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–+ servings
Creamy cashew alfredo in a bowl
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4.95 from 17 votes

Creamy Cashew Alfredo Sauce

This is a great dairy-free alternative to traditional Alfredo sauce. Lower in calories, this is absolutely creamy! Leftovers keep for several days in the refrigerator and make an excellent vegetable dip option, too.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Cuisine: vegan
Keyword: dairy-free, raw, vegan
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 225kcal
Author: Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup cashews, raw and unsalted
  • ½ Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, more if desired
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¼ tsp thyme, dried
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast, optional
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients into your blender (See #2 recipe note for ideas for other cool add-ins). Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt, thyme, or garlic as desired. If you want your sauce a little thinner, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
  • In a large bowl, combine most of the sauce with approximately 16 oz. of your favorite cooked noodles, or 3-4 medium zucchini, spiralized into "zoodles". Toss using two forks or tongs until the sauce is distributed over the pasta or vegetables. Add more sauce as needed.
  • Season with cracked black pepper or pink peppercorns for color (be careful not to add too much of the pink peppercorns, they can be overpowering). Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
  • Store any leftover or reserved sauce in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

  1. If your blender is not super efficient or if you want to make the sauce in a food processor rather than a blender, soak the cashews in warm water for about 20 minutes and up to an hour. This will soften them, making the cashews easier to cream into a smooth sauce. Drain the cashews before blending. If you have a reasonably powerful blender however, this step isn't necessary.
  2. Some other things that would be tasty and super cool to add into this alfredo sauce are: Pesto, basil, or any fresh herbs; red pepper flakes; extra garlic cloves, like 5-6; Sriracha for some kick; and if you're not needing a dairy-free alfredo, shredded Parmesan cheese.
  3. The nutritional yeast is optional but adds even more cheesy flavor to the sauce. I wouldn't bother if you don't have some on hand. 
  4. This recipe is easily doubled if you need more or want extra for another use on another day.

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2.7mg