This delicious homemade dairy-free fettuccine alfredo sauce recipe is perfect for pasta night! It's vegan, plant-based, oil-free, non-dairy, egg-free, and gluten-free.
My dairy-free alfredo sauce is rich, creamy, and comforting. Sure to become a family favorite and work its way into your dinner rotation!
We get the creaminess of the vegan alfredo sauce from soaked raw cashews and optional reserved pasta water. If you don't have any pasta water on hand, any plant-based milk will do the trick!
If you follow my recipes, you know how against cashew-based sauces I used to be. I promise y'all, they're worth it! The velvety, silky smooth consistency is unmatched. Perfect for vegan fettuccine alfredo!
You have to give it a try for yourself. My homemade vegan skillet queso, dairy-free beer cheese dip, vegan ranch dressing, and mac n cheese recipes are perfect examples!
Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo FAQ
How long do the cashews need to soak? I really recommend letting the raw cashews soak overnight. To soften, they need about 6-8 hours. If you're short on time, toss them in a bowl covered with water and microwave for a few minutes.
Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Absolutely! It's naturally a gluten-free alfredo sauce, just use your favorite allergy-friendly fettuccine pasta.
How do I store leftovers? Store the alfredo sauce in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Any tips for reheating? The sauce will thicken up a bit as it's stored, so you may need to add a splash of dairy-free milk or water when reheating.
Related recipes
Want more creamy dairy-free pasta recipes? Check these out next:
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Easy Vegan Vodka Sauce (No Cashews)
- Garlic Lemon Capellini
- Vegan Pasta Puttanesca
- 30-Minute Asparagus Hummus Pasta
- One-Pot Red Lentil Pasta
Homemade Vegan Alfredo Sauce Recipe Video
Grab your blender or food processor and let's get cooking! This recipe comes together in just minutes. Watch how I make it in this quick video below!
I hope you enjoy this homemade dairy free alfredo sauce recipe as much as we do! It’s savory, hearty, and blends together in no time! If you give it a try, please share a photo with me over on Instagram.
Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 16 ounces pasta
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Once cooked al dente, drain it and return to pot, then set aside. I suggest reserving about 2 cups of pasta water.
- Add softened cashews, water, onion, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and rosemary to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
- For a looser sauce, thin with reserved pasta water or plain unsweetened dairy-free milk, ½ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
- Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Bragg Premium Nutritional Yeast Seasoning
Calpahlon Classic Nonstick 6 Quart Stockpot with Cover
Hamilton Beach Food Processor & Vegetable Chopper
Cassie says
I want to give this 5 stars, but it turned out kind of grainy. my best guess is from the nutritional yeast, which I've never used. Do you have any suggestions on how to make this less grainy? Maybe my Ninja didn't grind it up smoothly enough? The flavor was on point. I definitely want to try this again, hoping for some suggestions!
Jenna Urben says
The graininess is most likely from the cashews not being soft enough to blend into a super smooth sauce. How long were you able to soak them for before blending? I suggest soaking for 6-8 hours for best results. When I've done the quick soak using boiling water or microwaving, it just doesn't achieve the same consistency when compared to the longer soak time. Hope this helps!
Cassie says
Hi! I haven't made this yet, I was wandering what vegan pasta do you go to? I am egg free and my daughter dairy free!
Jenna Urben says
Hi Cassie! I usually get Barilla or De Cecco but I've also used the Kroger brand and Skinner.
Cassie says
Thank you!
Renae S says
We absolutely LOVE this recipe -- and it's so exciting to eat guilt-free! Everybody I serve it to raves about it!
Jenna Urben says
Thanks so much for sharing, Renae 🙂 You made my day!
Tela Isik says
What can I substitute to make this nut free??
Jenna Urben says
To make nut free, sub the cashews with raw hulled pumpkin seeds.
April says
How many hours do you soak the cashews?
Jenna Urben says
Hi April! I recommend letting the raw cashews soak in water overnight, 6-8 hours typically yields the best results. If you're short on time, toss them in a bowl covered with water and microwave for a few minutes. You just want them to be very soft so they blend easily for a silky smooth sauce.
Krysten Quiles says
YUM, I am absolutely salivating over this recipe!
Jenna | The Urben Life says
Ah hope you love it as much as we do 🙂 Enjoy!