This Vegan Cashew Alfredo Pasta Sauce is a delicious alternative to the traditional dairy version. It's incredibly creamy, rich, and full of flavor which makes it the perfect choice for a cozy date night in.
This cashew pasta sauce is creamy, simple, and comforting despite being vegan and dairy-free!
Cashews, onions, garlic, and lemon are blended to create the most creamy and rich pasta sauce.
No one will miss the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, or butter.
Want more creamy pasta recipes? Try this silken tofu pasta, butternut squash pasta, or red pepper pasta.
So thankful for the RAVE reviews I've gotten over this recipe! I've received countless photos on social media and everyone loves it. Because it's so loved, I thought it deserved more information and new pictures. The recipe is exactly the same.
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Ingredients
This Creamy Vegan Alfredo Pasta is ideal for a simple and comforting meal, especially on a weekend evening when you crave something rich and indulgent but prefer the coziness of home.
Not only is this recipe delicious and comforting, but it also consists of simple ingredients and can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.
Pasta: I used rigatoni pasta. You can use fettuccine noodles, macaroni, or elbow. Use the pasta 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. Please note that not all dijon mustard brands are vegan.
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
You'll need a good-quality blender for this cashew pasta sauce.
If you have a Vitamix or other high-speed blender, that is recommended over anything else!
To be transparent, I attempted this in my non-high speed blender (which I love!) just to see how it would turn out but I ended up switching to my nutribullet and continued to blend.
The sauce in the regular blender ended up being a bit gritty and not as creamy in texture. It tasted good but it definitely wasn't the greatest texture.
But if you don't have a high-speed blender and still want to make this recipe, please make sure you soak the cashews until completely softened, preferably overnight.
How to Make This Recipe
Soak the cashews, sauté onions, add it all to a blender, cook your favorite pasta, and toss together!
This indulgent pasta can be ready in under 45 minutes.
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 Alfredo 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 incredible vegan pasta with a side of Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower, Roasted Shaved Brussels Sprouts, or Air Fryer Broccolini.
Or keep it simple and serve with toasted sourdough or garlic bread.
Storage
Store: You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 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. 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't panic! When you first add the sauce to the pasta it will seem like way too much. But let the sauce simmer with the pasta for a few minutes and you'll have the most perfect sauce-coated fettuccine noodles.
Cashews give this sauce that creamy texture. Try steamed cauliflower or silken tofu. You will need to adjust the water.
Pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for at least 15 minutes.
The cashew sauce can be grainy/ gritty if you didn't blend long enough in a high-speed blender. You should be able to rub the sauce between two fingers and feel no texture.
More Pasta Recipes
Looking for other saucy pasta recipes like this? Try these:
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Recipe
Cashew Alfredo Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound Pasta of Choice
- 1 cup Unsalted Cashews soaked
- 1 large Yellow Onion diced
- 3-5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoons White Miso Paste
- 1 - 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt see note
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 cups Water
- Fresh Parsley for serving
Instructions
- Soak cashews overnight or boil water and then add the cashews to soak for 15-20 minutes to soften.
- 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.
- 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.
- Note: You should be able to touch the sauce and rub it between two fingers and it feel completely smooth. If you feel any grit or graininess, keep blending.
- Return the sauce back to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Heavily salt a large pot of water and boil the pasta according to package instructions.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cashew pasta sauce and toss to coat. Season with additional salt, if needed.
- Garnish with lemon zest, red chili flakes, and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Disclosure: This page contains some affiliate links. Please know that I may receive a percentage or commission from a link included on this page, at no extra cost to you. I will only ever recommend a product that I have used and believe has substantial value to my readers.
Suee33 says
this is a RICH decadent vegan Alfredo, I added frozen peas to the Pasta while it was cooking, and sauteed mushrooms and added to the alfredo last. This is a recipe to make to fool non vegans, they would totally believe it was loaded with cream and cheese. Keep this recipe.
Liv says
It's one of my favorites!! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Anyi says
Sooooooo delicious, best Alfredo I tried in my life! It has so much umami cheesy flavor and decadence, I am never eating any other pasta than this basically ever again lol.
Liv says
Haha!! I'm so glad you love this recipe. It's one of my all-time favorites!!
April says
Heaven on a plate, thank you for such a yummy recipe : )
Liv says
Happy you liked it! 🙂
Steven Patrick says
I've tried so many vegan alfredo sauces in the past, but this one takes the win! It was the perfect combination of simplicity and deliciousness. 10/10 would make it again!
Liv says
That's so amazing to hear! I'm so glad you enjoyed. Thank you for the review, Steven. I appreciate it so much! 🙂
Mitch says
This was another spectacular recipe that is better than any non-vegan alternative! We can’t find gluten-free miso paste, so substituted nooch and a little tamari. We mixed sautéed mushrooms into the pasta and topped with some grated vegan parmesan. It was so delicious! Thanks Liv!
Liv says
What an amazing substitution for the miso! Thank you for sharing that. I'm so glad you enjoyed. Love the addition of mushrooms and vegan parm. Sounds delicious. 🙂
Sydney A. says
This recipe came at the perfect time. I’ve been craving Fettuccine Alfredo and this was the perfect combination of creaminess and easy to make. I didn’t have miso paste but your note about not leaving it out made me go get some. So glad I did!!
The salt and lemon was the perfect amount for my taste.
Liv says
So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Zach says
I added a bit of nutritional yeast to mine and it was outrageously good. Perfect for when you need to satisfy carb cravings.
Liv says
So glad you enjoyed!! 🙂