This vegan cashew pasta sauce is rich, velvety, and perfect tossed with fettuccine noodles. If you’re craving vegan comfort food in the form of a creamy pasta dish, give this recipe a try.
Ingredients and substitutions
Instead of using butter and parmesan cheese like traditional alfredo sauces do, this dairy-free alfredo sauce calls for cauliflower and cashews that have been soaked and blended. The cashews give this sauce its creamy consistency and the cauliflower adds body and nutritional value. This sauce is perfect for tricking picky kids into eating some extra vegetables.
A little nutmeg and garlic give this sauce plenty of flavor. If you don’t have any fresh garlic then you can substitute one teaspoon of jarred chopped garlic or garlic powder. And you can omit the nutmeg if necessary.
This cashew sauce recipe calls for cooked cauliflower. I usually just throw some chopped cauliflower on a baking tray, sprinkle a little bit of water on it (to prevent the cauliflower from browning) and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively you can boil or steam the cauliflower until it’s fork tender.
How to use this sauce
I love tossing this sauce with fettuccini noodles and garnishing it with some finely chopped fresh parsley. Fresh basil or chives would make a delicious garnish too.
This cashew sauce would also be delicious as a sauce for a white pizza, topped with some spinach and vegan cheese. Or make a white vegan lasagna using this alfredo sauce instead of tomato sauce.
Or for a lower carb option, roast some cauliflower and toss it with this cashew pasta sauce for a truly decadent cauliflower dish.
Storage
Store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
More easy vegan recipes to try
- This tahini pasta is full of bright, lemony flavor and has a luscious, creamy sauce.
- This vegan puttanesca sauce without anchovies is full of bold, briny flavors.
Cashew Pasta Sauce
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 1/2 cup cooked cauliflower (steam, boil, or bake until tender)
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Optional garnish: fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in 1 cup of boiling water for at least one hour.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and add them to a high powered blender or food processor.
- Add the cooked cauliflower, cold water, salt, pepper, garlic, and nutmeg.
- Blend until a smooth.
Notes
- This recipe calls for cooked cauliflower. You can either steam, boil, or roast the cauliflower until tender before adding it to the blender.
- Store this sauce in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
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