Learn how to make The Best Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce so you don't have to miss out on your beloved fettuccine Alfredo! It's creamy, cheesy, and savory just like a classic Alfredo sauce should be. I'll show you how to make it in less than 30 minutes, and impress any guest at your table.
I love to amp this meal up by adding Dairy-Free Parmesan Cheese on top, and then serving it with my Healthier Garlic Bread. The garlic bread is made with roasted garlic and olive oil, making the bread extra savory and delicious.
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❤️Why You'll Love this Recipe
- It tastes just like regular Alfredo sauce: It's cheesy, creamy, and has a delicious savory flavor. I use a few tablespoons of Country Crock stick butter to the sauce, which adds that real butter flavor to it.
- So easy to make: You'll boil cashews and chicken broth, then blend it with a few other ingredients until it becomes a smooth cream.
- Quick: This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make, making it perfect for weeknight dinners, or even an indulgent date night meal.
- Make ahead: This sauce is even better the next day. I recommend making it a day or two in advance, then warm it up and mix it with the fettuccine noodles.
- Kid-friendly: Most kids love fettuccine Alfredo, and this version is no exception.
📝Ingredient Notes
- Non-dairy butter: I love Country Crock Plant Butter with Olive Oil. I use the stick butter for this recipe. It tastes very similar to real butter.
- Nutritional yeast: This is a deactivated yeast (meaning you cannot use it in place of active dry or instant yeast for bread making) that is flaky and yellow in color. It has a delicious cheesy flavor, and is very nutritious as well. I use the NOW brand.
- Fresh lemon juice: It adds a tang and brightness that is essential for mimicking the cheesy parmesan flavor.
- Chicken broth: I prefer chicken broth because it has the best flavor, but I do have a vegan option that I'll recommend below.
🥛Substitutions
- Chicken broth: In place of chicken broth you can use vegetable broth.
- Cashews: Replace the cashews with slivered almonds to make an almond cream sauce.
🥣Equipment
- High-speed blender
- Small pot with lid
- 10 inch cast iron skillet or large pot
🔪How to Make Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce
- Boil 1 cup of cashews in 2 cups of chicken broth plus 1 cup water for 15 minutes, covered. Then let it cool.
2. Add cashews and the liquid to a high-speed blender and blend for one minute, or until completely smooth.
3. Add the butter, seasonings, and lemon juice to the blender and blend until well combined.
4. For best flavor, place in a jar and refrigerate overnight. It will thicken in the refrigerator. Or pour into a cast iron skillet or pot, and heat it on the stove on medium-low heat until it's warm and thick. Make sure to keep whisking to prevent clumping.
5. Mix in the cooked fettuccine noodles, and enjoy!
🧊Store
Store the sauce (with or without the noodles) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze the pasta/sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Thawing: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warm.
✅Pro Tips
- Use non-dairy butter you like the taste of: I like to use Country Crock Butter with Olive Oil because it tastes like real butter. Use one that you like because it can affect the taste.
- Make the sauce at least 1 day in advance: This lets the flavors marinate and the sauce tastes even better!
- Thicken your sauce: Sometimes the sauce comes out too thin. If this happens, just heat it up over the stove on medium-low heat and it will thicken. Keep whisking to prevent lumps.
- Add grilled chicken: Grill a chicken breast that's coated in your favorite spices, then slice it up and serve it over the pasta for extra flavor and protein.
🍗Serving Ideas
- Dairy-Free Parmesan: Sprinkle this dairy-free parmesan over your pasta for a salty and cheesy flavor.
- Broccoli florets: Mix in cooked broccoli florets for flavor and texture variation, as well as getting in extra nutrients.
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled shrimp
⁉️Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Replace the cashews with slivered almonds. These are almonds without the skins. Make the almond cream how it's described in the recipe with the cashew cream.
Yes. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Yes. The sauce is gluten-free. Just add your favorite gluten-free pasta noodles in with the sauce.
📖 Recipe
The BEST Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce
Equipment
- High speed blender
- Small pot with lid
- 10 inch cast iron skillet or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted and salted cashews
- 2 cups chicken broth see notes
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons non-dairy butter I use Country Crock with Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast plus 1 tablespoon
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or to taste
- salt to taste, see notes
- 12 ounces fettuccine noodles
Instructions
- Boil 1 cup of cashews in 2 cups of chicken broth plus 1 cup water for 15 minutes, covered. Then let it cool.
- Add cashews and the liquid to a high-speed blender and blend for one minute, or until completely smooth.
- Add the butter, seasonings and lemon juice to the blender and blend until well combined.
- For best flavor, place in a jar and refrigerate overnight. It will thicken in the refrigerator. Or pour into a cast iron skillet or pot, and heat it on the stove on medium-low heat until it's thick. Make sure to keep whisking to prevent clumping.
- Mix in the cooked fettuccine noodles, and enjoy!
Notes
- For a vegan option, substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- Store this sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- This recipe makes 2 cups of Alfredo sauce. Once combined with the fettuccine noodles, it serves about 4 people. The nutrition label shows nutrition facts for 1 serving of the pasta.
- Use gluten-free pasta noodles for a gluten and dairy-free option.
Nutrition
Note: The nutrition label is only an estimate. Amounts may vary.
Summer Bourbon says
I’m new to not eating dairy and when I saw cashews in this recipe I was unsure about how it would turn out. Just because it’s different for me. I made it, added chicken and it taste just like Alfredo sauce should it’s delicious!
Kayla says
Yay!!
I don't blame you for that! In some recipes the cashew taste can be really overpowering. If I use them, I try to make the flavor not shine through. I really think this sauce tastes just like the real thing! Glad you thought so too 🙂