Hello, my wonderful chickpeas! Today we are diving into yet another delicious pasta-related recipe: my Easy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce! This vegan Alfredo is creamy, made with wholesome ingredients, and is super easy to make. It pairs well with just about any pasta you'd like, plus it goes great on roasted veggies or baked potatoes.
If you also love a creamy pasta sauce but prefer it be dairy-free, this one is for you! Be sure to save this one for next time you have extra cauliflower to use up!
Inspiration for Easy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
We all know by now that I am a bit pasta-obsessed. I used to LOVE creamy Alfredo sauces before going vegan. I've known for a long time that eventually I'd tackle a vegan Alfredo, and I'm happy to report that that day has come.
Of course a vegan Alfredo is not going to taste EXACTLY like a traditional Alfredo, but it can still give a similar creamy pasta experience that you're going to love. Cauliflower is perfect for this because it blends up super creamy and adds in some great nutrients. It is also a relatively mild flavor, so it takes on the flavor of whatever we combine it with well. Today a lot of our flavor is coming from garlic, onion, and nutritional yeast to keep things savory and a bit cheesy.
Ingredients
This recipe is pretty simple, but packs in some flavorful ingredients. Let's talk about them.
- Cauliflower and cashews: these are the main base of our vegan Alfredo! They both get very creamy when blended and are a great nondairy option for sauces like this.
- Onion and garlic: for some savory vibes.
- Nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, and lemon juice: these all really bring out the Alfredo vibes and brighten up our flavors. The nutritional yeast also gives our vegan Alfredo a bit of a cheesy flavor.
- Non dairy milk and vegetable broth: since this is a blended sauce, some liquid is definitely required! These two together are a good combo of creamy (from the non dairy milk) but also savory (from the vegetable broth).
How to Make Easy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
This one is super easy! Perfect for busy weeknights when you want to whip up a quick pasta sauce. Full recipe down below, but here are the basics.
- Bring water on the stovetop to a boil. Add cauliflower, cashews, onion, and garlic. Cook until cauliflower is soft.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve however you wish and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
I love sauce recipes because you can use them in so many different ways, and you can adjust flavors as you wish! Let's talk about some of the things you could do with this Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce.
- The most obvious serving option is pasta! When I add this to pasta I like to add about 2 tablespoon of pasta water to help it stick to the noodles a bit better. I also love topping my pasta with vegan parmesan and parsley!
- This vegan Alfredo can be enjoyed many ways, so get creative! It is great as a sauce on roasted veggies or a baked potato, and I also think it would be fun on a pizza (though I haven't tried the pizza idea myself yet!).
- If you want to make any of the flavors here more intense, feel free to add more when blending! You could add more lemon juice for acidity, toss in some garlic salt if you want more garlic flavor, or more nutritional yeast for a cheesier vibe.
- If you love delicious vegan pasta sauces, you should also check out my Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce and my Creamy Vegan Avocado Pesto!
Enjoy!
Easy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
6
servings25
minutesThis Easy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce is the non dairy pasta sauce of your dreams! This vegan Alfredo is creamy, made with wholesome ingredients, and is super easy to make. It's also ready to go in under 30 minutes! Pair this with your favorite pasta, pour it on some roasted veggies, or use it on a baked potato. The possibilities are endless!
*Note that From Start to Finish is an estimate that assumes about 5 minutes to prepare your ingredients and 20 minutes to complete the recipe directions. This does not include the time it takes to prepare your pasta or other entree that you are serving your sauce with (If serving with pasta, I recommend letting your pasta cook while you prepare your Alfredo so that everything is done around the same time!).
Ingredients
4 cups cauliflower florets (usually about half of a large head)
½ cup raw cashews
½ medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup nondairy milk (I usually use almond milk)
½ cup vegetable broth
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add your cauliflower florets, cashews, onion, and garlic. Allow to simmer for 8 minutes, or until the cauliflower can be very easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain the water. Add your cauliflower, cashews, onion, and garlic to a high powered blender. Add all other ingredients as well. Blend until very smooth. Add more salt to taste if desired.
- Add to pasta, pour on roasted veggies, toss onto baked potatoes, or whatever else your heart desires! (If adding to pasta you may want to add a few tablespoon of pasta water to the sauce so that it sticks to the noodles a bit better). Enjoy!
Happy cooking, friends! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your Alfredo-making ways.
Stay Joyfully Balanced!
Lindsey says
This vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce is rich, creamy, and absolutely delicious!
Delaney Marie says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed!
Padma says
This is such a clever recipe, perfect for fussy eaters at home who want veggies, but don’t want to see them 😀
Delaney Marie says
The perfect option for that!