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.
Absolutely fabulous! I keep a FAVS recipe book and this delicious sauce is in there. Thank you.
Best. Vegan. Alfredo. Sauce. EVER. *mic drop* you’ll like the blender and the spoon and your plate clean.
You have to try it and you won’t regret it. Hits the spot without the heaviness and blah feeling afterwards.
I made this Alfredo sauce for my daughter and I while everyone else was having the dairy version. My daughter is picky but she said that it’s the best Alfredo she’s ever had. I agree, it is great and easy to make without unusual ingredients. 💚
This sauce is easy to make delicious!
My daughter is Vegan and we experiment with new recipes all the time. I also have a coworker who just started eating vegan. I bring her leftovers for lunch. She is going to love this too. We had it plain tonight, going to add asparagus and or broccoli for dinner tomorrow.
Aww so glad to hear that!
I make this sauce easily once a week! It’s RIDICULOUS! Vegans and non vegans alike allll rave about it! A childhood staple fulfilled for me! Thank you so so so much Brandi! For all your amazing works of food art! peace&love(:
LOVE this recipe!!!! …and i’m picky!
Absolutely delicious! I only had red onion which intensified the taste, but it was delicious all the same. Can’t wait to try it as a pizza sauce!
This was PHENOMENAL! I would not be sad if I never had traditional Alfredo Sauce again. It tastes nearly identical. My boyfriend thinks I’m silly because I’ve licked both our bowls – guilt free!!! Thank you, you scientist woman!
Amazing! I am a new vegan and was hopeful after reading all the positive reviews. It did not disappoint. My son LOVED it and must have thanked me a dozen times for making it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will be making it often because it is sooooo good!!!
Awww so very happy to hear that!!
Flavor tastes great as we made it in the blender. We went to heat it up to go over the pasta and it changed the consistency and the texture. Any recommendations for heating it up are you supposed to eat it cold????
Hi Lisa! Yes, I don’t heat it up. You just add it directly to cooked hot pasta and hot veggies and that warms it up plenty.
Seriously great
I love this recipe! I did add sliced, sautéed mushrooms – fabulous. Thank you so much.
This vegan garlic alfredo sauce is amazing and my family loves it. This has my go to vegan alfredo sauce. I am so glad that I found this recipe.
Absolutely LOVE this!! I’m hooked and have made this twice in one week. We even quadrupled the recipe last time. Flavorful and creamy without the heavy taste of traditional alfredo.
This was great! I only had yellow onions which added a touch of sweetness but still very delicious. Will definitely make again with white onions.
Is it okay for me to substitute coconut milk or another plant based milk for the vegetable broth? I’m trying to gain weight so I need some extra calories.
It has a good amount of fat already from the cashews. I think adding milk would change and dilute the flavor too much and would make it TOO thick and creamy, so I really wouldn’t advise it. If you want more calories, then I would suggest garnishing the alfredo with toasted pine nuts or another toasted seed/nut you love! And add lots of extra veggies to go on top for extra calories!
This recipe is absolutely delicous!!
My family loved it and were very, very surprised that it doesn’t contain any dairy.
Thank you 😍
Loved it and especially since it is oil free. Really tasty. Combined the sauce with fried mushrooms and gnochi for a great dinner. Will make again! Thanks for the great recipe
Brilliant recipe!!! It turned out perfectly and really is easy to make. Thank you for sharing! I used sweet onion instead of regular white onion and served it over a combo of regular pasta and spiralized zucchini. Very yummy – left us full but not aching from richness.
So happy to hear that Christine!!
First time here ever rating a recipe from a food blog. Eating mostly plant based, I am always looking for quick, delicious recipes. Hands down this is one of the easiest and taste bud approving recipes I’ve found. Really excellent job with this one!
Brandi, have you used this sauce in baked pasta dishes? For example, could I mix this with a marinara sauce for lasagna and bake for an hour? Thanks.
Yes, definitely! It also works well on baked pizza!
I just made this and had to come back and comment. So delicious. I put it on spaghettis squash and also added some leftover water sauted spinach, mushrooms and onions. If someone hadn’t told me I wasn’t eating pasta, I would have never known it was spaghetti squash. This was so good! The only thing “bad” in the whole dish was the cashews. But even then it’s only half a cup for the whole recipe!
That is so amazing to hear!!
This is such a keeper. Now I can eat Alfredo sauce *and* feel good afterward. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
So so good!! Made this today, only thing I added was a shallot! Will definitely add this to the rotation. Yummy!!
My go to sauce. Serving it tonight with pasta and roasted cauliflower
Yum! Love cauliflower!