank you thank you!! Not only yummy but super easy to make!
This sauce is soooooo good! Thank you!
OMG this is delicious! I’ve been vegan for 3 months and I’ve been searching for great recipes. I’m also salt, oil and sugar free so I made this without the salt. I tossed it with wheat pasta and sautéed mushrooms and it was incredible. Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe Brandi!
So wonderful to hear!!
This came out so great!
Amazing recipe, thank you! Quick question: I made a huge batch of the sauce. How long can it safely stay in the refrigerator or can it be frozen?
Awesome! 3-5 days in the fridge and probably a couple of months in the freezer. You’ll need to let it thaw and reblend to make it smooth again.
I don’t understand how anyone can eat nutritional yeast! This smelled so delicious until I added it… it ruined the smell of all the other delicious food we cooked.
It completely depends on the brand used. Which brand did you use? I use the one I linked in the recipe card, Sari or the Foods Alive brand. I order them online. Some brands have added synthetic vitamins and smell and taste terrible.
Can the sauce be incorporated into a recipe and then baked?
Yes, definitely! Works well on pizza and in casseroles.
OMG this is crazy good! You won’t miss the cheese, butter and oil. I prefer this version.
I am using a stick blender with a food processor blade/bowl accessory to do the cashews and smooth out the final sauce. If you don’t have fresh garlic, garlic powder works great with this method too. This is same method I use to make replacement for “parmesean cheese”.
Do you just use raw cashews if you are using a high speed blender? I can’t image that would work but want to confirm before I try to make this.
Thank you
I’m not sure exactly what you are asking? Yes, the recipe calls for raw cashews and the other ingredients to blend with them. The directions list exactly how to make it.
I have a ninja and I can’t get it creamy (not grainy) does anyone have any advice?
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!
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!
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!
I followed the instructions to a T and feel like I may have missed a step, or maybe its the yeast I use but was a bit disappointed 🙁 I saw all these wonderful reviews and thought it for sure was going to taste magical (I’m allergic to dairy and eggs so cant have many yummy things)
I’ll try making again at a later date… maybe soaking the cashews longer…
I’ve never tasted a better vegan Alfredo sauce. Added broccoli it was amazingggggg. 10/10 recommend!!!
Yay! That’s amazing Ray!!
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
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!!
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😋
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
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.
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!
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.
five stars (I forgot to add)
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!