Everyone loves fettuccine alfredo! It’s rich, creamy and delicious. We love fettuccine alfredo as much as the next person but wanted to take a stab at lightening up this classic comfort dish. To do this, we used a cashew-based sauce that mimics the creamy texture of an alfredo sauce without the heavy cream. This cashew cream sauce not only tastes amazing but has the same creamy texture as your standard alfredo sauce, making it an excellent, healthy swap.

We also recommend using a legume-based pasta like a chickpea or lentil pasta. Legume-based pastas are higher in fiber and protein than a wheat pasta. Using a legume-based pasta is a great way to increase the overall nutrient density of your meal!

Vegan Pasta Alfredo

To lighten up this dish, we used a cashew-based sauce that mimics the creamy texture of an alfredo sauce without the heavy cream. This cashew cream sauce not only tastes amazing but has the same creamy texture as your standard alfredo sauce, making it an excellent, healthy swap.

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Course Dinner

Servings 4

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients

 

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Alfredo Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion sliced
• 5-6 garlic cloves leave whole
• ½ heaping cup of cashews soaked in water for 4 hours before using
• ½- 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 2-4 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg

Pasta

• 8 oz pasta we use Banza Cavatappi
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms
• ½ cup of frozen peas defrosted
• Vegan parmesan cheese
• Garnish: Vegan Parmesan cheese, fresh basil or parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest

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Instructions

 

• Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside. 
• To make the sauce: heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until onion is very tender and garlic is golden about 6-8 minutes.  Do not let garlic burn. Take out of pan if necessary.
• Add cooked veggies, cashews, ½ cup of broth, 2 Tablespoons of yeast, lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg to high powered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.  Taste and adjust seasonings and consistency of sauce.  I add 2.5 -3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, and just under 1 cup of broth for my sauce. Blend again until smooth and creamy.
• Saute mushrooms in a nonstick pan over medium heat in 2 teaspoons of olive oil until browned and tender about 5-6 minutes. 
• Combine pasta, alfredo sauce,¼ cup of vegan parmesan cheese, peas, and mushrooms in a large pan over low heat until warmed through. 
• Garnish with more parmesan, fresh herbs, and crushed red pepper
• Enjoy!

Notes

The sauce will thicken up if stored in the refrigerator overnight. Use a little vegetable broth to thin when reheating.  

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