This is the best vegan Fettuccine Alfredo sauce you’ll ever have- It’s rich and creamy, yet highly nutritious, and perfect for pasta dishes. SUNFOOD kindly sponsored this blog post, although all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
Creamy, dreamy pasta! Yes, this sums it up pretty nicely. Today I am presenting you with the best dairy-free Alfredo sauce recipe that I’ve ever made! The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, healthy, high protein, and super creamy. Plus, you can make it in less than 30 minutes!
This healthy Alfredo sauce is also perfect as a meal-prep option for a wholesome, delicious lunch, or dinner. It can be served with pasta (I used Fettuccine to make a Fettuccine Alfredo), however, you could also serve this sauce with spiralized zucchini or carrot instead, for a low-carb/keto version.
What is Alfredo Sauce?
Traditionally, Alfredo sauce (i.e. Fettuccine Alfredo) is a dairy-filled Italian pasta dish. The main ingredients include butter and cheese, which then became butter, cream, and cheese when it was popularized in America and other parts of the world. The result is a rich, decadent (but fairly unhealthy) sauce.
This dairy-free Alfredo sauce recipe, however, contains all the creaminess and luxury of the original and is packed with flavor, but without any dairy. In fact, with a clever selection of ingredients including cauliflower and hemp seeds, this homemade Alfredo sauce is healthier and far more nutritious – it’s really a win-win situation.
The Healthy Ingredients
I love creating healthy recipes that are packed with nutrients and tons of healthy veggies. Whether it’s in plain sight or hidden like in this delicious hidden veg Healthy Vegan Mac And Cheese, there’s rarely a day when I’m not getting my five-a-day!
I even love including them within my baked goods- often incorporating veggies like zucchini and sweet potato into my cakes. For example, this Chocolate Zucchini Cake or even these Vegan Brownies With Peas (yes peas! Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).
After my Vegan Pasta Bake with cauliflower turned out so creamy and delicious, I decided to experiment with making a creamy cauliflower Alfredo sauce (spoiler alert- it was a success!). What resulted is the best vegan Alfredo sauce I have ever had, and all with a simple ingredients list of healthy plant-based ingredients.
While cauliflower may be the veggie star of the show for this healthy Alfredo sauce, hemp seeds play a massive part in providing rich flavor and plenty of healthy nutrients. With a nutty flavor and soft texture, these little seeds blend perfectly into a creamy nut-free Alfredo sauce.
Hemp Seeds
You probably know that it’s important for vegans to eat healthy omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fats can’t be made from scratch, and so have to be consumed in our diet – usually linked with oily fish, but also available in several plant-based sources. These include leafy vegetables, flax seeds, and, of course, hemp seeds.
Omega-3 fats are key to the function of our cell membranes, with studies showing that they may reduce inflammation and regulate blood clotting. They could even reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, and stroke. Plus, studies also show that Omega-3 may help control rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and eczema.
Nuts often feature heavily in the vegan diet and contain protein as well as lots of Omega-6 fatty acids (walnuts being the exception – as a rich source of Omega-3). However, it’s important to keep a healthy balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids!
Hemp seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and omega-9 fatty acids. Hemp is also rich in zinc, magnesium, iron, fiber, and amino acids. Do you know that it actually contains all 20 amino acids, including all 9 essential amino acids? Overall, hemp is a unique source of support for muscles, heart, and digestive health and helps to make this vegan Alfredo sauce incredibly nutritious and a high-protein meal option.
I already love to sprinkle hemp seeds over a variety of meals like soups, salads, and Buddha bowls or even include in smoothies and sauces. For this healthy Alfredo sauce, they take the dish from a simple cauliflower sauce to rich and creamy. I love using Sunfood’s Hemp Seeds since they are organic, raw, and have a superior quality!
How To Make Vegan Alfredo Sauce?
Making this homemade Alfredo sauce only includes a few steps. I’ve then combined the flavorsome sauce with Fettuccine pasta, sautéed mushrooms, and topped with parsley, for a comforting, wholesome meal. For the full list of ingredients, measurements, and nutritional information (calories, etc.) please check the printable recipe card below. Check the video for visual instructions!
STEP 1: Begin by preparing the cauliflower and pasta. Chop the cauliflower into florets and cook in lightly salted water for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Then, drain the water.
STEP 2: In another pot, cook the pasta of your choice according to the packet instructions. If using spiralized vegetables, these can be eaten raw or lightly sautéed for a few minutes, before serving.
STEP 3: As both ingredients are cooking, lightly sauté the garlic in a pan for a few minutes, until browned and then add this along with the cauliflower and all other ingredients (apart from the pasta, mushrooms and fresh herbs) into a high-speed blender/ food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. This usually takes between 1-2 minutes. You can then taste the sauce and adjust seasonings, according to taste.
STEP 4: Heat another teaspoon of oil in your skillet and sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes, seasoning as necessary, until lightly browned.
STEP 5: Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta (or veggie ‘noodles), add your mushrooms and herbs, and enjoy!
Useful Tips & Variations
- How to store: This sauce is very meal-prep friendly and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Can I freeze it? Although I’ve not tried it personally, I would imagine this sauce is also freezer-friendly. Simply leave to thaw overnight then reheat on low, mixing well. You may need a splash of water or plant-based milk to bring it back to the smooth and creamy consistency.
- Add more greens: Make this Fettuccine Alfredo recipe even healthier with the addition of some greens. This includes broccoli, peas, spinach, or kale.
- Make it low-carb: For a keto Alfredo sauce or low-carb version, swap the pasta for spiralized or ribbon zucchini or carrot.
If you don’t have hemp seeds you can omit them and use soaked cashews nuts instead. You can also swap the hemp seeds for two tablespoons (about 40 grams) of sunflower seed butter.
This Cauliflower Alfredo Is:
- Healthy
- Vegan (plant-based, dairy-free)
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
- Creamy
- Easy to make
- Customizable – easily turned keto with a single ingredient swap
If you give this tasty vegan Alfredo sauce recipe a try, I’d love a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound cauliflower cooked (small to medium sized head)
- 8.8 oz (250 g) mushrooms fresh
- 3 small cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds shelled or soaked cashews (*see notes)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- Sea salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- Pinch of chili powder (optional)
- 8 oz pasta of choice (e.g. gluten-free pasta)
- Fresh herbs to garnish (e.g. parsley)
Instructions
- Check the video in the blog post for easy visual instructions.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets and cook it in salted water for about 10-15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain the water.
- In another pot cook pasta of choice as per the instructions on the package.
- While the cauliflower and pasta cooks, slice mushrooms, and finely mince the garlic.
- Heat 1 tsp of oil in a skillet and add the garlic. Fry over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Add the garlic, the drained cauliflower, and all other ingredients (except the pasta, the mushrooms, and the fresh herbs) to a high-speed blender.
- Mix on high speed for about 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Try the sauce and adjust seasonings to taste.
- Heat another 1 tsp of oil in a skillet (use the same one which you used for the garlic) and add the mushrooms. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Pour the Alfredo sauce over the cooked pasta.
- Add the mushrooms, garnish with fresh herbs (e.g. parsley) and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
- How to store: Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Add more greens: Add veggies/greens of choice, for example, broccoli, peas, spinach, or kale.
- Make it low-carb: Swap the pasta for spiralized or ribbon zucchini or carrot.
- Cashews: Use soaked cashews instead of hemp seeds. You can also swap the hemp seeds for two tablespoons (about 40 grams) of sunflower seed butter.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Heather
Yum!!!! I have every ingredient except for the mushrooms so I think I’ll substitute with broccoli!!!
I’ll tag you in a picture on IG when I make it!
Ela
Awesome! Hope it turned out delicious! 🙂
Harold
Hi Ela,
I was craving Alfredo tonight so I tried your recipe with a few additions.. I added a little coconut milk
For creaminess and I also
Used vegan wild mushroom ravioli and added chopped artichoke hearts to the sauce!! Was absolutely amazing!!!! Check out Instagram for the pics.. thanks again
Ela
Sounds absolutely amazing, Harold! 🙂
Kathryn
I used a food processor instead of a blender (don’t have one) and the texture was a little on the grainy side but not bad! We’re not vegan, so we did add just a few shakes of real cheese to it, but still– with no calories from milk, cream, butter, flour, or cups upon cups of cheese, this recipe is a winner for anybody who wants a healthy alfredo sauce 🙂 Thank you for this!
Ela
Thanks so much for your great feedback, Kathryn! 🙂
Kasha
Can I use any blender? Which one do you use?
PS: You have such creative recipes! Wow!
Ela
Yes, any blender should be fine. I have an Oster Versa blender.
Ashanti
This turned out so good! I love the creamy taste and the thought of the cauliflower making it even more nutritious! Thanks!:)
Ela
So glad you liked my recipe! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Estefani LM
Hi! And THANKS! It was awesome. I didn’t use the hemp seeds cuz they don’t have them here in Guatemala, but it didn’t affect the fact that it was really delicious.
Ela
That’s wonderful! I am so glad it turned out delicious. 🙂
Trish Hall
I am so excited to try this! It looks incredible!
Ela
Thanks a lot, Trish. 🙂
Patrice
Will it be just as good without the nutritional yeast?
Ela
Yes, it will still taste great. 🙂
Elisabeth
I just made this tonight and it tastes great! Question: Would the sauce freeze well?
Ela
Hi, I never tried it but it should freeze well. Let me know if you give it a try. 🙂
Rebeca
Excellent. Can I replace hemp seeds with another one…my country doesn’t have this seeds yet
Ela
Yes, you can use soaked cashew nuts instead. 🙂
Ser Colorido
hi, what can i use to substitute the hemp seeds?
Ela
Hey, you could use soaked cashews instead.
Johan
Tasty recipe. Tried it tonight and loved it. Love the fact that it has very little oil.
Ela
I am so glad you liked it, Johan! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Jim
Which vegetable oil do you find works best?
Ela
Any oil works fine. E.g. sunflower seed oil, coconut oil etc. 🙂
Ida
Absolutely phenomenal recipe! Thank you for creating such a tasty alfredo sauce that does not call for cashews. Over the top for me!
Ela
Wow! Thanks so much for your amazing feedback! I am so glad you liked my recipe. 🙂
Jess @choosingchia
This is just what i need to stay cozy for Fall! I love sunfood products too I use their hemp seeds. so yummy 🙂
Ela
Thank you, Jess! Yes, I agree their products are amazing. And hemp seeds are so good for us, I love them. 🙂
Dee | Green Smoothie Gourmet
Ela! Such a delightfully creamy meal you created, and I love the imagery! Well done!
Dee xx
Ela
Thank you very much, Dee!! 🙂
Neus
LOVE this plate!!! Thankyou!!!
Ela
You are welcome! 🙂
Tiana
Making this for my whole family tonight ! (They eat meat, I’m a vegan) waiting for everyone to come together to hopefully enjoy it!!! ❤❤❤
Ela
I hope everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Brenda
Thank you for offering a nut free sauce! I can’t have cashews so I’m so excited to try this!!! ❤
Ela
So glad the recipe is helpful! I hope you will love the sauce as much as I do, Brenda!
Norm
Ela, your recipes are creative, thought out and truly nutritious. Thank you for your generosity.
Norm
Ela
Thanks for your sweet comment. 🙂
SueS
Great recipe. I added leeks in addition to mushrooms and mixed into sauce (did not blend). Before mixing with pasta. I also added pesto which did make it vegetarian rather than Vegan but you could add vegan pesto. It was absolutely delicious – my new quick go to recipe.
Ela
Sounds delicious, Sue! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Tish Harper
I made this recipe as written, but increased the spices to 1 1/2 times of what you advised in the sauce, as well as added 1/2 cube of a “not chicken” bullion cube.. I also added onions and fresh broccoli to the mushrooms before combining everything together as you directed. My husband, niece and cousin love, love, loved this recipe! Oh, and I did too :). Thanks for posting this, as I will be able to use this sauce in other recipes as well.
Ela
Thanks for sharing, Tish! I am glad it turned out delicious. 🙂
Much love, Ela
Geezer
Tnx for recipe
Ela
You’re welcome! I hope you will try my recipe. 🙂
Bianca Zapatka
I love creamy pasta recipes! ????
This sauce looks super delicious and I like that it’s also so healthy! Great recipe, my dear Ela!
Lots of love,
Bianca ❤️
Ela
Thank you, Bianca! Yes, creamy sauces are my favorite too. I hope you will give it a try. 🙂
Much love, Ela ❤️
Debra
What brand pasta did you use?
Ela
I used wide rice noodles from the Asia section! You can use any shape/brand you want though. 🙂