Creamy Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Pasta
A quick and easy dairy-free Alfredo pasta made with a creamy cashew sauce that is rich, velvety, and satisfying without any dairy ingredients. Perfect for cozy dinners and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours or overnight)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (almond or oat milk)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 ounces pasta (fettuccine, linguine, penne, or gluten-free options like brown rice pasta)
- Optional: fresh parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the cashews: Place 1 cup raw cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results.
- Cook the pasta: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Prepare the sauce base: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender along with minced garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Blend until smooth: Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is silky and thick. Add a splash of plant-based milk or reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Heat the sauce: Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan and warm over low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not boil.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Toss the cooked pasta into the warm sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta evenly.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired. Garnish with fresh parsley or basil if using.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Soak cashews overnight for the creamiest sauce. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to pasta. Avoid overheating the sauce to prevent curdling. Nutritional yeast adds cheesy flavor but can be omitted if unavailable. For nut-free adaptation, substitute soaked sunflower seeds but expect a slightly different texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 12
Keywords: dairy-free, cashew Alfredo, vegan pasta, gluten-free option, creamy sauce, quick dinner, plant-based, healthy fats