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jar with vegan alfredo with ladle
Cindy Rainey

Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce made with Cashews and Cauliflower, Oil-Free

from 22 reader reviews
Rich, creamy, and dairy-free, this oil-free vegan Alfredo sauce made with cashews and cauliflower is lightly cheesy and flavorful. Pour it on pasta, potatoes, vegetables, or use as a pizza sauce - anywhere you'd use Alfredo!
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Topping
Cuisine: American
Calories: 70
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • hot water for soaking cashews MUST DISCARD AFTER SOAKING
  • ¾ cup raw cashews
  • 10 ounces cauliflower pieces about 3 cups
  • 1 cup plant milk I used oat milk
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice bottled is fine
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
  • pinch nutmeg

Equipment

  • high-speed blender

Method
 

  1. Soak the raw cashews for about 30-45 minutes in very hot water. Discard the water after soaking. See notes if you are not using raw cashews.
  2. Steam the cauliflower until tender. This takes about 10 minutes on the stovetop and 4 minutes in the microwave in a steamer.
  3. Drain and discard the water from the cashews and make sure there is no standing water in the cauliflower.
  4. To a high-speed blender, add the soaked and drained cashews, steamed cauliflower, plant milk, clove of garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, Italian seasonings, black pepper, and nutmeg.
  5. Blend on high for up to five minutes or until your alfredo sauce is nice and smooth.
  6. If you use right away it might still be warm enough to use because of the steamed cauliflower. You can heat to desired temperate in the microwave in 1-2 minute increments. Or heat on a stovetop, stirring the entire time to avoid burning.
  7. Store in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days as long as your cauliflower was quite fresh. Otherwise, use right away.

Notes

This recipe makes 10 half-cup servings. The nutrition information is based on this. If you use more or less, you will need to adjust for that.