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
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I made it with hemp seeds instead of cashews since I did not have them, and I really love that the Alfredo sauce is very creamy and tasty, I just love it ????
Yes, I love using hemp seeds! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nelly. Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
This is an awesome recipe. So delish and amazing! My sister used to just like plain spaghetti and I made this recipe because it looked great. She loved it and I also did. It’s a great healthy recipe and rich flavor.5/5 stars . Thank you elavegan for this recipe.
You are very welcome, Jennifer! I am so glad that you both enjoyed it. Thanks for your great feedback! 🙂
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference to your article I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines, who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome do not belong and are out of my brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
The brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” is present in Mexico with 2 restaurants (Mexico City and Puebla) and 2 trattorias (Mexico City and Cozumel) on the basis of franchising relationships with the Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
The restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo” is in the Registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence – section on Historical Activities of Excellence” of the Municipality of Roma Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
IN ITALIANO
STORIA DI ALFREDO DI LELIO, CREATORE DELLE “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), E DELLA SUA TRADIZIONE FAMILIARE PRESSO IL RISTORANTE “IL VERO ALFREDO” (“ALFREDO DI ROMA”) IN PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE A ROMA
Con riferimento al Vostro articolo ho il piacere di raccontarVi la storia di mio nonno Alfredo Di Lelio, inventore delle note “fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”).
Alfredo Di Lelio, nato nel settembre del 1883 a Roma in Vicolo di Santa Maria in Trastevere, cominciò a lavorare fin da ragazzo nella piccola trattoria aperta da sua madre Angelina in Piazza Rosa, un piccolo slargo (scomparso intorno al 1910) che esisteva prima della costruzione della Galleria Colonna (ora Galleria Sordi).
Il 1908 fu un anno indimenticabile per Alfredo Di Lelio: nacque, infatti, suo figlio Armando e videro contemporaneamente la luce in tale trattoria di Piazza Rosa le sue “fettuccine”, divenute poi famose in tutto il mondo. Questa trattoria è “the birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
Alfredo Di Lelio inventò le sue “fettuccine” per dare un ricostituente naturale, a base di burro e parmigiano, a sua moglie (e mia nonna) Ines, prostrata in seguito al parto del suo primogenito (mio padre Armando). Il piatto delle “fettuccine” fu un successo familiare prima ancora di diventare il piatto che rese noto e popolare Alfredo Di Lelio, personaggio con “i baffi all’Umberto” ed i calli alle mani a forza di mischiare le sue “fettuccine” davanti ai clienti sempre più numerosi.
Nel 1914, a seguito della chiusura di detta trattoria per la scomparsa di Piazza Rosa dovuta alla costruzione della Galleria Colonna, Alfredo Di Lelio decise di aprire a Roma il suo ristorante “Alfredo” che gestì fino al 1943, per poi cedere l’attività a terzi estranei alla sua famiglia.
Ma l’assenza dalla scena gastronomica di Alfredo Di Lelio fu del tutto transitoria. Infatti nel 1950 riprese il controllo della sua tradizione familiare ed aprì, insieme al figlio Armando, il ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” (noto all’estero anche come “Alfredo di Roma”) in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 (cfr. il sito web di Il Vero Alfredo).
Con l’avvio del nuovo ristorante Alfredo Di Lelio ottenne un forte successo di pubblico e di clienti negli anni della “dolce vita”. Successo, che, tuttora, richiama nel ristorante un flusso continuo di turisti da ogni parte del mondo per assaggiare le famose “fettuccine all’Alfredo” al doppio burro da me servite, con l’impegno di continuare nel tempo la tradizione familiare dei miei cari maestri, nonno Alfredo, mio padre Armando e mio fratello Alfredo. In particolare le fettuccine sono servite ai clienti con 2 “posate d’oro”: una forchetta ed un cucchiaio d’oro regalati nel 1927 ad Alfredo dai due noti attori americani M. Pickford e D. Fairbanks (in segno di gratitudine per l’ospitalità).
Desidero precisare che altri ristoranti “Alfredo” a Roma non appartengono e sono fuori dal mio brand di famiglia.
Il brand “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma” è presente in Messico con 2 ristoranti (Città del Messico e Puebla) e 2 trattorie (Città del Messico e Cozumel) sulla base di rapporti di franchising con il Group Hotel Presidente Intercontinental Mexico.
Vi informo che il Ristorante “Il Vero Alfredo” è presente nell’Albo dei “Negozi Storici di Eccellenza – sezione Attività Storiche di Eccellenza” del Comune di Roma Capitale.
Grata per la Vostra attenzione ed ospitalità nel Vostro interessante blog, cordiali saluti
Ines Di Lelio
Thanks for sharing, Ines!
Can i use almond instead of cashew? Thank you 😀
You can use two tablespoons (about 40 grams) of sunflower seed butter or nut butter of choice.
I made this second time this week. It is super delicious. Sauce is so tasty, it is awesome how you can make such a creamy sauce without any dairy. have used quinoa rice spaghetti and also I added just a handful of chopped olives. Absolutely amazing! Thank you for this recipe????
So happy to hear it came out amazing! 🙂
Hi Ela! How much dried fettuccine would you recommend per serving? Thanks.
Hi Sophie, I added 8 oz for 4 servings. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi Ela, thank you so much for this recipe. It looks amazing ???? Just one question how long should i soak the cashews?
Hi Javi! Soak in hot water for about one hour or until they are soft. You can also soak them in cold water overnight. Hope this helps. 🙂
What a regret!, I should have doubled the recipe, we licked the pan, totally delicious.
Love your comment! 🙂
Can I use hulled hemp seeds instead?
Hello! Yes, that’s the same as shelled hemp seeds (or hemp hearts) and perfectly fine. 🙂
Hello Ela,
. I was able to follow with all ingredients.I used black beans pasta. Alfredo sauce was unbelievable.
over all ,This recipe came out As simply amazing Meal.
Thanks
Wonderful! I am so glad you enjoyed the meal! Thanks for your feedback Roopa. 🙂
Hi Ela! Could I use (frozen) cauliflower “rice” if I dont have whole cauliflower or will the texture turn out funky?
I never tried that, therefore, I can’t tell you how it will turn out. Please report back if you give it a try. 🙂
I have made this before (and am making it again this evening) with frozen cauliflower rice, and it turns out perfect! Just steam the cauliflower ahead of time before blending. 🙂
So happy you love it, Gabby! 🙂
I’m going to try with frozen cauli because that’s what we have. I’m going to pat it dry to remove any excess water.
I hope it turned out fine! 🙂
I made that recipe last night for my whole family it was delicioso amazing my three kids want it to take it for lunch the next day and it was not enough. Thank you so much for sharing that is the best.
Aww, that’s awesome! I am so glad your whole family enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
This is THE BEST vegan alfredo I have ever attempted. I’ll admit that I’m no pro as my husband and I have been on this plant based journey for less than a year, but I have tried several recipes and I keep coming back to Ela Vegan over and over again. This alfredo sauce is so flavorful and creamy. My husband and three boys gobbled up a double batch; I didn’t even get to take leftovers for lunch the next day! The only addition I made was to blend in some arrowroot powder to thicken things up a bit (I think I used 1.5 – 2 tsp). So so good. I have definitely added this to my routine recipe list. Thank you!
Aww, thanks so much for your amazing feedback, Nicole! I am so glad you all enjoyed the recipe. It’s also one of my favorites. 🙂
Nicole, we have been vegan, oil- and glutenfree for just over a year too, and Elavegan is also THE place to come and look for recipes and inspiration. I am so grateful to you, Ela. In this recipe I used hempmeal/hemp proteine powder, as it said it was made from pure hemp seeds, and the seeds would have been mixed in with the blender anyway. It was all I had. It tasted delicious, but was kind of sandy in texture, a bit unpleasant.
Thank you, Anneke! I am glad you like my recipes. 🙂 I wonder if the hemp protein powder also contains other ingredients that made the sauce sandy. It never happened to me with pure hemp seeds. 🙂
I’m sorry, but this was absolutely disgusting.
So sorry you didn’t like the recipe, Kelly! So many people all over the world love it and so do I. 🙂
Hi Ela! Could I use sesame seeds as a substitute for hemp seeds? Cashews are very costly where I Live!
Hi Ines! I never tried sesame seeds, however, it should work as well! 🙂
Hi Ela
Looks amazing . Just had a question regarding the hemp seeds. If I don’t use them will it taste just as nice. Can I use sunflower seeds or an alternative? Thanks
Hi Jan! You can use cashews instead (just soak them in warm water until they are soft). If you cannot eat nuts I would recommend that you use sunflower seed butter instead! Two tablespoons (about 40 grams) would be fine. If you can eat nuts you could also use any other nut butter instead. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi,
Do I have to use Hemp seeds?
No! You can use soaked cashews instead. 🙂
Ok thanks.. Now this might be dumb, but what is the purpose of the hemp or cashews? I can’t have dairy but not allergic. Thanks for the help. I was going to try your red velvet bars but don’t know where to get red beet powder.
Janet
They will make the sauce creamy, rich, and delicious because they contain healthy fat. Without it, the sauce will just taste like cauliflower. 🙂
Ela, thank you for such fast and simple recipes!
Even in cold and expensive Moscow I can get these products ❤️
Cheers!
That’s awesome! So happy you can enjoy them. 🙂
Hi, what do you do with the vegetable broth?
It’s described in instructions. No. 5)
“Add the garlic, the drained cauliflower, and all other ingredients (except the pasta, the mushrooms, and the fresh herbs) to a high-speed blender and mix on high speed for about 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy….”
When I first saw this recipe I scanned the ingredients because I almost always never have raw cashews in the pantry and can’t usually whip up these types of recipes without it. Right away I knew we had all the ingredients except for mushrooms which I subbed with broccoli.
Once I started preparing dinner our almost 5 month old who I suspect is teething started getting fussy for my hubby had to take over preparing dinner.
This recipe was easy to make and the whole family enjoyed it, especially my two year old, who kept asking for more. I will definitely be making this more often since it’s so full of healthy ingredients that she loved.
That’s awesome, Heather! It makes me so happy that you and your family loved this recipe. Thanks for your great feedback! 🙂
Sounds delicious! What do you do with the hemp seeds?
They are an ingredient of the sauce as mentioned in the recipe. 😉