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5 from 28 votes
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
The Healthy IngredientsI 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
Hemp SeedsYou 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?
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
Useful - 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:
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 @elaveganand #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Author: Michaela Vais
This vegan Alfredo sauce is the perfect sauce for pasta which is quickly made and very delicious. It's creamy, healthy, plant-based, nut-free, and gluten-free!
5 from 28 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 341 kcal
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 thevideoin 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
The recipe was originally posted in October 2018 and the blog post has been updated in May 2020 with helpful information and a video. The recipe has not been changed.
- 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 Facts Best Vegan Alfredo Sauce Amount per Serving Calories 341 % Daily Value* Fat 8 g 12 % Saturated Fat 2 g 10 % Carbohydrates 53 g 18 % Fiber 6 g 24 % Sugar 6 g 7 % Protein 16 g 32 % * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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