Description
This vegan fettuccine alfredo is the best homemade dairy free pasta! Made with simple ingredients and so rich and creamy. Perfect for family dinner or a fancy date night in! Dairy free, gluten free, and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- Hot water for soaking cashews
- 12 ounces gluten free fettuccine pasta, or another pasta shape
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/4 cups broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Parsley, to garnish (optional)
- Vegan parmesan, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews. Before you start cooking – soak raw cashews in just boiled water in a heat proof bowl for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. If you’re in a hurry you can simmer the cashews on the stove top for 10-15 minutes until they are pale and plump.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions, undercooking by about 1 minute (it will continue to cook a bit more in the sauce). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain and set aside.
- Make the alfredo sauce. While the pasta is cooking prepare the alfredo sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add smashed or chopped garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly caramelized. If they are darkening too quickly reduce the heat to low and add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet. Once garlic has softened, add it and the olive oil it cooked in to a blender along with soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, broth, and kosher salt. Reserve the skillet for the next step. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, with no pieces of cashew remaining. Season to taste with more salt and black pepper.
- Combine the pasta and sauce. Add cooked pasta to the skillet over medium low heat. Pour in alfredo sauce and toss to combine. Don’t worry if the sauce seems thin, it will thicken as it heats up. Toss occasionally until everything is warmed through, the sauce has reduced slightly, and evenly coats the pasta. If the sauce gets overly thick, thin with a bit of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with parsley and dairy free parmesan if desired.
Notes
This sauce can be frozen. You will want to freeze it separately from cooked pasta. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and if necessary slowly warm on the stove top or in the microwave to completely defrost before tossing with cooked pasta. If the sauce seems to have separated after thawing simply re-blend until emulsified.
Storing in the refrigerator: This dairy free pasta will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in a sealed container.
To re-heat: To re-heat, warm the pasta on low in a skillet or in the microwave. If the sauce has thickened slightly in the refrigerator add water, unsweetened nut milk, or broth a little bit at a time, stirring in between, until desired consistency is reached.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian