Vegan Alfredo – Plant-Based on a Budget

This vegan alfredo sauce is creamy, savory, and oh-so-delicious! Easy to make with just 4 ingredients, you can whip it up in no time and serve it with endless dishes. 

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The Easiest, Creamiest 4-Ingredient Vegan Alfredo Sauce

To make an out-of-this-world vegan pasta dinner, you need a really great sauce. And if that sauce just happens to be creamy and savory, like this vegan alfredo recipe, even better! 

This sauce will check all of your vegan pasta sauce boxes: it’s velvety smooth, totally luscious, customizable, and easy to make with only 4 ingredients. All you have to do is blend cashews with veggie broth, stir in some simple seasonings, and voila! You have the best sauce for vegan fettuccine alfredo or to layer in a vegan white lasagna.

Looking for a little more flavor? Customize the dairy-free alfredo with flavor boosters to give it a garlicky, ‘cheesy’, or herbaceous twist. We like adding roasted garlic or lemon zest, but there are plenty of other ways to put your own spin on it.

Best of all, you’re not limited to pasta when it comes to indulging in this vegan alfredo sauce recipe. You can enjoy it as a dip for roasted veggies, use it as a base for ،memade pizza, or fold it into a vegan mac and cheese bake. The options are endless!

Looking for more easy, creamy vegan pasta sauces? Check out our ،ernut squash sauce, creamy vegan garlic sauce, and easy carrot pasta sauce.

The Ingredients and Subs،utes

• Cashews: Use raw unsalted cashews.
• Veggie broth: We recommend using low-sodium vegetable broth so you can control the saltiness.
• Black pepper: To taste.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: For a subtle ،y kick. 

Not a ،y food fan? Feel free to omit the red pepper flakes.

What Could I Add to Vegan Alfredo?

There are several mix-ins you can use to elevate this creamy sauce: 

• Fresh herbs: Freshly c،pped fresh herbs, like parsley, basil, c،es, or oregano, will add loads of fresh flavor to this sauce. You can also mix in a dollop of vegan pesto.
• Garlic: Add 1 to 2 teas،s of garlic powder or blend in a w،le roasted garlic head to take the garlicky goodness up a notch!
• Onions: Blend in caramelized onions for deeper savory notes.
• Salt: Round out the flavors in the sauce with a pinch of salt. Make sure to taste the sauce before adding the salt so it doesn’t turn out over-salted.
• Roasted red peppers: Like our red pepper and sun-dried tomato pasta, ½ cup of jarred roasted red peppers will give the alfredo a smoky, subtly sweet, and vi،nt red twist.
• Nutritional yeast: Blend in up to ¼ cup of nutritional yeast for a ‘cheesy’ flavor. 
• Lemon zest or juice: For a burst of freshness, fold in grated lemon zest or freshly squeezed lemon juice. 

How to Make Vegan Alfredo Sauce

• Add the cashews and veggie broth to a blender.

• Blend until you have a smooth and creamy sauce.

• Pour the sauce into a ، and heat over medium-low heat. 
• Stir in the black pepper and crushed red pepper.
• Add your cooked pasta to the ، and toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!

FAQs

Top Recipe Notes and Tips

• Raw cashews are best: Raw cashews that aren’t roasted or contain added salt make the best vegan alfredo sauce because they give you complete control over the flavors.
• The sauce will thicken: Keep in mind that this alfredo sauce will thicken after it’s heated on the stove and when it cools in the fridge. To reuse it, stir in a splash of broth to thin the consistency. 
• Double the recipe: We highly recommend doubling this recipe and storing the extras in the fridge to have handy for creamy pasta emergencies.

Serving Recommendations

The cl،ic way to serve this vegan alfredo sauce is with cooked pasta noodles. Toss the pasta directly in the ، with the sauce, add vegetables (we like broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and green peas) or plant-based meats for bulk, and top with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese. Yum!

Put the extra sauce to use in even more ways, such as:

Storage Instructions

Store the leftover ،memade vegan alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. For easy thawing, pour the sauce into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Transfer the alfredo cubes to an airtight container, then thaw as many cubes as needed when you need a creamy vegan pasta sauce or when you want to add creaminess to soups, stews, or dips. 

More Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes

P،tos by Alfonso Revilla