Dairy Free Garlic Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy, indulgent pasta night doesn't have to mean reaching for butter and heavy cream. This version builds its silky sauce from soaked raw cashews blended smooth with vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice — and the result is genuinely rich, coating every strand of fettuccine the way a classic Alfredo should. Sautéed garlic in olive oil adds depth, while reserved pasta water keeps the sauce loose and glossy as it comes together in the skillet. The blending step is the real magic here: a full 60 to 90 seconds on high gives you a cream so smooth there's not a hint of graininess left. It's the kind of dish that makes skeptics do a double-take, because nothing about it tastes like a compromise. Serves four, and it comes together faster than you'd expect for something this satisfying.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cashew cream
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 cups boiling water, for soaking
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
For the pasta
- 12 oz fettuccine
- 1 tbsp salt, for pasta water
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- ¼ tsp black pepper, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking water.
- 2
Transfer the drained cashews to a blender along with the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and white pepper. Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth and no graininess remains when rubbed between two fingers.
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