Vegan Fettucine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo never disappoints. It’s debatably the king of creamy pasta dishes (carbonara could make a challenge). It’s rich, smooth, and fantastically satisfying. Characterized by cream, you may think that there’s no way to make this dish vegan while retaining its famous deliciousness. You may think that Fettuccine Alfredo simply can’t exist without dairy. Luckily, this recipe would prove you wrong. Give it a go and enjoy Alfredo sauce sans dairy!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Yields: 2 cups sauce

Ingredients

• 

  1 medium white onion, diced (200g) (MAKE SURE to measure out 1 1/2 cups b/c this is where lots of flavor comes)

• 1-2 cups (240-480g) low sodium vegetable broth, divided

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 4 x-large (15g) minced garlic cloves

• 1/2 heaping cup (75g) raw unsalted cashews (see NOTE)

• 1/2-1 tablespoon lemon juice (start with just 1/2 and taste after blended!)

• 2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast (I highly recommend this Sari brand, it is non-fortified with much better taste.)

NOTE

• It is not recommended to sub or eliminate any of these ingredients, as I cannot vouch for the results if any are changed. The lemon juice is crucial, as it eliminates any cashew flavor.

NOTE

• If you are using raw cashews and you don't have a high-powered blender, then you must soak them overnight in a bowl of water, drain and rinse. Otherwise, your result will be gritty and NOT creamy. A food processor usually works better with soaked cashews versus a blender that isn't very powerful.

 

Instructions

1. Add the onion and ONLY 1 cup of the broth to a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook for about 8 minutes until the onion is very tender. (Add a tiny bit more broth if it is cooking too fast or turn the heat down, so the onions don't burn) After 8 minutes, add the garlic and cook a couple of minutes more, stirring often. All of the broth should have evaporated by now. If not, keep letting it cook until the broth is GONE. You don't want any more liquid once it's done cooking, so the end result is thick and creamy.

2. Add the cooked veggies (the onion and garlic) to a blender. Start out by adding JUST 1/2 cup more of the remaining broth and add the remaining ingredients (salt, pepper, cashews, starting with JUST 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, nutritional yeast-starting with just 2 tablespoons yeast). Blend on high for a couple of minutes until very creamy and smooth. Add any more broth to reach desired consistency, if necessary. I did not. If you don't add more broth, you would likely not need any more yeast. Taste and add any more salt & pepper or lemon, if desired.

Serve over preferred pasta.

Note: When preparing your pasta, make sure to salt your water well, so your pasta has flavor and isn't bland, which can affect the end flavor result of the dish. I add around a tablespoon to a large pot of boiling water. Garnish with parsley, lemon zest and salt & pepper, if desired. Add any veggies you like. I like to add broccoli or even peas. Store leftovers in the fridge. The sauce will thicken up even more overnight, which you can thin out a little with a touch of broth when reheating, if necessary.