I MEAN! Is there anything better in life than a giant bowl of pasta with WHITE SAUCE??
Especially on a frigid wintry night when all you want is comfort food, fuzzy socks, a crackling fire, a glass of wine and a good movie… oh and snuggles. Doesn’t that sound like a dream?!!
Sounds more like a dream come true with this here recipe, my loves.
Did you hear there’s a major shortage of vegan alfredo sauce recipes on the internet… ?
KIDDING.
There’s literally thousands of vegan alfredo recipes!
So many versions. So little time.
Why am I handing you yet another seductive alfredo recipe?!
Because I want to fit in. Also because most of the vegan alfredo sauce recipes I’ve seen have either cauliflower or cashews – but not both, and I have not a clue why. Seems prettay sillay, if you ask me. So that’s exactly what I did – I combined both cauliflower AND cashews with a handful of spices + lots of love, and what did I get in return??
Oh, ya know, just a MATCH MADE IN SAUCE HEAVEN. Just the most luxurious, creamy dreamy, gem of a alfredo sauce that could literally be eaten as a soup on it’s own… no big deal.
It’s the cashews.
Or is it the cauliflower? Nah, pretty sure its the cashews… Cashews are some kind of delicious magic, but pair them with cauliflower too, and you have an unforgettable duo.
Back in the day, (when I used to eat butter and cheese), alfredo pasta was one recipe we would beg my mom to make. Because, white sauce was and is everything. While I remember it being incredibly delish, it also made my skin break out like crazy… I hadn’t yet connected the dots between dairy and breakouts. Those were sad times people! Times I’d like to erase forever.
Thankfully, this Creamy Cashew Cauliflower Alfredo will not cause breakouts!! It’s a heart healthy, vegan friendly, dairy-free version. No cream, no cheese, no butter, no weirdness. Just good-for-you whole foods and spices!
By now, I’m sure you’ve noticed the little green peas laced in between the linguini noodles. I think peas are the cutest, and I like adding them for color, fiber and plant protein, but feel free to sub in broccoli or spinach if peas aren’t your thing. Sprinkled on top are these homemade grain-free breadcrumbs from my Crusty Pumpkin and Kale Pasta Bake recipe, and red pepper flakes!!
How To Make ‘Creamy Cashew Cauliflower Alfredo’:
- Sauté the onion in avocado oil (or refined coconut oil) for about 5-7 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cauliflower, along with veggie broth. Cover and cook until the cauliflower has softened.
- Transfer to a high-speed blender, along with the cashews, nutritional yeast and a few other goodies. Blend until smooth and voilà! You’re left with the creamiest, most luxurious, restaurant-style alfredo sauce.
- Pour back into the pan to warm, toss in the peas and pasta noodles (I used the Ancient Harvest gluten free linguini) and grab a plate!
Told ya, it’s some kind of creamy, dreamy magic.
***Side note about the blender I used, because I’m often asked. A good blender will change your life in the best way. You’ll wonder how you ever got by without one! I say this time and time again: yes, a high speed blender is an investment, but it’s an investment in your health and your creativity in the kitchen. Think of all the seriously smooth (and hot!) soups, sauces, dressings, dough, pancake batters, superfood smoothies, watermelon margaritas, green juices and ice cream sundaes you can create… the list goes on!! I use my blender every single day and clean up is so easy.
For this recipe though, I used the brand new, super beautiful E320 Explorian from Vitamix, and it was something special! For a long time, I’ve been a Blendtec girl but now, I think it’s a fair tie. What I really like about the Vitamix is the control I have over the speed and how it can handle thicker mixtures much better than the Blendtec. I don’t have to stop blending to take off the lid and scrape down the sides every few seconds, which is prettay nice.
The variable speed control allows you to refine every texture, from smooth purees to chunky soups and thick smoothies for smoothie bowls. The new Explorian Design will fit under most kitchen cabinets now too! This design is exclusive to Costco and comes with a 7 year full warranty.
I can’t recommend it enough, especially for that foodie in your life. Perfect holiday gift?! I think yes.
- 1 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes)
- 10 ounces of pasta of your choice (I used gluten free linguini)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or refined coconut oil)
- 1/3 yellow onion, diced
- hefty pinch of sea salt and pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic. minced
- 4-5 cups raw cauliflower
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 cup plain almond milk (or any plain plant milk)
- breadcrumbs & red pepper flakes, to top
- Place frozen peas in a bowl, to defrost while you cook.
- Add cashews to a glass bowl. Pour boiling water over them to soak for 10-15 minutes, to soften (could also soak them in water overnight, but this way is faster).
- Boil the water for pasta then cook, according to it's directions.
- Add avocado oil to a large, shallow pan and heat on medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and the red pepper flakes (optional) and cook for 5 more minutes. Then stir in the cauliflower and veggie broth, and cover. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is softened. Do not drain. Carefully transfer to a blender.
- Add in nutritional yeast, soy sauce and almond milk. Drain and rinse cashews and add those to the blender too. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste test and adjust salt, nutritional yeast, etc.
- Transfer alfredo sauce to the same shallow pan on the stove, to warm. Add in cooked pasta and defrosted green peas, and toss. Top with optional breadcrumbs and/or extra red pepper flakes.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
- *Can sub green peas for broccoli or spinach
I love this recipe!
When I made it, I doubled the recipe and put the sauce in baggies and froze it. it worked so well! Perfect easy future meal.
Really great recipe. Will definitely make it again and I am going to have the rest as soup tomorrow – that’s how much I love it 🙂 !
Thanks Christine! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
My husband is allergic to all nuts except almonds, I’ve noticed majority of your recipes contain cashews, is there a seed or non-nut ingredient for an alternative?
Hi Ashley,
Yes I often use cashews because they offer the best consistency and creamy texture for cheesy-like sauces. You could try tofu instead of cashews but I don’t think any other seed alternative would taste good. Hope this helps!
Our whole family enjoyed this. The flavor was very mild so I will be adding lots more of our favorite seasonings next time. Thanks for a delicious base to start working from!
Made this. I added some vegan butter to this as well as some garlic salt. The best vegan alfredo I’ve made with cauliflower! Usually it smells like cauliflower. But I used No-Chicken broth and it was delicious. Even my non-vegan daughter loved it. Would definitely make again. I put some in a jar and am going to store it for later as it made a huge batch.
can i freeze this
i have tried to make vegan alfredo before and it was okay. i made this recipe this morning and couldn’t stop eating it . thank you so much as i am new to dairy free.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog! This is my first visit and comment! I hope to be more frequent…can I link you!? Swing by my place and let me know…it would make my day!