Vegan Cashew Alfredo Pasta

This creamy Vegan Cashew Alfredo Pasta is a rich, dairy-free alternative to the classic fettuccine Alfredo. Made with simple ingredients, it's silky, flavorful, and perfect for cozy weeknight dinners, date nights, or anytime you want indulgent pasta without the dairy.

This vegan Alfredo pasta is rich, creamy, and surprisingly simple to make!

Blended cashews, sautéed onions, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon create a silky, indulgent sauce that's perfect for fettuccine or your favorite pasta.

No heavy cream, butter, or parmesan needed - everyone will love how decadent and flavorful it is.

Ingredients

This creamy vegan Alfredo pasta sauce is perfect for a cozy, comforting meal at home.

Made with simple ingredients, it comes together in under 45 minutes and delivers rich, indulgent flavor without dairy.

Pasta: I used rigatoni pasta. You can use fettuccine noodles, macaroni, or elbow. Use the pasta shape that you enjoy the most!

Cashews: The base of this alfredo sauce is soaked cashews. When blended they get super creamy and have a nice natural sweetness. The best!

Onion & Garlic: You cannot make this without these two ingredients. So much flavor comes from the sautéed the onions and garlic.

Lemon Juice: For brightness.

Dijon Mustard: Adds a slight tangy flavor.

Miso Paste: Umami and additional saltiness. It's a must!

Seasoning: A lot of the flavor comes from the onion and garlic so this recipe doesn't require a lot of additional seasonings besides salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.

Water: You're going to add the water and probably feel like it's too much but it's not. Trust the process.

See recipe card for quantities.

Helpful Equipment

For the creamiest cashew cheese sauce, use a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Nutribullet.

A regular blender will work in a pinch if the cashews are soaked until very soft, preferably overnight, but the sauce may be slightly gritty.

How to Make This Recipe

Soak the cashews, sauté onions, add it all to a blender, cook your favorite pasta, and toss together!

The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Soak cashews overnight or boil water and then add the cashews to soak for 15-20 minutes to soften.

Step 2: Dice the onion and sauté it in a pan over medium-high heat with a pinch of salt for 10-12 minutes, or until it begins to brown and soften. Mince the garlic and add to the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Add the soaked and drained cashews, sautéed onions and garlic, lemon juice, dijon mustard, white miso paste, Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and the water to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Return the sauce back to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

Step 5: Heavily salt a large pot of water and boil the pasta according to package instructions. 

Step 6: Add the cooked pasta to the cashew pasta sauce and toss to coat.

Step 7: Season with additional salt, if needed.

Step 8: Garnish with lemon zest, red chili flakes, and parsley. Enjoy!

Note: Use a high-speed blender. If you don't have one, make sure the cashews are completely softened before blending. The sauce won't be as creamy but will still be delicious.

Substitutions & Variations

This cashew pasta is a versatile and delicious alternative to traditional cream-based fettuccine Alfredo.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your seasonings and toppings to suit your taste preferences.

Pasta: Typically fettuccine Alfredo is made with fettuccine noodles, of course. But I oftentimes prefer shorter noodles so I went with rigatoni. You can use whichever you prefer.

Cashews: You can replace the cashews with silken tofu or try cauliflower. You will not need two cups of water. Start with ½ cup and add from there.

Miso Paste: This can be omitted but I don't recommend it. It adds so much flavor! You can use a sprinkle of nutritional yeast as well.

Add roasted red peppers: Jarred roasted red peppers would be a delicious addition to change up the flavor. Sundried tomatoes would also be great!

Pesto: Add a drizzle of pesto over the top or mix in a little bit to the sauce.

Add a topping: My favorite topping is parsley, red chili flakes, and vegan parmesan but basil or tofu ricotta would be good.

Serving Ideas

Serve this pasta with a side of Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower, Roasted Shaved Brussels Sprouts, or Air Fryer Broccolini.

Or a side salad with a simple vinaigrette like Balsamic Maple Dressing or Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

Toss with sautéed mushrooms, sun‑dried tomatoes, or spinach.

Top with toasted pine nuts or vegan parmesan.

Or add a squeeze of lemon for brightness after plating.

And don't forget toasted crusty bread for the side. Garlic bread is always the perfect side dish for pasta!

Storage

Store: You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheat: Reheat leftover cashew pasta on the stovetop until hot, add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Freeze: I don't recommend freezing this recipe when the pasta and sauce are combined. But the sauce can be frozen and thawed in the fridge then added to pasta when ready to serve!

Tips & Tricks

Soften the cashews by soaking them overnight or boiling water and adding the cashews to it for about 15-20 minutes. This will ensure that the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Use a high-speed blender. Rub the cashew cream sauce between two fingers and if you feel any gritty texture, keep blending.

Taste and season to your preference. Not all salts are made equal and cannot be substituted 1:1. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt, you will need to cut the amount called for in the recipe by at least half. 

If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of pasta water.

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