This vegan Fettuccine Alfredo is healthier comfort food at its finest! Made with plant-based ingredients like cauliflower and cashews for a rich and creamy sauce over pasta. Keep scrolling for the recipe.
If you had asked me one dish I never thought could be made into a healthier version, then my answer would probably have been Fettuccine Alfredo. How could I possibly recreate that rich, silky magic without tons of butter and cream? Well, somehow, this recreation manages to do just that! My vegan Fettuccine Alfredo recipe is one for the books. It’s so good, you won’t even know that it isn’t made with one ounce of dairy. Actually, you won’t miss it at all!
The secret is in the sauce…
So, I bet you’re wondering how I manage to recreate the luscious texture of this decadent dish without those rich ingredients. Well, the secret is the sauce. Want to know what the secret is? In that case, here it is: This sauce is made from a combination of cauliflower and cashews! Without doubt, this pairing sounds odd, but trust me. Blending up the cauliflower and cashews leaves you with a sauce that is truly so creamy and delicious. In fact, taste this recipe and you will never believe that this Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo is entirely plant-based and gluten-free!
A note on the cashews.
Before you can blend the cashews you need to soak them. When you soak cashews it lets them get soft enough to easily blend. The fat from the cashews is a big part of recreating that Alfredo texture and flavor we all love. You can soak your cashew two ways. First, you can boil them. Second, you can leave them in room temperature water for at least twelve hours. When soaking the cashews, be sure that the water covers them all. Find the full recipe and more details below.
Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
The classic comfort food Fettuccine Alfredo, but made simple and healthier ingredients that make it entirely plant-based (dairy-free) and gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Boil, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 lb gluten-free fettuccine pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups riced cauliflower
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4–1 cup unflavored nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least an hour
- Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta as directed in salted water until al dente
- In a large pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and let cook for 1-2 minutes
- Add riced cauliflower to pan and stir so it’s coated in oil/butter. Season with salt and pepper
- Let cook for 5-7, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Turn off heat and allow to cool
- Transfer cauliflower mixture to a food processor. Add (drained) soaked cashews and 3/4 cup nondairy milk
- Blend until smooth and creamy consistency, adding 1/4 cup more milk if needed. Transfer sauce back to pan
- When you drain the pasta, save about 1/4 cup of pasta water and add to sauce
- Add drained pasta into pan with sauce and combine well. Serve garnished with parsley
Keywords: vegan Fettuccine Alfredo, dairy-free Fettuccine Alfredo, gluten-free Fettuccine Alfredo, plant-based Fettuccine Alfredo, healthy Fettuccine Alfredo
Look at those photos! I’m telling you, this sauce is complete magic. Together with your favorite kind of pasta — you could even use a low carb option or squash — this dish will leave you totally satisfied. You can even go back for seconds without feeling like you’ve over-done it. In fact, I recommend going back for seconds. It’s just that good!
As always, if you make this vegan Fettuccine Alfredo or any of my other recipes I’d love to know how they turned out. Please leave a review, and be sure to tag me on Instagram @Hungry.Blonde! xoxo GG
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