Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Creamy, rich, dairy-free and soy-free, this vegan fettuccine alfredo is comfort food at its finest. Made with soaked cashews, nutritional yeast and a touch of miso for extra depth, it delivers all the velvety goodness of traditional alfredo without the heavy cream.

Jump to:

• 💛 Why You Will Love This Recipe
• What Is Alfredo Sauce?
• 🥣 Ingredients and Substitutions
• 📋Step-by-Step Instructions
• Tips on Soaking Cashews
• ❔Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo FAQs
• 🍝 More Vegan Pasta Recipes
• Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

💛 Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Soy-free – Perfect for those with soy allergies or sensitivities without compromising on flavour.
• Plant-based – Made entirely from wholesome, vegan ingredients for a guilt-free comfort meal.
• Rich and creamy – The cashew-based sauce delivers a velvety texture and indulgent taste without any dairy.
• Perfect for meal prepping – The sauce reheats beautifully for quick, satisfying meals throughout the week.

What Is Alfredo Sauce?

Traditional Alfredo sauce is a rich and creamy white sauce made from butter, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. It originated in Italy as a simple pasta sauce, but modern versions often include garlic, black pepper and other seasonings for added depth.

This vegan version, however, swaps dairy ingredients for plant-based alternatives. Plant-based milk perfectly substitutes dairy milk, cashew cream gives the sauce a thick, creamy texture without using heavy cream and nutritional yeast adds that cheesy, savoury flavour that mimics the taste of Parmesan.

🥣 Ingredients and Substitutions

• Raw cashews – Soaked raw cashews create a smooth, creamy base for the sauce, adding richness and a mild nutty flavour.
• Plant-based milk – I used soy milk, but you can swap it for almond milk, coconut milk or any unsweetened non-dairy milk. Use full-fat milk for a rich, creamy sauce.
• Nutritional yeast – Adds a cheesy, savoury flavour that mimics the taste of Parmesan in a vegan-friendly way.
• Lemon juice – Brightens up the sauce with a touch of acidity. You can substitute it with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any lemons at hand.
• Miso paste – Optional but adds a deep, umami flavour that enhances the overall taste.
• Garlic – Minced or roasted, it infuses the sauce with a rich, aromatic depth.
• Vegan butter – Adds a silky texture and helps bring the flavours together. You can replace it with olive oil, sunflower oil or any neutral oil.
• Salt and pepper – Essential for balancing and enhancing the flavours of the sauce.
• Nutmeg – A small pinch adds warmth and a subtle, earthy sweetness to the sauce.
• Fettuccine pasta – Alfredo sauce is usually paired with fettuccine because the wide, flat shape of fettuccine noodles holds onto the rich, creamy sauce better than thinner pasta like spaghetti. The surface area and thickness of fettuccine allow the sauce to cling to each strand, creating a smooth, even coating with every bite. The hearty texture of fettuccine also balances the richness of the sauce. If you don’t have fettuccine at hand (or don’t really like it), you can replace it with spaghetti, penne or fusilli pasta.

📋Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One: Cook the pasta.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve about  ½ cup of pasta water before draining.

Step Two: Blend the sauce.

In a blender, blend soaked cashews, plant milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg until smooth.

Step Three: Cook the sauce.

Heat vegan butter in a pan over medium heat. Pour in the blended sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. If it’s too thick, add pasta water a little at a time.

Step Four: Combine and serve.

Toss in the cooked fettuccine, mixing well to coat. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with vegan parmesan, fresh parsley and black pepper on top!

Tips on Soaking Cashews

To make vegan fettuccine alfredo, you will need to soak the cashews first. There are three ways to do this. For the best texture and nutritional value, soak them overnight in cold water for 8 to 12 hours. If you're short on time, you can soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes. For a super quick fix, boil them for 15 minutes. You can read more about how to soak cashews here.

❔Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo FAQs

🍝 More Vegan Pasta Recipes

If you're in the mood for a different kind of pasta, check out this easy vegan tomato pasta, vegan lemon pasta, one-pot spinach tomato pasta or vegan spaghetti carbonara.