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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    LAST UPDATED: June 21, 2021 • FIRST PUBLISHED: June 21, 2021

    Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Plate of Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo with Text Overlay Reading "Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo"

    This vegan fettuccine Alfredo is made with tender pasta dressed in a sauce that's so rich and creamy...you'd never guess it was dairy free!

    Close Up of Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo on a Plate with Cluster of Pasta Wrapped Around a Fork

    It's tough to think of a dish that's more rich and comforting than fettucine Alfredo. Is it even possible to create a vegan fettuccine Alfredo that's as delicious and decadent as the original? I'm happy to say that the answer is a resounding yes!

    Cashews are the magic ingredient, just like they are in so many of my favorite creamy vegan recipes like vegan mac & cheese, vegan cheesecake, and vegan scalloped potatoes. Blend them up with roasted garlic and a few other ingredients, and you've got one amazing dairy-free Alfredo sauce.

    My other secret ingredient: roasted garlic. It does double duty here by adding flavor and silky texture to the sauce.

    There's a lot of garlic in this recipe, but don't worry! Roasted garlic is super mellow and buttery — mild enough to eat on it's own. Mild enough even, to include a whole bulb in a recipe, or even two, as I've done here. I promise, if you follow the recipe, the garlic flavor will not be overpowering.

    Let's talk about how this dish comes together!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
    • Leftovers & Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes
    • Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    What You'll Need

    Plate of Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo with Napkin in the Background
    • Garlic. Choose big bulbs with nice big cloves if you can!
    • Olive oil. You could substitute with another high-heat oil if needed, but olive will give you the best flavor.
    • Dried fettuccine pasta. You can absolutely substitute your favorite pasta shape — the dish won't be fettuccine Alfredo, but it'll still be delicious!
    • Raw cashews. They absolutely must be raw. Roasted cashews will make your vegan Alfredo sauce taste like cashew butter! You'll need to soak them in some water for a few hours to soften them up for blending.
    • Non-dairy milk. Just about any variety will do, as long as it's unflavored and unsweetened.
    • Lemon juice. Be sure to use freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
    • Salt.

    How to Make Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!

    Roast the Garlic

    Hand Squeezing Roasted Garlic Cloves From a Bulb
    • Cut the top off of your garlic bulbs, drizzle them with oil, then wrap them loosely in foil. Pop them into the oven until the cloves are browned and soft. (You can boil your pasta while the garlic roasts. Be sure to save a bit of your pasta water — we'll get to that in a bit!)
    • Open up the foil and let them cool when they're done cooking. Once they're cool enough to handle you can squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the bulbs.
    • If you're never roasted garlic before, check out my tutorial on how to roast garlic for some detailed instructions.

    Make the Alfredo

    • Now place your roasted garlic into a blender or food processor, along with non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and salt. Blend the mixture until it's smooth and creamy. Be patient! Blending can take a few minutes, especially if you're not using a high-powered blending device.
    • Tip: if you forget to soak your cashews, try boiling them for 20 minutes. They might not blend up quite as smooth, but the dish will still be delicious.
    Collage Showing Vegan Alfredo Sauce Ingredients in a Blender Before and After Blending
    • Pour the sauce over your pasta and stir it up. It'll probably be very thick. That's okay! Thin the sauce with some of that pasta water you saved. The starch in your pasta water will also help bind the sauce to the pasta.
    Collage Showing Vegan Alfredo Sauce Pouring Over Pasta and Hand Stirring Sauce Into Pasta

    Pile your pasta onto plates. If you'd like, top it with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and/or vegan Parmesan cheese.

    Wood Surface Se with Water Glass, Plate of Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo and Napkin

    Leftovers & Storage

    Leftover vegan fettuccine Alfredo will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. The sauce might thicken up during storage — just add some water when you reheat the pasta if it does.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can this dish be made gluten-free?

    Yes! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

    Is there a substitute for cashews?

    Macadamia nuts or sunflower seeds usually work, but I haven't tested either with this recipe. If you're not up for risk-taking, try this cauliflower fettuccine Alfredo instead.

    I forgot to save some of my pasta boiling water. Is the dish ruined?

    Nope! The pasta water helps bind the sauce to the noodles, but it's not strictly necessary. Use regular old water or some more non-dairy milk instead.

    More Creamy Vegan Pasta Recipes

    • Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
    • Vegan Pasta Alla Vodka
    • Creamy Vegan Pesto Pasta
    • Vegan Cajun Pasta
    • Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Close Up of Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo on a Plate with Cluster of Pasta Wrapped Around a Fork
    5 from 5 votes
    Print

    Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    This vegan fettuccine Alfredo is made with tender pasta dressed in a sauce that's so rich and creamy...you'd never guess it was dairy free!

    Course Entree
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 50 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings 6
    Calories 397 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    For the Roasted Garlic Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

    • 2 garlic bulbs
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 12 ounces dried fettuccine pasta
    • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup unflavored and unsweetened soy or almond milk
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Roast the Garlic

    1. Preheat the oven to 400­­°.
    2. Cut the tops off of the garlic bulbs, cutting just low enough to expose all of the cloves. 

    3. Place each garlic bulb on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle the top with a tablespoon of olive oil. Loosely close the foil over each garlic bulb and place it into the oven. 

    4. Roast the the garlic until the cloves begin to turn light brown and soften, about 40 minutes. 

    5. Remove the garlic from the oven, open the foil, and allow the garlic to cool for a few minutes.

    Cook the Pasta

    1. While the garlic roasts, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it according to the package directions. 

    2. Drain the pasta into a colander, reserving at least ½ cup of the pasta boiling water. Return the pasta to the pot and toss it with a dash of olive oil.

    To Make the Sauce

    1. When the garlic has cooled, squeeze the bulbs to extract the roasted garlic cloves, then place them into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s-blade.

    2. Add the cashews, milk, lemon juice, and salt. Blend the mixture until smooth.

    3. Taste-test the sauce and season with additional salt, if desired.

    Serve

    1. Pour the roasted garlic Alfredo sauce over the pasta and toss to coat. Thin the sauce with the reserved pasta boiling water, using as much as is needed.

    2. Divide the pasta onto plates and optionally top it some fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and/or vegan Parmesan cheese. Serve.

    Recipe Notes

    The sauce tends to dry out as it sits, so if you have leftovers you'll probably need to add a bit of milk.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 397 Calories from Fat 149
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16.6g26%
    Saturated Fat 3g15%
    Sodium 423mg18%
    Potassium 292mg8%
    Carbohydrates 52.1g17%
    Fiber 2.8g11%
    Sugar 2.8g3%
    Protein 11.5g23%
    Calcium 109mg11%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenna says

      January 23, 2017 at 4:13 pm

      This is perfect timing, thank you! I planned on making pasta with roasted cauliflower at some point this week and kept wondering what to do about a sauce. I was a HUGE fan of the kalefredo, so this will be perfect! I'll round out my cauliflower plans with mushrooms and all will be right with the world :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 26, 2017 at 9:10 am

        Perfect! I think if you liked the kalefredo you'll enjoy this one too. :)

        Reply
    2. Rhonda says

      February 02, 2017 at 11:09 pm

      This recipe is so delicious. I added a bit of nutritional yeast to the sauce. Otherwise I made the recipe as is.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 06, 2017 at 10:04 am

        Glad to hear it! Nutritional yeast sounds like a great addition to the sauce.

        Reply
      • Kati says

        September 02, 2017 at 7:29 pm

        Hey Rhonda - How much nutritional yeast did you add? I was thinking of doing the same thing. Thanks!

        Reply
    3. Dani says

      August 05, 2017 at 12:59 pm

      I loved this, but how many calories does this have?

      Thank You!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 06, 2017 at 8:39 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it! I don't normally calculate calories for my recipes, but this is a great tool if you'd like to take a crack at it: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594

        Reply
    4. Ty says

      September 05, 2017 at 10:24 am

      We made this last night and it's amazing!!! A couple of things you can't skip in this recipe - roasting the garlic (OMG, it's wonderful!), using some kind of wine (we used rice cooking wine and it was delicious), soaking the cashews for a while (I've sometimes done "quick" soak with boiling water and left for an hour, but it's not as smooth and smooth alfredo is yummy!). Thank you for a wonderful recipe that is now in our family cookbook!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 10, 2017 at 5:45 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!!

        Reply
    5. Jane says

      October 13, 2017 at 9:48 pm

      Can I make this ahead of time and reheat when eating
      Also I love the chickpea loaf recipe but my friend is allergic to chickpeas. can i use pinto beans or white navy beans.Thanks

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 14, 2017 at 11:20 am

        You can, but I'd store the mushrooms and the pasta separately. The sauce might dry up a bit - if that happens just add a few splashes of water or non-dairy milk.

        Reply
    6. Rebekah says

      November 04, 2017 at 7:34 pm

      The most delicious thing we have had in a long time and I have cooked several vegan alfredos. This one takes the cake. Your recipes are far better than hot for food, minimalist baker, and oh she glows HANDS DOWN. xx keep up the good work!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 05, 2017 at 10:08 am

        Yay!! I'm SO happy to hear that!! Thank you so much Rebekah!

        Reply
    7. Gissel Castano says

      January 21, 2019 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      How long does the sauce last?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 27, 2019 at 3:25 pm

        It should be fine for 3 or 4 days in the fridge.

        Reply
    8. Kristin DeVries says

      July 13, 2019 at 8:03 pm

      Can you offer any alternative to the cashews? Maybe tahini? My boyfriend is deathly allergic! But I am dying to make this!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 14, 2019 at 10:41 am

        Can he have macadamia nuts? They usually work! Cauliflower also makes a great vegan Alfredo sauce: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/cauliflower-fettuccine-alfredo/

        Reply
    9. Jessica says

      March 11, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      Hello, if I'm skipping the mushrooms, do I use both bulbs in the sauce?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 12, 2020 at 9:09 am

        Yup!

        Reply
    10. Manda says

      May 20, 2020 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      I've made this twice now - it is so delicious! My daughter loves fettucine alfredo and said she prefers this sauce to the real thing.

      Reply
    11. Ashley says

      August 10, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      5 stars
      I usually don’t comment on recipes but oh my word. I never understood the hype about pasta, probably because I can’t do diary. This recipe changed my mind and I am now on-board the pasta obsession train! I did everything following the recipe except I added a tbsp of nutritional yeast. So worth it!!!

      Reply
    12. Joanne says

      August 06, 2021 at 9:38 pm

      Where's the cashews in the instruction? Here is what you say ---: Now place your roasted garlic into a blender or food processor, along with non-dairy milk, lemon juice, and salt. Blend the mixture until it's smooth and creamy.

      Am I the only one who noticed this?

      Recipe is delish - I always add chopped steam broccoli. And to think I used to make this with tons of cream, butter, and egg yolks. YUCK!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 08, 2021 at 5:58 pm

        Hmmm...I'm not seeing what you're seeing. For me the cashews are in step 2 under "to make the sauce." Try clearing your browser cache or looking at the recipe in incognito mode - I'm wondering if you're somehow seeing an older draft of it that I saved. I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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