Best Ever Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce

32 Comments

1. 

   LindsayOctober 23, 2012 at 9:43 pmReply

   Would almond milk be a viable substitute for the coconut milk? I just want to make sure because my husband seems to be intolerant of most dairy substitutes, he can really only handle almond.

   Also, is there anything that you could sub for cashews? Such as pine nuts?

   • 

     Alisa FlemingOctober 23, 2012 at 10:14 pmReplyAuthor

     Perhaps homemade almond milk. Store-bought almond milk wouldn’t be rich enough (it would be too watery) since this recipe uses full-fat canned coconut milk (not a dairy substitute). You can definitely try other nuts – pine nuts just get a bit pricey!

2. 

   CourtneyNovember 12, 2012 at 10:51 amReply

   I just made this for my little girl (18 mos), who is allergic to dairy and soy and she LOVES it!! . She’s devouring her pasta as I type….so Thank You so much. I had never thought of using coconut milk. This sauce is even better than traditionally-made alfredo. This is a new favorite for our family. I just added a little cornstarch to thicken it a bit. Thanks again for this tasty recipe!

   • 

     Alisa FlemingNovember 12, 2012 at 2:32 pmReplyAuthor

     So glad you and your family enjoyed it Courtney!

3. 

   Jane BriggsNovember 17, 2012 at 10:17 amReply

   i want to try this but my son hates the flavor of coconut. Do it taste like coconut or is there something else to use?

   • 

     Alisa FlemingNovember 18, 2012 at 7:49 amReplyAuthor

     You can try simply omitting it, using cashew creme only. This particular recipe hasn’t been tested this way though.

4. How to make dairy free heavy cream? | alfredos.caNovember 19, 2012 at 11:37 amReply

   [...] Best ever dairy-free/vegan creamy Alfredo sauce recipe: http://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/best-ever-vegan-alfredo-sauce [...]

5. 

   DaniellaNovember 20, 2012 at 12:05 pmReply

   Hi, sounds lovely. Can it be frozen?

   • 

     Alisa FlemingNovember 21, 2012 at 6:54 amReplyAuthor

     I would assume so, but I’ve never tried to freeze it myself. All of the ingredients are ones that freeze well, though.

6. 

   J.J.January 6, 2013 at 1:27 pmReply

   Alisa, my reaction to your Alfredo recipe is, “WOW!” Some time back, when I chose a low-fat diet, I felt very sad believing I would never be able to enjoy Alfredo again, which happens to be one of my favorite sauces. You changed that assumption by providing a very creative and sound alternative.

   The coconut milk provides the fat and thickening properties. The cashews add the hint of sweetness that comes from the heavy cream ingredient. And, surprisingly, the recipe does not need the Parmesan cheese.

   The only additions I made according to my taste, were to add more garlic and some Country Crock (butter substitute) to make it even more decadently yummy.

   When I say “Thank you!” for your fabulous recipe, I mean it sincerely and not as flattery. You made me sooooooooo happy today! : )

   Cheers!

   • 

     Alisa FlemingJanuary 7, 2013 at 9:29 amReplyAuthor

     So glad you liked it J.J.!

7. 

   BonnieJanuary 9, 2013 at 1:33 pmReply

   Just changed over to a non-dairy diet and this was one of my first recipes to look up because pasta alfredo is my favorite dish. I’m confused about the cashews and what they add to the sauce. Are they whole or crushed? I love cashews, I just didn’t imagine sauce with big chunks of nut in it.

   • 

     Alisa FlemingJanuary 9, 2013 at 2:14 pmReplyAuthor

     Hi Bonnie, See the instructions – they’re blended so you shouldn’t have any nut chunks left.

8. 

   CamilaJanuary 11, 2013 at 11:55 amReply

   Alisa, can this recipe be done without the cashews or is there a nut-free substitute? My sister is severly allergic to all nuts but I would love to make this recipe for her.

   • 

     Alisa FlemingJanuary 11, 2013 at 12:23 pmReplyAuthor

     I can’t say for certain Camila as I haven’t tested it without nuts. If you went all coconut, it would definitely have a more coconut vibe. If nut-safe sunflower seeds work, they make a good swap for cashews – though sunflower seeds are more bitter than cashews, so the seasoning of the recipe may need to be adjusted.

9. Allergen Free Alfredo Sauce (Sort of) « Allergen Free AdventuresJanuary 13, 2013 at 10:45 pmReply

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10. 

    ShannonJanuary 15, 2013 at 5:01 pmReply

    Instead of whole cashews, can you substitute cashew butter? My daughter has a newly discovered dairy allergy but she LOVES Alfredo and I want to try this recipe.

    • 

      Alisa FlemingJanuary 15, 2013 at 7:01 pmReplyAuthor

      Definitely Shannon! 1-1/2 cups cashews is about 7.5oz or 210g – so the equivalent amount of cashew butter (if my math serves me correctly, somewhere around 7/8 cup).

11. 

    BarbaraJanuary 16, 2013 at 7:06 amReply

    Can you suggest any substitutes for the vegetable bouillon cube? My son can’t have any yeast.

    • 

      Alisa FlemingJanuary 16, 2013 at 8:30 amReplyAuthor

      Barbara, seek out yeast-free brands like Go Bio and Marigold, or season to taste.

12. 

    sashoyFebruary 18, 2013 at 3:25 pmReply

    I was looking for a quick and easy Alfredo sauce since I didn’t have all the ingredients for my original. So glad I found this. Thank You!
    I made more sauce than I needed is it okay to freeze or refrigerate?

    • 

      Alisa FlemingFebruary 18, 2013 at 4:28 pmReplyAuthor

      It should keep for a day or two in the refrigerator and freeze just fine. One benefit of many dairy-free foods is that they freeze pretty well.

13. My Signature Dish « To Second ChancesFebruary 19, 2013 at 10:44 amReply

    [...] ingredients and b) wasn’t too time-consuming. I hit the jack-pot when I found Alisa Flemmings Best Ever Creamy Alfredo Sauce. I had all the ingredients yay me! The problem: cashews. My sister had tried to make this cashew [...]

14. 

    KarliMarch 9, 2013 at 11:29 amReply

    Would this be thick enough to use it as a pizza sauce?

    • 

      Alisa FlemingMarch 11, 2013 at 7:57 amReplyAuthor

      Karli, reduce the water, adding only as much as you need for a thicker consistency.

15. 

    MelissaMarch 27, 2013 at 1:19 pmReply

    How big a can of coconut milk? The recipe calls for half, but do the cans come in multiple sizes? Can you make this without the vegetable bouillon cube?

    • 

      Alisa FlemingMarch 27, 2013 at 1:53 pmReplyAuthor

      Coconut milk has pretty standard can sizing – 14 to 15 ounces. Thai Kitchen also sells a half-can size, but other than that, they are all pretty much the size of a can of beans.

16. Recipe: Awesome Vegan Alfredo Sauce | The Zen of MakingApril 3, 2013 at 4:30 amReply

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17. 

    KatrinaApril 30, 2013 at 2:52 pmReply

    I have been making a very similar dish for the last year and LOVE it. Don’t use the cashews or bullion cube but I’m gonna try them in it tonight.

    Also – I love adding nutritional yeast (It gives it an extra ‘cheese’ like flavour)

18. 

    KatrinaApril 30, 2013 at 2:55 pmReply

    Oh also – I’m sure tahini(sesame seeds) instead of cashews or sunflowers would work for nut-free.

    • 

      Alisa FlemingMay 1, 2013 at 6:45 amReplyAuthor

      Great idea Katrina!

19. 

    Heather UrryJune 17, 2013 at 3:31 pmReply

    Alisa, this is delicious! There’s a faint coconut flavor, which I really liked. It paired well with angel hair pasta and spinach with grated nutmeg on top. Reduced the liquid by about a half cup to keep it nice and thick. And I used turkey stock (not vegan, I realize) instead of water and bouillon. My Vitamix soup preset made quick, hot work of this. Thanks for the inspiration!