Vegetarian Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time25 min

Silky cashew cream is the real star here, blended smooth with nutritional yeast, garlic, and a bright squeeze of lemon juice until it's rich enough to coat every strand of fettuccine. Tossed in the skillet with a splash of starchy pasta water, the sauce loosens into that glossy, clingy texture you want from a good Alfredo, no cream required. A scattering of fresh parsley finishes it off with a little color and freshness against all that richness. It's comforting, restaurant-style pasta that comes together in one skillet and one blender, and it fits neatly into a vegetarian dinner rotation. Simple pantry staples do the heavy lifting, so the flavor stays big while the ingredient list stays approachable. This is the kind of bowl you'll want to make on repeat.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the cashew cream

1 cup raw cashews
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2 cups boiling water (for soaking)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the pasta

12 oz fettuccine
1 tsp salt (for pasta water)

For the chicken

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large), pounded to even thickness
Chef's tip
Choose an unbreaded plant-based cutlet and cook it according to its package - ignore the recipe's raw-chicken cooking times and temperatures - then use it where the cooked chicken goes.
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp olive oil

For finishing

½ cup reserved pasta water

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let soak for 30 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking water.
2
Transfer the drained cashews to a blender along with the chicken broth, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth and pourable, with no visible cashew pieces.

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