In this recipe we are making a creamy vegan Alfredo sauce using vegan butter, onion, flour, unsweetened plant milk and vegetable bullion. To accompany sauce and the pasta, we’re adding grilled mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, veggie ground round and spinach. The combination of the creamy sauce and the flavourful vegetables will definitely please your non-vegan friends!
Let’s be real, tomato sauce is amazing, but there are times when you just want to switch things up for a change. Whether you’re looking for a sauce for pasta or pizza, there are a variety of other sauces, but Alfredo sauce is probably one of the most popular ones. When I first started transitioning to a vegan diet, I thought I would have to give up Alfredo pasta forever! Little did I know, I could easily veganize the traditional roux-and-cream recipe using vegan butter and plant milk. For the cheesy taste, nutritional yeast has been my best friend for many of my recipes. Most cheese related vegan recipes use cashews, but if you’re like me and want to eat vegan alfedo pasta but are too lazy to soak cashews, then this recipe is for you!
To make the deliciously creamy and cheesy sauce:
- Melt margarine or vegan butter in a saucepan
- Add onions and sautée
- Add flour to make a roux
- Pour in the plant milk and add the remaining sauce ingredients
- Simmer to thicken the sauce
How you choose to serve the sauce with pasta is up to you. The vegetables and veggie ground round in the recipe is completely optional and you can enjoy this recipe with just the sauce and the pasta!
Comment below if you make this recipe with your thoughts and results! Check out my other pasta dishes as well:
No-Cashew Alfredo Pasta (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp margarine or vegan butter
- ¼ cup finely diced white onion
- 1 ½ tsp all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant-based milk, I use cashew or almond milk
- ½ cup vegetable broth, OR ½cup water + ½tsp vegetable bouillon
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Accompaniments:
- ½ cup cremini mushroom, sliced
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup veggie ground round , I use Yves*
- 1 Handful spinach, about 1 cup
- 2 tbsp olive oil to grill veggies , optional
- 4 servings of pasta of choice, I used fettuccini
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Be sure to add a tsp of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- Let's make the sauce: In a large saucepan, melt the margarine on medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and fragrant.
- Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Add the plant milk and vegetable broth and stir until the roux is fully incorporated into the liquids.
- Add the remaining ingredients: nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2mins, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir with a wooden spoon to avoid the sauce burning. Remove from the stove. If you're using the sauce later, you can store it in an airtight container or a jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In another sauce pan, heat the olive oil on high. Add the sliced mushrooms and halved tomatoes. Cook each side for about 2-3mins, or until golden brown. The tomato will release juice and that's okay. Add the veggie ground round and sauté for 1min.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the Alfredo sauce. Add the 1/4 cup of pasta water along with the cooked pasta. Simmer for 1 minute or until the sauce is bubbling.
- Serve with your favourite pasta toppings such as fresh parsley, chili flakes or vegan cheese!
Notes
- If you’re not adding any of the vegetables, you can leave the sauce in the saucepan and add the cooked pasta into the pan.
- The pasta water actually makes the sauce thicker because it contains starch from the cooked pasta, but if you prefer a thinner consistency, you can omit the pasta water.
- The Alfredo sauce is best used within a day or so for optimal taste and freshness.
- You can also make this recipe for two servings of pasta, but be prepared to have extra sauce!
- *Yves Veggie Ground Round link (not sponsored)
