This is the best easy vegan Alfredo sauce recipe you’ll try, with no dairy, no eggs, no tofu, and no cashews required!
Creamy vegan Alfredo sauce
Imagine a classic vegan Alfredo recipe so luxuriously rich and smooth, you will want to pour it over absolutely everything.
I’ve served the recipe to both vegetarians and omnivores, always with rave reviews and expressions of complete disbelief that something this deliciously creamy could possibly be made without any heavy cream at all.
Also be sure to try this Vegan Cheesecake
The best vegan Alfredo recipe
If you are looking for a thick cream sauce to serve over your favorite pasta or ravioli, look no further.
This recipe is perfect for topping fettuccine, linguine, tortellini, spaghetti, rigatoni, penne, rotini, or macaroni.
It also includes gluten free, nut free, soy free options.
Or if you want to try something other than pastas, the dairy free Alfredo is also great with broccoli or roasted vegetables, gnocchi, rice, stuffed shells, lasagna, low carb zucchini noodles (zoodles), baked potatoes, or spaghetti squash.
You can even use it as a vegan white sauce for an Alfredo style Cauliflower Pizza Crust!
More vegan pasta recipes
I’ve also included my cauliflower Alfredo recipe below, or if you’re looking for a homemade Alfredo sauce with cashews, try this Cashew Alfredo Sauce.
Healthy Alfredo ingredients
Milk of choice: Feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand. I recommend choosing an unsweetened variety, such as almond milk or soy milk, or it’s especially rich and creamy if you use nondairy creamer or canned coconut milk.
For garlic Alfredo: Add 2-3 tsp minced garlic to the saucepan at the same time as the salt, before bringing the mixture to a boil.
The cheese: The recipe works with either Parmesan cheese (such as dairy free Violife or Follow Your Heart) or nutritional yeast. The two ingredients have different flavors but are both good here in their own right.
Or you can sub your favorite shredded vegan cheddar, pepper jack, or mozzarella cheese. Add this in at the very end when you turn off the heat, then stir until it melts.
Oil free Alfredo: While the recipe below does call for oil or butter (try Earth Balance or Miyokos vegan butter, or Smart Balance Light for low calorie Alfredo sauce), I substituted an equal amount of tahini once with great results.
Add-ins: Make it a meal by throwing in a handful of spinach or kale, some roasted mushrooms, peas, vegan bacon (for carbonara), or a protein like baked tofu or tempeh.
This vegan pasta sauce is super quick and easy to make, but if you are looking for something even easier, there are a bunch of boxed or jarred Alfredo brands on the market, including Primal Kitchen, Daiya Cheeze Sauce, Victoria Vegan, and Simple Truth Plant Based Alfredo.
For dessert, try these Homemade Chocolate Bars
How to make vegan alfredo pasta
To make the recipe, start by gathering all of your ingredients.
In a saucepan, whisk the cornstarch into the milk or creamer until it’s completely dissolved, with no lumps.
Whisk in the salt and oil or vegan butter spread. If desired, also add 2 tsp minced garlic.
Over low medium heat, slowly bring this mixture to a boil. Stir occasionally at first, then constantly once it begins to thicken. The whole process should take under 10 minutes.
Once thick, turn off the heat and whisk in the nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan until it melts. Taste the sauce, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
Vegan Alfredo recipe video
Above, watch the step by step recipe video.
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk of choice or nondairy creamer
- 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or 5 tbsp flour (or try this Cauliflower Alfredo Recipe)
- 2 tbsp oil or vegan butter (for oil free, see note above)
- 6 tbsp vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz pasta, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan, whisk cornstarch into milk until completely dissolved. Whisk in salt and oil (and 2 tsp garlic if desired). Slowly bring to a boil over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally at first and then constantly once it starts to thicken. Once thick, turn off heat and stir in cheese until it melts. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as desired. View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
Vegan recipes from scratch
(Or these Cauliflower Tacos)
I’ve tried many plant based alfredo’s and I must say.. This is the best one yet and it’s so simple to whip together! Perfectly creamy and rich. I used canned coconut milk and ate it on edamame spaghetti.
I made this with coconut coffee creamer (half and half version, unflavored), gluten free flour, and nutritional yeast. Not a big fan. It tasted like a white sauce, but not at all like alfredo. I think the coffee creamer is not a good idea – it’s too rich and leans toward the sweet side. It was simple to make and it was edible, but to me it wasn’t alfredo at all.
I made this tonight for myself and my partner who absolutely loves alfredo pasta and barely eats any vegetables. He thinks he hates cauliflower :). So I made this and only told him that I made a lighter version of the sauce. He loved it! He was going on about how good it was and said to make sure I kept the recipe. I was going to tell him what was in it after he ate, but decided not to. I’ll keep making your recipe and he can keep hating cauliflower. 😉 I loved it too btw. Delicious.
It’s great but would be way better without all the oil!
I used cashew milk and parmesan. No nutritional yeast.
The only thing I did different was add quite a bit more parmesan, and it definitely needs salt and pepper. Turned out pretty good and was very easy to make.
How simple and delicious!
Does anyone know how long this sauce keeps in the fridge? It turned out really good, but I can’t eat all of it in one sitting.
Thank you so much for making it! We have kept it successfully for 3 days but haven’t had it around any longer than that to know.
Thank you! I enjoyed the simplicity of this recipe and I was very satisfied w the result. Very tasty! I will use it all the time!
Here’s my rating!
Thank you so much for making it!
We loved this alfredo sauce! I am a vegan as is my daughter, but hubby and our other daughters are not. Clean plate club for all of us, both vegans and omnivores!
Delicious!!!!!