Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta
This vegan garlic Alfredo pasta is a creamy, cheesy weeknight dinner made for pasta lovers! It’s absolutely decadent, but made with a cashew sauce instead of heavy cream.
You’re going to absolutely love this vegan garlic Alfredo pasta. I’m talking cheesy, creamy, absolutely indulgent—it tastes like it came from a good Italian restaurant. Adding soaked cashews to this sauce makes it rich but not heavy, and gives it that traditional Alfredo sauce colour. Add a generous shake of Vegan Parmesan Cheese, a sprinkle of parsley if you’d like, and remember to pace yourself because you are going to want to DIVE into this pasta. (I feel similarly about this Miso Butter Pasta!)
Why This Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta Belongs on Your Menu
This is a recipe that straddles the line between comfort food and fancy date night meal. Here’s why you should make it ASAP!
- Super creamy and rich. And that’s EXACTLY what you went with an Alfredo sauce! Dairy-free doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or texture. This indulgent cashew cream sauce will leave you feeling satisfied, but it won’t leave you feeling heavy and weighed down.
- Easy to make. Pasta dishes are always some of the easiest dinners and this one’s no exception! Although you do have to roast the garlic and soak the cashews, both of those are pretty hands-off and can be done ahead of time.
- Versatile serving options. Add a vegan protein! Stir in some veggies! There’s a lot you can do to make this vegan garlic Alfredo pasta your own.
Notes on Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need for this vegan pasta dinner. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Pasta – Fettuccine is the classic, but you can use any shape you like.
- Parsley
For the Vegan Alfredo Sauce:
- Vegan butter or olive oil – I love Vegan Butter for added richness.
- Red onion
- Cashews – Be sure to buy raw cashews, not roasted. Soak overnight or in hot water for one hour.
- Pasta water – Helps bind and thicken the sauce.
- Unsweetened almond milk – Or another unflavoured, unsweetened plant milk.
- Roasted garlic – Roasted garlic deepens the flavour of the entire sauce and really brings it to another level. (You can also make Air Fryer Roasted Garlic.)
- Nutritional yeast – Provides a cheesy, umami flavor to the sauce.
- Sea salt
- Vegan Parmesan cheese – Use homemade or store-bought.
- Lime juice – Or lemon juice.
How to Make Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta
You’ll find the full instructions in the printable recipe card below, but here’s a visual overview of the steps involved.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta in salted water, following the package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining.
- Cook the onion. Heat the vegan butter or olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until it’s softened.
- Make the sauce. Add the onion to a blender, along with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy, then season to taste.
- Assemble and serve. Drain the pasta and place it back in the pan or in a large bowl. Stir in the Alfredo sauce. Serve with parsley and vegan Parmesan for garnish.
Tips for Success
- Salt the pasta water. It may seem like a small thing, but salting your pasta water can really make a difference in the overall flavour of the dish. It helps to season the pasta from the inside out, as it will absorb the salt as it cooks.
- Get a head start. You can roast the garlic up to 3 days in advance or even make the sauce a day or two ahead of time. Just note that if you make the sauce ahead, you’ll have to warm it before adding it to the pasta.
- Don’t forget to soak the cashews. It’s so important for a vegan Alfredo sauce that’s creamy, not gritty!
Variations
- Add a veggie. Steamed broccoli or Garlic Mushrooms would be great additions to this dish, but so many veggies would work well!
- Give it a protein boost. Add slices of Vegan Chicken.
- Use different herbs. Instead of parsley, try using other herbs like thyme, rosemary, chives, or basil.
Serving Suggestions
I always recommend pairing pasta with my homemade Roasted Garlic Bread. I make it at least once a week! But if you want to keep things lighter, go with a salad. This Vegan Caesar Salad pairs well with Italian dishes.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover vegan garlic Alfredo pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the pasta will get mushy and the sauce will not be as smooth or creamy.
- Reheating: Microwave the pasta or warm it in a skillet set over medium-high heat, with a splash of broth or almond milk to loosen the sauce.
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan garlic Alfredo pasta recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 ounces any pasta, I used fettuccine, 340g
- chopped parsley, for garnish
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- 2 teaspoons vegan butter or olive oil, or any oil, 9g
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight, or in hot water for one hour, 140g
- ¼ cup pasta water, 60ml
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, or any vegan milk, 360ml
- 4 cloves roasted garlic*
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 10–12g
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, 3g
- 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese, + extra for topping, 10–12g
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, 15ml
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in a well salted pot of water. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water.
- While the pasta is boiling/you’re waiting for the water to boil, in a pan over medium high heat, heat the vegan butter or olive oil. Add the onion, stir and let cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the onions from the pan and add it to a blender. Add the rinsed off soaked cashews (without the water), the pasta water, the almond milk, the roasted garlic, the nutritional yeast, the sea salt the vegan parmesan cheese and the lime juice. Blend it all together until completely creamy. If you have a high powered blender this will happen quickly, about 1 minute, if not, just keep blending until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt or vegan parmesan cheese if necessary.
- When the pasta is finished boiling, drain and pour back into the pan you had used earlier or even into a Tupperware container if you want. Pour the Alfredo sauce over and stir to combine completely.
- When serving, top with parsley to garnish and more vegan parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover vegan garlic Alfredo pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the pasta will get mushy and the sauce will not be as smooth or creamy.
- Reheating: Microwave the pasta or warm it in a skillet set over medium-low heat, with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
- You can either roast the garlic in the oven or in the air fryer.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
As a vegan for 12 years, I have tried a lot of “Alfredo” recipes. This is one of the best I’ve had! It comes together quickly, and I agree with Jessica about her instructions regarding roasting the garlic. It adds a mellow richness to the overall taste. I added some freshly ground pepper and my hubs added some crushed red pepper flakes to his. We also added broccoli and used high-protein pasta to up the nutrition even more. Great recipe!
Can you use savory nutritional yeast?
Thanks so much for reading. yes you can.
So delicious! The sauce was very creamy and rich. I added freshly cracked black pepper at the end for a little extra pizzazz
Thank you so much Victoria!
This is literally the most perfect pasta sauce ever! It is everything I’ve ever wanted in an Alfredo. Cheesy, creamy, rich but not heavy tasting/feeling. It is literal perfection. I would say it’s my fave Jessica recipe but they are all equally loved by me 😂
Thanks so much Kat. We’re happy that you love this and other recipes!
THEEE BEST vegan alfredo pasta I’ve come across . I got my fiancé to eat it, and he said it’s vegan ?? I’m like yes. So creamy and delicious . The only thing is that my 3 year old is allergic to nuts . Do you know what I can substitute and if it’s even possible . It’s soo good and I hate she has to miss out on it due to cashews . This will be made as my go to Alfredo pasta for now on . I’m trying to get my mom to go more vegan so she’s going to try the mushroom soup recipe for me in a few days . I’ll leave a review once we try it . Thank you !!
Thank you so much Paris and yay!! Haha that’s the best compliment for sure!! Yes you can try cauliflower instead for a cauliflower alfredo sauce or tofu. You could also use sunflower seeds! I’m trying to work on a specific alternative recipe for this, because I do get this question a lot! Fingers crossed!
So happy and hope your mom loves it too and that you enjoy the mushroom soup recipe too!! You’re so welcome!!
Jessica,
Hello! Did you happen to ever figure out a substitute recipe for the cashews?
Hi Carin,
You can use sunflower seeds or silken tofu!! Silken tofu is cheaper and will give you that same creaminess. Drain the liquid from the pack and start with ½ block until you reach your desired creaminess!
A fantastic recipe!! Truly a favorite in our vegan home!! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!!!😋🌱💚🌷
Hi Anita, Thanks so much for sharing with me!! So happy to hear that!!
Another amazing recipe. Big hit in our household. I will definitely be making this again!
We’re so happy to hear this Katie! Thaknk you so much.
Hello this is chef jamerson from Baltimore Maryland I’m goin to give this a try
Thank you Chef Jamerson enjoy so much!!!
This was surprisingly easy and tasted sooo good! I had most of the ingredients already in the kitchen. Been missing this taste since trying to be vegan.. thanks so much! I didn’t have the lime today but still tasted great. Will try it with the next time.
Thanks so much Farah! We’re so happy that you like it and we were able to help! You should definitely try the lime next time.
I read through the majority of comments but didn’t see an answer to a question I have. I am allergic to most nuts and seeds. Is there a good substitute for cashews? I miss Alfredo sauce soooo much. Thanks in advance!
Chantele
Thanks so much for reading! Hmm… we haven’t experimented with any yet, but a soy milk reduction comes to mind when I think of it. I’ll definitely keep you updated if there is any progress on this. I hope this was slightly helpful.