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.
OMG, just made this… Its amazing!!!! I bought cheese flavored nutritional yeast so its really really cheesy and creamy. I don’t have a Vitamix and used my regular blender so I had to blend a bit longer. I also soaked the cashews for 6 hours. I am going to make my DH try this… He is the opposite of a vegan so this will be a great test.
Wow, thank you so much Paula for the awesome feedback! I’m so happy to hear you loved this so much! Thank you so much for letting me know, I love hearing it!
This is one of my families favorite recipes! Tastes FREAKISHLY similar to the real thing – I don’t know how you do it!
Awww thank you so much Megan! I’m so happy you love this so much!!
I just made this and it’s SO cheesy and delicious! Sometimes nutritional yeast can be too overpowering for me, so I reduced the amount of that ingredient by almost half, and found it still worked for me! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Thank you so much Robyn for the wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear that!
Hi there! Couple questions… I should NOT make this in a food processor right? I do not have a blender 🙁 But I do have an immersion blender, maybe I could try that. Second, do you have to have the nutritional yeast? Is that jsut sold in stores? Thank you!!
Hi Jocelyn! Actually, you should totally be able to use your food processor because the cashew butter is already smooth 🙂 Should work just fine! I think either would work to get it smooth. Yes, some stores sell nutritional yeast in containers or in the bulk bin section. It adds depth of flavor, so it’s kind of important. But if you leave it out, you definitely need to add I’d say extra garlic, some onion powder and maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon or so of dried mustard powder to make up for the flavor. If you can though, get the yeast. It’s also sold on Amazon. Let me know what you think!
Hi Jocelyn! I apologize, I responded regarding cashew butter thinking of my other alfredo sauce on the blog. If you don’t have any blender, then I would definitely make my other one using cashew butter, because a power blender is not needed, and it would totally work in a food processor. Here is the link. It is actually a better alfredo in my opinion too!
https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
Brandi, I just made this for dinner about an hour ago and it was to die for 🙂 (Used brown rice pasta and threw some mushroom in before mixing sauce in.) I found you through a McDougall FB group and printed out the recipe yesterday. Just spent last half hour going through the group trying to find the post just to thank them! So glad I found your blog. Can’t wait to go through your blog and try more. Thank you!
Oh this is such kind feedback Susan! Thank you so much for making it and leaving feedback, I really appreciate your kind words!
Hi Brandi
Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight and it was the perfect consistency. unfortunately I actually added double the amount of nutritional yeast and I’m still not hooked on the stuff so I’m a little disappointed 🙁 however I’ll try again and hopefully get it right next time. Do you know if I can freeze it?
Hi Corinne! Wow, really? Double the nutritional yeast would ruin the taste I would think for sure, so I can understand that. As you can see above, there has been over 200 rave reviews on this sauce, so I hope you can try it again and get it right next time like you said. I have never tried freezing it so I’m not sure, but I would think so. Also, as another suggestion, my newest “20 Minute Alfredo” has absolutely exploded with amazing reviews from readers, we all even love it more than this original one. It is so much like real alfredo that many dairy-lovers have loved it MORE than traditional alfredo. And it only takes 20 minutes! I would definitely encourage you to try this one and let me know! Make sure not to sub any of the ingredients, so you get the right flavor/texture! 🙂 https://thevegan8.com/2015/11/09/20-minute-vegan-alfredo/
LOVED it! Just made this for dinner! 🙂 Since I don’t own a high speed blender, I decided to use a little bit less than 1/2 cup of organic store-bought cashew butter for the heaping 1/2 cup of cashews — it worked perfectly! (super smooth, not gritty).
Thank you sooo much!
(Leaving a picture for you on Facebook)
Wonderful Barbara! I’m so happy to hear your wonderful feedback, thank you so much for making it and I’m glad you loved it! Thank you, will check facebook!
I’ve been vegan for just 5 months and am in search of great recipes. I’ve had some epic fails. So many in fact that I keep a stash of vegan burritos in my freezer. Well, I am so happy to say that this recipe not only satisfied my craving for cheese but I Wvm got a fistbump from my meat eating 13 year old son. I did not deviate from the recipe at all but I’m super stoked to try it again adding extra veggies! Good job!
Wow, thank you so much Amanda for such wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit with everybody! Thank you so much for letting me know and for making it!
Is nutritional yeast GF? I’ve been GF for a long time but I’m about to embark on a DF experiment. This looks delicious!
Yes, nutritional yeast is gluten-free 🙂
I made this last night and it turned out delectable! My husband loved it. I can’t wait to make a large batch again. Would love to see more flavourful sauce recipes on your site that can be added to pastas…. I really dislike the bland store-bought sauces. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Nutritional yeast kills my stomach, what else could I use instead??
I just used this instead of my usual white sauce to make a vegan lasagne. It adds a completely new dimension to what is already a favourite dish. Thank you again from me for this amazing sauce
What a wonderful idea! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for leaving feedback!
Creamy and right consistency, but not a substitute for alfredo. I’ve been vegan/vegetarian since birth, so I’m used to subs, but this wasn’t right in the flavor. Too much nutritional yeast, onion (don’t use yellow!) and garlic made it very strong. Not like they creamy, mild alfredo we are used to. I doubled the broth and cashews to tone it down and it’s still not right. Next time I will change the onion/garlic/nutritional yeast ratios, add more lemon/salt and it will be perfect!
Hi Karen! Thank you for trying it out. Sorry you feel that way. I’ve received a couple hundred reviews on this recipe as you can see tons above, that have all felt the complete opposite, I’ve even had multiple non-vegans make it who are used to traditional alfredo and love it, so I’m sorry you don’t like it as so many others have. But I do thank you for your feedback and for trying it out, I know we all have different tastebuds 🙂
Also, it’s a garlic alfredo, so it should have a garlic taste to it, but I actually find it mild myself, but if you like things very mild, then definitely use less if you prefer. I also noted to use less yeast if preferred. because I know some people I have found either love it or can barely stand it, haha! I’ve had some people double the nutritional yeast on this recipe and some use half, so it just boils down to preference! Maybe you would prefer the cauliflower type of Alfredo’s out there? I’ve seen tons of them around, but I find them too bland for my taste, but if you think this one has too much flavor, I would suggest oh she glows cauliflower recipe. I’ve heard it’s good. Hope that helps! 🙂
I made this sauce with pasta and broccoli the first time and then used it over other things throughout the week. I like that it was very good without a lot of tofu. It’s another very simple recipe, but great depth of flavors as usual.
I saw this in my FB feed, and it sounded amazing. So I made it for dinner for my omni father-in-law and brother-in-law and they loved it! I licked my bowl clean too. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, thank you so much for the feedback!! 🙂
I see that it calls for raw whole cashews. I have raw chopped cashews. Doesn’t matter, right, since it’s going into the VitaMix? Thanks….this is tonight’s dinner.
Hi Shellie! If yours are chopped, then just make sure you use the right weight amount for the cashews, because otherwise more will fill up the cup as chopped, versus the whole ones, and you want the right amount for flavor/texture.
So I’ll weigh out 2.6 oz…..and will buy whole raw from now on. So many of the different recipes I’ve made with cashews I never thought of whole vs. chopped making a difference. I was always buying whole, but figured since I was throwing it in the VitaMix it wouldn’t matter. I learned something new today. Thanks so much for the quick reply. 🙂
You are so welcome! Let me know how it turns out!
this was incredible! I had it over noodles with broccoli, chicken, and mushrooms. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it so much, thank you so much for the feedback Merrick!! So appreciate it!
WOW! I just made this and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve been gluten and dairy free for 2 years now and I have not tasted anything this amazing that doesn’t contain either. Thank you for sharing this I’m so happy right now as I’m completely stuffed and I doubled the recipe so I still have enough for dinner!!!
SO wonderful to hear Neb! Thank you so much for such sweet feedback, I really appreciate it and am so happy you loved this so much!
My husband and I both LOVE this dish. I follow the recipe exactly as stated and it is perfect every time. We also love the leftovers cold the next day!! Thank you for this recipe.
I am heart broken to see cashews. 🙁 my daughter is deathly allergic. I need another recipe for this that tastes great and is clean
Hi Mindy! Try mashed potatoes instead, measure a similar amount of mashed potatoes and try that. It should work. I use potatoes a lot in my recipes instead of nuts. It will be a bit lighter in texture, taste but should still be delicious. To make up for the lack of creaminess by not using cashews, then I would use a plant milk instead of the broth that you add to the blender. Let me know if you try it!
I’ve been looking for a vegan cheese-like sauce since January and hadn’t found anything to my liking until I followed this recipe to a Tee. SO TASTY. I sauteed mushrooms, kale, green onions, and tomatoes, and folded them in on top. Pair that w a homemade, 100% whole-grain foccaccia loaf, and you have a very hearty meal. My husband was very happy. 🙂 Pls continue to share your masterpieces. I’m now following you on Instagram as well. Cheers!
Oh I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for the follow and the wonderful feedback! So glad that this was finally “the one” you liked! Adding those veggies on top sounds divine! I typically do bell peppers and zucchini since those are our favorites but the kale and greens onions sounds really yummy too. So happy the hubby loved it too, thank you again!
BEST
SAUCE
EVER!!!
First, thank you so much for putting the calorie information at the end of the recipe, Brandi! But much more importantly, THANK YOU for taking the time to create these amazingly delicious recipes! My daughter has several illnesses that severely affect her dietary health, including celiac disease, irritable bowel, and Sjogren’s disease. A gluten-free, dairy and oil free diet is a must in helping her symptoms. She also chooses not to eat meat. As a mom who has always loved to bake and cook, I was at the end of my rope wondering what I could make her for meals and snacks. It was hard enough finding gluten-free, vegan food on the grocery store shelves, but to find something that didn’t contain some kind of oil was impossible. I don’t remember how I happened upon your website, but when I say it has been a lifesaver, that is a true understatement! Your recipes have been life-changing. I can make my daughter breads, muffins and cookies again! We can enjoy salad dressing and pasta sauces! I just love making your new recipes and enjoying them with my daughter. We are so thankful you have decided to share your fabulous creations. Please don’t ever stop! (PS- I have told so many people about your website I have lost count. I will continue to spread the word of your awesomeness! 🙂
Colleen, this was one of the most heartfelt and kindest feedbacks I’ve ever received. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write all of it out to me! I work so very hard non-stop to share amazing content with you all and to hear from my readers saying it has changed their life or been a “lifesaver” then all the hard work I do makes it so worth it.
I’m so ecstatic that your daughter can enjoy desserts again too and them be much healthier for her than the stuff at the stores. Thank you again for the comments you have left on my blog (I got all 3!) they really made me happy! 🙂 🙂
I just made an alfredo sauce that used cauliflower; it was good (yours looks better!) but hubby was a little freaked it had cauliflower ~ its probably the one veggie he doesn’t like. And, yes, this is the same hubby who was a little freaked over sweet potatoes in chocolate ice cream! 😉
Haha Julie! This has been one of my most popular recipes and everybody has loved it, it is very rich and creamy just like traditional alfredo so I think hubby will like it, let me know! 😉