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Fettuccine Alfredo {Video}

April 24, 2018 by PetraScott 31 Comments

fettuccine Alfredo - veganCreamy fettuccine Alfredo is one of the most elemental delights of Italian cuisine. The smooth, rich, and cheesy Alfredo sauce cloaking each strand of pasta makes this dish an all-time family favorite. How does this vegan fettuccine Alfredo compare to the dairy-based classic? You be the judge.

When you think of comfort food, what comes to mind? Home-cooked mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, a big slice of warm apple pie? Everyone has their favorite comfort food and we don't only turn to it when we're upset. It's something we reward ourselves with. The downside is that unhealthy high-calorie comfort food is usually at the top of everyone's list. Not many people crave a bowl of steamed broccoli or kale.

The good news is that there is a way to make your favorite comfort food healthier. Remember my mac & cheese sauce made entirely from veggies? If you enjoyed it, here is another veggie-packed comfort food for you: vegan fettuccine Alfredo. since most of us are on a constant quest to eat more vegetables anyway, why not add some vegetables into our favorite comfort dishes?

vegan fettuccine Alfredo - cashews, cauliflower

Tips for Making Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients

Traditional Alfredo sauce has butter, milk, cream, and Parmesan cheese (or other cheeses) in it. A blend of two ingredients - cauliflower and cashews - is a great alternative to all that dairy. Cooked and pureed cauliflower creates a perfect light and silky base while cashews add richness and creaminess. Both cauliflower and cashews have also a very mild flavor, which can be pushed in many different directions.

To get the cheesy Alfredo sauce flavor, I add plenty of nutritional yeast and salt. Parmesan cheese, as opposed to nutritional yeast, is pretty salty. So don't be afraid of salt. If, after you toss everything together, it tastes a little bland, add a little more salt.

Onions and garlic are the flavor base for pretty much any savory dish, including this vegan fettuccine Alfredo. Cooked onions give dishes a rich umami flavor and a subtle sweetness while garlic adds a nice bite. You don't always know onions and garlic are present once a dish has been spiced, but you'd definitely miss them.

Finally, I add a little bit of lemon juice to brighten the Alfredo sauce up.

Alfredo fettuccine sauce - vegan, paleo

Technique

Unfortunately, there's no shortcut to good flavor. Onions and garlic almost always need at least a brief sweat in a little bit of oil before you add the remaining ingredients.

When the onion and garlic become translucent (be sure they don't turn brown), you can add the cauliflower, cashews, and almond milk. It's not necessary to cook the cauliflower longer than for a few minutes because we'll blend all the ingredients anyway. I usually let the cauliflower simmer for about 5 minutes.

To create a silky smooth sauce, I use a high-speed blender. However, you can achieve a smooth puree even with a food processor. A food processor won't give you the best result, but it is the best alternative to a blender.

Tools You'll Need

kitchen tools for vegan mac and cheese

1. Blender (Vitamix 5200) | 2. Cookware Set (Calphalon, Stainless Steel) | 3. Knife Set (6 Pieces, Utopia, Stainless Steel) | 4. Cutting Board (24″x 18″, Michigan Maple Block, Maple) | 5. Measuring Cup (1 Cup, Pyrex, Glass) |  6. Measuring Cups (Set of 6, Stainless Steel) | 7. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel)

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fettuccine Alfredo - vegan
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Fettuccine Alfredo

Creamy fettuccine Alfredo is one of the most elemental delights of Italian cuisine. The smooth, rich, and cheesy Alfredo sauce cloaking each strand of pasta makes this dish an all-time family favorite.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 10 oz. fettuccine pasta*
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 5 cups cauliflower florets
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • salt, to taste**
  • black pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium-size pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until softened and fragrant, but not browned.
  • Add the cauliflower florets, cashews, almond milk and bring it to a boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cauliflower becomes tender.
  • In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredients - the cooked onion, garlic, cauliflower, cashews, and almond milk together with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the fettuccine pasta and boil for the time instructed on the package. Drain pasta.
  • Add cauliflower sauce into the pot (you can use the same pot!) and add the drained pasta. Heat over low-medium until heated enough to your liking. Salt again to taste (the pasta dilutes the flavor). Serve with freshly cracked blacked pepper.
  • Store leftover fettuccine Alfredo covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

Recipe Notes

*I used quinoa fettuccine to make the dish gluten-free, but you can use any fettuccine you like.
**Start with ¾ tsp. (4.4 g) salt and add more as needed.
Nutrition Facts
Fettuccine Alfredo
Amount Per Serving (1 of 4)
Calories 239 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 9g38%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 10g20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Filed Under: Lunch & Dinner

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marina

    April 25, 2018 at 8:24 am

    Thanks for making the fettuccini gluten free Petra, I certainly appreciate that. Now a few questions:
    1. Can I use cashew milk instead of almond milk?
    2. Did you have the baby yet (I know it’s an irrelevant question but just curious)?
    All the best for you, Tanner, Katie, and the new baby.

    Reply
  2. Evelyn

    May 07, 2018 at 7:15 pm

    This was really good. Easy to make. It has good flavors, creamy just like traditional fettuccine. I added steamed broccoli for protein.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 08, 2018 at 7:17 am

      I am so happy you liked the recipe, Evelyn 🙂 Really appreciate your feedback!

      Reply
  3. tommy

    May 15, 2018 at 8:59 am

    Can you tell me how to contact you!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 15, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Hi Tommy - you can find my email address under "Contact". It's info@nutritionrefined.com

      Reply
  4. Kim

    May 15, 2018 at 11:28 pm

    Yumm! Lovely pasta …Nice presentation!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 16, 2018 at 7:06 am

      Thank you so much, Kim!

      Reply
  5. Liina

    July 05, 2018 at 8:58 am

    Dear Petra,

    I have used your recipes for a while now and really enjoy the tutorial videos, they are so satisfying and make the cooking seem like therapy 🙂

    Is nutritional yeast a must in this recipe? I have an intolerance against any yeast (among dairy,eggs intolerance).

    Thanks,
    Liina

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      July 06, 2018 at 5:54 am

      Hi Liina - thank you so much! That's so good to hear that you're enjoying the videos 🙂 The nutritional yeast is not a must, but it is what gives the Alfredo sauce a cheesy, rich flavor. That being said, I have heard from a few people that they substituted the nutritional yeast and the Alfredo sauce still turned out great. Here is what you can try to add instead of the nutritional yeast: 1. more garlic and seasonings (herbs), 2. pesto, 3. white miso - works really well! Let me know if you have any questions 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jan

    February 17, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    Petra - I love Alfredo fettuccine and have been missing it until now - wow! I made this sauce and put it over zucchini noodles (got to find a substitute for zucchini as I am not a fan - I love broccoli - so note to self - try making noodles out of that next time with my Veggie Bullet). I didn't have almond milk but unsweetened almond/coconut milk which made it taste more like corn chowder which I also love so win, win, win!!! I had plenty sauce left over (it made 4 or more cups of sauce). Do you think I could freeze it? Thanks for this recipe - it was light and creamy - yum!! We just had a simple salad or tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and celery with apple cider vinegar - my taste buds are dancing!!! I am wondering how to swap up your Mac and cheese as I can't do potatoes - perhaps cauliflower could be used there?

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      February 18, 2019 at 5:05 am

      Hi Jan - thank you so much for taking the time to comment. ❤️ I am so happy you enjoyed the Alfredo sauce 🙂 I haven't tried freezing it myself, but I have gotten quite a few comments on my YouTube channel that the sauce freezes beautifully. So, I would give it a try 🙂 Yes, I would try cauliflower as a substitute for the potatoes. Cauliflower is not as creamy as potatoes, but it is neutral in flavor (and when you add the nutritional yeast, the "cheese" sauce will still turn out yellow). If the sauce isn't creamy enough with the cauliflower, you could always throw in a handful of cashews. Hope it turns out great!

      Reply
  7. Kalynn Roundtree

    March 01, 2019 at 6:03 am

    What does the nutritional yeast do to the Alfredo? This looks so delicious!!!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      March 01, 2019 at 6:48 am

      Hi Kalynn - nutritional yeast has a relatively strong flavor that is somewhat similar to that pungent taste found in cheese. In addition to its cheesy flavor, it also provides a creamy texture. Definitely an essential ingredient in this recipe 🙂

      Reply
  8. Eileen

    March 24, 2019 at 7:08 pm

    It looks absolutley delicious but I am Italian and I hate cauliflower and broccoli... so I am afraid to try this... please change the name this is in Eno way alfredo..

    Reply
  9. Catha

    April 14, 2019 at 4:17 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is INCREDIBLE!!
    So simple, SO good and ideal 4 meal prepping aswell!
    No adaptation needed - it’s perfect!
    Love it
    Thank U so much for sharing.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      April 14, 2019 at 7:31 am

      Thank you so much for the feedback, Catha! ❤️ I really appreciate it. So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  10. Noreen

    May 18, 2019 at 2:33 pm

    I don't have a high speed blender, so can I substitute cashew butter instead of cashews? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 19, 2019 at 3:01 am

      Hi Noreen - yes, you can. You will want to use ~ 1/4 cup of cashew butter.

      Reply
  11. MC

    May 19, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    I really want to try this but Is there something I can substitute for the cashews? I'm allergic to them but seem to be ok with other nuts.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 20, 2019 at 5:32 am

      Yes! You could use any light-colored nut, such as macadamia, blanched almonds, or even pine nuts (although pine nuts tend to be really pricey).

      Reply
  12. Sandra

    June 13, 2019 at 7:25 am

    5 stars
    I made it two days ago and today I am making it again - it's just SO GOOD! Thank you for this delicious recipe, Petra!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      June 13, 2019 at 7:43 am

      So happy to hear that, Sandra! We love this recipe too 🙂 Thank you so much for the feedback! ❤️

      Reply
  13. Christina

    September 19, 2019 at 11:14 am

    Hi Petra! I love your videos. Can you please link the quinoa fettuccine pasta you use. I can't find one online.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      September 20, 2019 at 5:30 am

      Hi Christina - I get quinoa pasta from Bulk Barn (not sure where you live, but it's a quite common store here in Canada). GoGo Quinoa carries fettuccine made from a blend of red and white quinoa and rice, which is probably the closest. If you were going for high-protein pasta (and was ok with soy), Maxsport carries fettuccine made from organic soy and quinoa. The last brand I can think of is Ancient Harvest, which carries all sorts of pasta (penne, elbows, linguine, spaghetti, rotini ...) made from organic quinoa and corn flour. I don't think they came up with fettuccine yet.

      Reply
  14. Roy Herbst

    September 21, 2019 at 5:10 pm

    I spent five minutes licking the pan and blender - this was great! Instead of pasta I used zoodles. Mushrooms, artichoke bottoms, mushroom - I'm so full!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      September 23, 2019 at 2:08 pm

      Yay! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Roy! Thank you so much for the feedback.

      Reply
  15. Sapir Moskovich

    February 11, 2020 at 1:08 am

    Hi, thanks for the recipe!
    I'm allergic to cashews and to nuts in general, cash you recommend on a substitute?

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      February 12, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      HI Sapir - you know, you could probably just skip the cashews. If you do that, I would recommend using less plant milk because cauliflower contains a lot of water and since you won't have any cashews, you won't need much. As far as the plant milk goes, you could use any milk you're ok with (as neutral as possible, unflavored, unsweetened). The only problem I foresee is that the Alfredo sauce won't be as rich because of the lower fat content.

      Reply
      • Catha

        February 13, 2020 at 12:15 am

        ...or add some coconut butter, olive oil, coconut milk, light tahini, sunbutter (if seeds are fine)...
        ☺️

        Reply
  16. Fu

    October 08, 2020 at 4:08 am

    Hii.. enjoying your recipe..
    & gonna try this sauce as well, since i love pasta..
    wondering is that ok replacing the nutritional yeast with the instant yeast ? It is quite hard finding the nutritional yeast in the supermarket. Im in Indonesia btw.
    Thankyou so much for sharing these recipe, will look forward for these..

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      October 10, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Fu - unfortunately, you cannot use instant yeast. Instant yeast is activated (it makes breads and other baked goods rise). Nutritional yeast, on the other hand, is deactivated and used as a supplement. Unlike instant yeast, nutritional yeast has a very pleasant cheesy taste, which is really important for the Alfredo sauce. Here in Canada, you can typically find nutritional yeast in health food stores or in bulk stores (regular supermarkets rarely carry it). So, I would check there.

      Reply

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