At any rate, it was delicious and will make again! Soooo good! I did use some organic parmesan cheese that I had but not a lot and I substituted broth for the non dairy milk product. I just made this sauce tonight. I'm a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, and I've been developing healthy recipes professionally for over 15 years. Boiled the cashews so I didn’t have to soak them overnight, never plan that far ahead. Let us know how it goes! I’ve been making this recipe for about 4 years now. OMG this recipe is so delicious! Hi Anne! Love it and thank you!!! I also subbed cornstarch for arrowroot because it’s what I had on hand. This recipe uses nutritional yeast to get the cheesy flavor without a spot of cheese. I read your response incorrectly. Made this for dinner tonight. I added about a 1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves to the blender which gave the sauce a lovely mild pesto flavour and then I simmered a splash of white wine in the pan before adding the sauce. Place cashews in a bowl or jar (I like using a wide-mouth quart mason jar) and cover with water. Your recipes are always fabulous. Let soak overnight (at least 6 hours). if possible. Should I use less Nutritional yeast? My first Attempt at vegan “cheese” sauce And I absolutely loved it! I ended up needing to add quite a bit more almond milk than suggested to get the desired consistency. Thank you so much for continuously knocking it out of the park with your recipes! Is there an alternative that can be used for nutritional yeast? You can definitely omit the starch and add more dairy-free milk as needed! Decision made, recipe made shortly thereafter. This was so easy and delicious! What if I where to use cornstarch instead of arrow root would it still come out the same? This recipe looks very good, I’ve been looking for a vegan alfredo sauce recipe and can’t wait to try this one! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Robbie! Yay! I also used corn starch instead of arrowroot, but it worked out just fine. Add the cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, crushed garlic and lemon juice to the blender jug. I’m experiencing stomach issues and am not able to eat cashews. Hope that helps. Best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth!!!!! Non-vegan here. :). I was out of arrowroot powder so I subbed in the same amount of corn starch and it turned out great! This was delicious and super simple, as are ALL of Minimalist Baker recipes! Thank you! Thank you. And for more flavor, I generally add salt, nutritional yeast, and red pepper flake and/or garlic :D. Yummy! Well liked by non-GF and non-lactose intolerant family members. This recipe is bangin!! Threw in a few almonds and used 2 cups of water instead of almond milk. At the end I added some extra dried basil and oregano to the blender as well. This would make the perfect sauce for zucchini noodle pasta or your favorite pasta (I prefer gluten-free fusilli!). It was excellent and very filling :-) i have also roasted the garlic and three shallots before adding them to the blender and it was delicious.. together with bean noodles the sauce makes a perfect combo, love this. Of course! After soaking cashews in boiling water, you blend them into an incredibly smooth cream that can be the foundation to all kinds of dairy-free kitchen experimentation! HI Dana I added chopped portobello mushrooms to the sauce . I’m pretty sure nutritional yeast and brewers yeast are not in any way related…I can’t advise for sure but I read that somewhere. I just find it gives that gooey texture cheese does. We’re so glad you enjoy it, Natasha! Thanks so much for sharing! Dana you’ve outdone yourself. Have you used full fat canned coconut milk instead of almond milk? ;) Alfredo used to be one of my favorite pasta dishes! Absolutely delicious! I hope you know I’m making your website famous cause I can’t get enough of your wisdom. Made this for dinner tonight for my non vegan family. This cashew alfredo sauce has only 5 ingredients, and the recipe makes a pretty big batch. It can seem intimidating if these aren’t regular ingredients in the pantry but they are now in this house!! Have a question? xo. So much to learn but super grateful for sites like yours that are full of great recipes that have been delicious and taken away some of the fear of embarking on this new food journey!!! You will not be subscribed to our newsletter list. You can find it in most health food shops or online and it's not expensive. I used corn starch and it worked out fine! There’s just three simple steps to make this recipe: Soak the cashews overnight. ? I would think so, yes! This was amazing! Drain the water. I used a vegetable stock and almond milk combo (though I added more almond milk to thin.) Apart from the cashews obviously, :). Then of course you want what you can’t have and I craved pasta Alfredo. I ended up adding a drizzle of olive oil at the end because I felt like I overcooked it a little right at the end. This plant-based alfredo sauce is made with 10 simple and natural ingredients including cauliflower, garlic, shallots, and nutritional yeast… Cut the cauliflower into florets. To blender, also add arrowroot starch (for thickening), nutritional yeast, garlic, sea salt, vegan parmesan cheese, and lesser amount of  unsweetened dairy-free milk (1 cup (240 ml) as original recipe is written). Not being a cook by any means…how long will the sauce keep in the fridge after cooking? Creamy, saucy cashew alfredo in 30 minutes! SO good. But this vegan alfredo is still a very satisfying, very tasty alternative for those of you for whom dairy isn’t an option. Thanks so much for sharing! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It made for a quick and delicious meal last night!! Time to fill your blender. Store in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop, adding more dairy-free milk or water as needed to thin. Nutritional yeast has a great savory, cheesy taste used as a substitute for cheese in many recipes! You can also, Orange Cranberry Crisp (Gluten-Free & Easy! This will be a regular recipe for my weekly meal prep! Cooked the garlic in EVOO and added to the Vitamix. Food is my love language, and my kitchen tips and nourishing recipes are my love letter to you! I served it over air-fried cauliflower gnocchi & edamame. This looks delish!! Yummy. If you’re feeling fancy, you can pair this with some fresh pasta and add herbs like basil, chives, and parsley to brighten it up. Not only are they easy, but they are delicious! First time making the vegan parmesan as well. Do you have an idea why? *Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast with a natural cheesy flavour. We haven’t tried that, but it might work! I don’t think you need to add arrowroot starch to the mix. Thank you for sharing. Made this for dinner and it was a huge hit!!! It is 1/2 cup, but I’ve added a note in the instructions that I add more as needed to blend / thicken. Some of you love it, but others are not fans or have allergies. I made a few modifications. This recipe calls for WAY too much for me though and I have a lot of leftover- how is best to keep it and how long can it keep for? Any thoughts on if I could sub hemp seeds for the cashews? I’m taking a short break from gobbling this down to write how amazing it is!!! Does it hold up in the refrigerator/freezer if you make it in advance? Both my husband and I, we’re not happy with the sauce. This looks amazing! Cashews are one of the “secrets” to great vegan cooking. We are so glad you enjoyed it! The consistency is lovely and the aftertaste of cheese is nice, but I would recommend omitting the garlic completely. This sauce was so good! Hi Sonali, thanks for sharing! My first time attempting anything nut based and I consider it a success! Much appreciated!! Hello! Thank uou so much ! Could it be frozen? It was Awesome!!! I am allergic to both brewer’s yeast and bakers. I used fusilli which I thought ‘gripped’ the sauce really well. I’m also allergic to yeast. We loved it. You never disappoint me though! Would this be okay without the vegan parm? Let us know if you give it a try! If the Vitamix wasn’t so noisy, I’d make this every day. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It could even be enjoyed layered in lasagna! I was feeling lazy and used canned coconut milk instead of homemade almond. This is just perfect for a simple, quick and easy alfredo sauce! Wholefully/Back to Her Roots, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We’ve got: Cashews. Transfer to a rimmed skillet and cook over medium-low to medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking frequently. I think it’s a must. Made mine with the carrot spirals from Trader Joe’s instead of actual pasta! Hi, I found your site through Samantha Ravandahl on YouTube, I’ve been wanting to make this for so long but I have a question, could you use carton of cashew milk / cream ? Based on some other comments I added a 4th garlic clove, a little onion powder, and the juice of approx 1 lemon. I love this recipe! This is exactly the reason when I search for a vegan version of a food – if your site is in the results – boom. I’ll use a more thickened version as a dip. Thank you for this recipe! And you’re sure it’s not from the dairy-free milk? Cassie is the founder and CEO of Wholefully. Hi Adrianna, we haven’t tried it and can’t say for certain, but we think it would work! It is hard to find here. So thick and creamy. I used this sauce with vegan mushroom ravioli and substituted the almond milk with vegetable broth. Will definitely make again! This raw vegan Alfredo sauce with zucchini noodles is rich, creamy and better yet, ready in under 30 minutes.And because it’s raw, it’s also naturally gluten-free!. See full disclosures ». I am wondering, just in an effort to cut the fat content. Love the flavour of this sauce! I look forward to your reply? I checked no other ingredients I used have added sugar. Otherwise, it’s really a matter of preference! Using what I had, I left out the parmesan cheese and added 1.5 instead of 1.25 cups of raw cashews by mistake. Any idea how I can reduce the sweetness of the recipe? Thanks for another wonderful vegan recipe! (Cashews=$$$)(haha) I’m also wondering about the strong yeast smell. Thanks for another great recipe. Lovely – thanks! If you can’t find it, you can leave it out! I made this tonight and it was soooo quick and easy! Copyright © 2010–2020 Back to Her Roots, LLC. Soooo good and so easy! First, I used spiralized butternut squash that I found at Whole Foods and a half cup of peas. *2-3 cloves garlic yield ~1 1/2 Tbsp crushed garlic. It absolutely is, thanks to the joys of cashew cream! We use Tinkyada brown rice pasta and it truly is divine. Followed instructions here to heat it up and added some extra veggie broth for the desired consistency. We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Amanda! Which one would work best? ), Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella. I left out the aroot starch and the parmesan and it’s still amazing. Will definitely make this again! This was so tasty!!! Pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. Made it exactly as directed and it is absolutely delicious. This was fantastic! Is there a sub or can I just omit it? Thanks for sharing! This is now my go-to sauce. Thanks for sharing! I’d say my top tips for this have been peeling the skins off the chickpeas, roasting on a high temp without parchment paper (directly on the pan), and roasting until very golden brown. I added pepper for spice and it was delicious! I tried the Alfredo sauce recipe for my broccoli mushroom Alfredo. Amazing flavor! I thinned it out twice while on the stove, but while it sat on the table during dinner it thickened into a paste! I love this recipe! Maybe there’s hope you’re not allergic to nutritional yeast?! In this totally free (yup!) Do they stay raw, or are you supposed to cook them prior to adding the sauce? Hope that helps! I’m going to use the leftovers to make a bechamel butternut squash lasagna and if I have any additional left, thin it a bit more and add pumpkin puree and serve over pasta, garnished with sage. The perfect plant-based sauce for all your pasta night needs. It was creamy and so good! The free Living Wholefully Starter Guide is packed full of tips, tricks, recipes, and a 14-day meal plan to get you started on the road to vibrant health. You can unsubscribe at any time. Delish and easy! So I turned the temperature down and added a little almond milk at a time to thin it out a bit. They don’t get as creamy and smooth for me. Love the modifications, Rachel! Thanks for the recipe! It’s plenty thick without it. And garlic salt instead of cloves? Thank you for all your recipes ? Thank you !!! Finally, I sprinkled roasted and unsalted shelled pumpkin seeds on top prior to serving. It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Try using Oat milk. So glad to hear it, Redd! I made this tonight and used tapioca flour in place of arrowroot and it came out great! I mixed it all together in the blender, and stored it in mason jars. Thanks so much for sharing! Many outgoing links on Wholefully are affiliate links. Hope that helps! They just didn’t keep the flavor of the sauce well and the zoodles watered it down even after I drained water out of the pan, so I made some gf pasta and mixed the rest of the zoodles in with it and that was ?? I didn’t have arrowroot powder, so I used corn starch. Your 5 minutes is up. Cashew Cheese Sauce #vegan #paleo. This recipe yields approximately 600 mL of sauce; I normally separate them into 2 jars and keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks. Just more nutritional yeast? Ummmmm this is incredible! Thanks so much for the lovely review! Tastes better than regular Alfredo to me! I omitted the Vegan parm and used 1tbsp of tapioca starch and just 1 cup of almond milk. I also used a food processor. Just like every other recipe by MB ? Thanks. We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sara! It was a hit! Thanks so much! It became a popular dish and somewhere along the way, cream was added. The base of this alfredo is quick-soaked cashews in very hot water so they soften quickly. Nothing too mind blowing about this recipe, but the one thing to take away from it — if you haven’t made a cashew sauce before — is that boiling the cashews before blending really helps make a creamier sauce, especially if you just have a basic blender. The sauce should thicken and bubble. I typically quick soak my cashews (hot water for 20-60 mins) and sub tapioca starch for arrowroot because it’s what I have on hand. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I topped mine with slices of pan-roasted mushrooms. Cheers, friends! I loved this and my non-vegan friends enjoyed it as well. I prefer it to almond and this recipe turned out great!! Blend until very smooth and … xo. She lives on a small hobby farm in Southern Indiana with her husband, daughter, two dogs, two cats, and 15 chickens. It may thicken as you reheat it on the stovetop, so just thin with more almond milk or water. very good! I like to meal prep and freeze sauces. You will be blown away by how much this vegan cashew alfredo sauce tastes like the real deal! Very tasty. I also added quite a bit of fresh ground pepper. Also, I don’t have access to a vegan Parmesan, what do I use instead?? Thanks so much for sharing! Maybe it’s just what’s available or not in Australia. I cannot wait to try! How to Make This Vegan Alfredo Sauce. I was wondering if another nut could be used in this recipe because I can’t eat cashews. To steam the broccoli, I like to put a wire mesh strainer over … I can’t find that in any stores near me! I have made this in the past, and it was amazing. Would it be possible to make this with purchased, pre-made cashew milk, instead of the almond milk + cashews? It was literally heaven!!! I use raw cashews, soak them for at least 2 hours,blend them in vitamix, same thing when i dont soak them. Simply delicious! I’m having trouble getting the sauce to come out creamy… I let the cashews soak in very hot water for 45 mins, drained and added almond milk then blended in a Ninja for several minutes but the sauce is a gritty texture. I didn’t have arrowroot starch and I used rice milk. I have recently learned of a dairy allergy, and in the attempt to make one of my favorites, I tried this one. While I dig nutritional yeast and use it in many of my recipes, I skipped it here. I subbed cornstarch because I had it on hand and also used roasted cashews because raw were too expensive. I spiralized 4 zucchinis and a box of Jovial pasta and had a good amount of sauce covering them. This pasta outshines every non-vegan pasta I’ve ever had. I persist with different brands but so far have ongoing fails. It was so delicious I’m already thinking about my leftovers. I added a bit of extra salt because I love it. My mom loved the vegan Parmesan and was surprised it was in fact vegan. Thanks so much! I wouldn’t recommend freezing (but you could probably freeze the sauce by itself!). Best results are with cartoned coconut milk (Trader Joe’s coconut beverage, no sugar added), worst results with unsweetened vanilla almond milk (the vanilla gives it a very odd, unpleasant flavor). FYI I froze a container of the sauce and it was fine! Had to soak the cashews longer because I don’t have a super awesome blender, but this was a great. If you purchase a product after clicking an affiliate link, I receive a small percentage of the sale for referring you, at no extra cost to you. Xo, Very tasty and an easy bit satisfying week night meal. It turned out a bit sweet – is that normal? I haven’t tried it myself, but no, I don’t think so. Hi Marti, that typically means the blender is not powerful enough and/or it needs additional liquid. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste with a pinch of sea salt and more lemon juice. This is seriously too good. I get so excited when I see you do a comfort food makeover to make it as healthy as possible. This is my first effort at a ‘cheesy’ cashew sauce. I’m definitely going to make this one of my mid-week go-to recipes. I made this tonight and it was fantastic! I barely has to think while making this, all the steps timed out into a perfect 20 min meal! THANKS SO MUCH!! thanks in advance. Thanks for this Amazing recipe Dana. This was outstanding!! It turned out reeeaaaallllllyyyyy good! I didn’t really measure out the almond milk, just went by eye as I cooked and it was the perfect consistentency! Thanks so much for this – it was my first attempt at alfredo since going vegan 2 years ago and I LOVED IT! And now, we have this vegan alfredo sauce, which might just be my favorite cashew cream recipe yet. They form the base of this alfredo sauce. Hi.. for the 1 1/4 cups raw cashews (soaked), do you mean One AND 1/4 or ONLY 1/4 cup? Blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Blend until a thick sauce comes together. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you. No worries! Could I use brown rice flour instead of arrowroot? I mixed it with a jar of store bought arribiatta sauce after thickening the mixture on the stove top. Somehow I forgot to put the cashews in the blender and reduced the sauce without them. I followed the recipe to the T. This sauce is great as a base for any pasta or vegetable dish. Pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 20 minutes. How to Make Vegan Alfredo Sauce. Thanks Lauren! Delicious. Could I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder? I didn’t have cashews on hand and almost fainted when I saw the price of raw cashews, but I have lots of raw sunflower seeds and used them instead. Thank you so much for this recipe, I did use the suggested toppings of vegan parm and roasted cherry tomatoes. I usually double the recipe and it is just as wonderful the next day. How long refrigerated would it keep? Traditional Alfredo recipes have butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. At Wholefully, we believe I always know I can count on healthy recipes from you all! Yum! Hi! 45+ Thoughtful and Easy DIY Christmas Food Gifts. The texture was a bit weird. I think next time I will leave out the arrowroot because it thickened too quickly. I find I use more milk-about 3 cups and then I adjust seasonings. Each serving of creamy sauce (1/3 cup) provides 8 grams of protein! Let … I’d recommend lemon juice or a small amount of vinegar perhaps? So good. Add in 3/4 cup water, garlic, nutritional yeast, and sea salt and blend on high until very smooth—about three minutes. Soooooo I would proooooobably eat the whole recipe. I made this and and drizzled it on the yam ravioli from the cookbook.. Vegan Alfredo sauce without nutritional yeast. Thanks so much for sharing, Jacki! Plus, plenty of our friends eat GF and cooking for them often requires GF recipes. Once soaking is finished, drain and rinse the cashews, and place in the basin of a high-powered blender. For more Italian-inspired dishes, check out our Simple Chickpea Bolognese, Eggplant Lasagna Roll-Ups, Easy Vegan Pizza, Spicy Red Lentil Pasta, and Vegan Pesto Parmesan Breadsticks! Thanks for the yummy sauce! I made this Cashew Alfredo in my Vitamix blender, but any high-speed blender should work fine. Blend mixture in an electric blender or food processor until smooth, … You can also subscribe without commenting. 10/10. She had to ask me several times during dinner if this was actually dairy free!! It was AWESOME! Lastly, I stirred in some cooked spinach and mushrooms at the end. Sautéed some mushrooms up and served on top ! Still worked divinely. shoot! We use this one. Glad to say this was not the case! Do you have Celiac disease? is your birthright. I made this tonight! Love your work. Ordering Arrowroot to try it with that, and subbed corn starch as suggested. I had a similar question. And thanks so much for the lovely review, Mina. This was a sucsess! Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add more dairy-free milk as needed to thin (I typically add up to 1/2 – 1 cup (120-240ml) more // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Thanks for sharing! But if you give it a try let me know! If you notice that the sauce … If you’re worried about the taste of cashews, the garlic definitely gets rid of this, as well as adding so much flavour. I speak all about nutritional yeast here, and I made a vegan parmesan cheese for you here. My husband loved this recipe too, and he is a meat and cheese lover. Thanks Hey! Get our copy of FAN FAVORITES featuring 20 of our most loved, highly-rated recipes! This is very similar to the It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken mozzarella sauce recipe, that I’ve adapted for creamy cheesy sauce! There’s no way you’d guess there’s no cheese, milk or heavy cream in this. Better than a lot of dairy sauces I’ve had in the past. Made this multiple times, so delicious. OMG yum! Then in the early 1900s, he served it at his restaurant to Hollywood actors who loved the dish and brought the concept to the US. and like it would take foooorever. However, you could also try blending fresh coconut meat, adding probiotics, and doing the same process! The vegan parmesan recipe is pretty much all the same ingredients, could I just add some more nooch and garlic instead of adding this whole other step? But you’re right! I am not vegan, but I love the nutty-ness of cashew sauces! AWESOME. With time I’ve added two tweaks: doubling the recommended nutritional yeast and adding a 1/2 cup of soaked, drained raw cashew … Any specific health claim or nutritional claims or information provided on the website are for informational purposes only. Is there a sub for nutritional yeast? Very easy to make and a satisfying sauce. Yum- that sounds amazing! That extra bit of tanginess really ups the sauce… Our plant-based version is not traditional and more closely resembles the richness of the cream-based Americanized adaptation. Thanks as always for beautiful food! Once everything is combined, turn on the … Absolutely wonderful, I left out the arrowroot and added a teaspoon of smoked paprika…. even my non vegan friends loved it ! Cashew grated cheeze , I used large flake nutritional yeast, soaked my cashews for 30 minutes, then blended everything together… it was the most amazing taste my tastebuds have tasted in a long time!!! Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for kick/zing, nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese for cheesy flavor, salt for saltiness, or dairy-free milk if too thick. There doesn’t have to be any sacrifice in eating plant-based. Better than cornstarch is tapioca starch if you want that stringy-cheesy feel. Consider this the only vegan alfredo sauce you need. It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Will make again soon. Thank you! No one is willing to eat it. This cashew alfredo sauce is a good place to start because the nutritional yeast is used as a secondary flavor, not the main one, so you can get by with just using a touch. I’m not sure if this is the same issue. Put all ingredients into a saucepan and stir with a whisk. Everything my lactose intolerant, cheese loving self needed during quarantine. This vegan cheese sauce is made with cashew and nutrition yeast. Back when she could have dairy and gluten, fettuccine alfredo was her favorite dish. I think I like the sunflower seed base just as well! Would’ve been fine just letting it blend in the Vitamix for a bit longer than it takes to make it smooth! That’s 5 minute cashew sauce, my friends! Three words: A-ma-zing! Then it’s ready to serve! How to make cauliflower Alfredo sauce. I have tossed all the others as this is my Go To for Pizza, Pasta and anything else it will work with! Apart from its ability to turn an otherwise bland sauce into a total cheese-fest, it is also a significant source of B Vitamins. I agree—heating it in the saucepan after made it too thick. Arrowroot powder adds thickness and helps the sauce get a bit “stringy” like real cheese! I’m throwing out all our other vegan Alfredo recipes. Store in covered container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Hi – I made this recipe this evening, but since it’s November I made a few adjustments to turn it into a fall dish. It was just as good as it was the first night. I’m not vegan, but I even think it tastes better than original sauce! You will be blown away by how much this dairy-free alfredo sauce tastes like the “real thing.” Slather it onto piping hot fettuccine and enjoy a nice dose of vegan comfort food! I cooked lenguini pasta and added the sauce with morningstar chicken strips for a full vegan chick’un Alfredo! Thanks! Hi Alix! Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. My favourite vegan alfredo recipe! overpowering. This was so good! I rinsed all the salt off and then soaked them for most of the day until I was ready to make the sauce and the flavor remained neutral with a touch of toastiness. I just made this and threw a few handfuls of basil from my garden into the blender along with the rest of the ingredients. What’s the best way to reheat it if frozen? So yummy! Could I use that instead? I used goat cheese and left the yeast out. Nice and creamy. Plus this recipe is healthier too! I skipped the arrowroot powder (the cashew sauce thickened up as I heated it with the pasta, so I didn’t bother with it) and vegan parm (couldn’t find any at the store). Can I use a dairy milk, skim specifically? You’ll see a lot of recipes out there calling for large amounts of nutritional yeast, but if you are new to it, start in small doses to make sure you enjoy the flavor before diving in full-bore.