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    Home > Vegan Sauces

    Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms

    Posted: Jul 9, 2019 ยท Updated: Oct 2, 2021

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    Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms and Cashews
    My eight-ingredient take on a Vegan Alfredo Sauce with cashews is creamy and silky and savory with herbs and roasted garlic. Mushrooms roasted with wine make this sublime Italian sauce even more delicious. A vegan, gluten-free and soy-free recipe.
    Overhead shot of Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms and Cashews in a saucepan with a fork and a blue napkin beside it.

    I am revisiting my creamy and velvety Vegan Alfredo Sauce with mushrooms and roasted garlic. It's a classic recipe I first published in 2013 and many of you have made it over the years and come back to tell me about it.

    After making it myself for the umpteenth time this past weekend, I thought it might be a good idea to pull this recipe out from the bowels of this blog and back to the front so those of you who are new to this blog can find it.

    Alfredo is a creamy and rather voluptuous Italian white sauce for pasta made with lashings of butter and cream and cheese. To me, it's always presented itself as an oxymoron. While its lush flavors scream out "eat me," an Alfredo's ingredient list pretty much makes it a no-no for nearly everyone except the most intrepid of eaters.

    As a vegan, butter and cream and cheese are also out. So when I made a vegan version of this sauce all those years ago, I improvised with cashew cream, which makes a great substitute for cream in nearly any dish. It has a pleasing sweetness, like cream, and a similar mouth-feel, which is important because you want the texture of your Alfredo sauce to be silky and smooth.

    The cheese is replaced here by nutritional yeast, and roasted garlic and summery herbs add an abundance of flavor.

    Cashews are not a low-calorie food themselves, but they are certainly way lower in calories for all those dairy products they replace in this vegan Alfredo Sauce. Cashews -- and the fat in them -- are also actually good for you, unlike butter and cream and cheese. Altogether, there are just 228 calories in a serving of this vegan Alfredo Sauce, and 11 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber, which actually makes it quite good for you, unlike the traditional version.

    I really love adding sage to this sauce. For one, this smoky, savory herb is plentiful in the summer months, and it begs to be used. I have a sage plant that I put into the ground in my backyard when we first moved into this house more than a decade ago and each year it survives the bitter winter to spring back to life and reward me with armfuls of sage. Not that you'd ever use armfuls of sage in any recipe. This is a strongly flavored herb, so a little goes a long way.

    Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms and Cashews in a black saucepan with a wooden ladle and a white napkin

    Ingredients for vegan alfredo sauce

    • Raw cashews. Cashew pieces are fine and even better because they're more economical than whole cashews. They will be blended up anyway.
    • Crimini mushrooms
    • Sage
    • White wine (or vodka will do). It's optional, but use it for more flavor.
    • Nondairy milk (like unsweetened almond milk or soymilk. Don't add coconut milk please -- the flavor just doesn't work with an Alfredo sauce.)
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Garlic
    • Oregano (dry)
    • Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or vegan butter)

    How to make the creamiest alfredo sauce

    • Start out by slicing the tops off two whole bulbs of garlic. Place the bulbs in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle on some olive oil on the exposed tops, and then wrap the garlic in the foil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes until the garlic is golden and soft and squeezes out easily from the papery skin.
    • Soak 1 cup of cashews in 2 cups of any nondairy milk (except coconut -- the strong flavor doesn't really work here). After about 15-30 minutes, blend it until very, very smooth with 2-4 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (use more or less according to your preference), the roasted garlic, 1 teaspoon of dry oregano, salt and ground black pepper to taste.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the mushrooms along with some salt and ground black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add about 1 tablespoon of chopped sage and ยผ cup of white wine or vodka. Continue to stir fry until all of the visible moisture has evaporated.
    • Add the creamy cashew sauce to the skillet, stir well to mix, then cover and let it cook for 15 minutes on a low flame.
    • Season with salt if needed and turn off the heat.
    • Stir in your cooked pasta and enjoy.

    Which pasta works best with alfredo sauce

    • Alfredo is traditionally served with fettuccine, which is a slim, ribbon-like pasta. I had pappardelle on hand this time, so I used that and it's what you'll see in the pictures. But while a flat ribbon shape like fettuccine is a nice vehicle for the creamy sauce, you don't really need to stick with it. Many kinds of pasta are perfect with this sauce. A conchiglie or a farfalle pasta would be great here, as would orzo.
    • To make a meal of this, all you need is a leafy salad on the side. If possible, serve with some vegan cashew parmesan.

    More pasta sauce recipes

    • The Best Vegan White Pasta Sauce
    • Vegan Irish Whiskey Sauce
    • The Best Vegan Marinara Sauce
    • Vegan Basil Pesto
    • Also try out this easy and simple Vegan Mushroom Pasta.
    Overhead closeup shot of Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms and Cashews
    Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms and Cashews

    Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Mushrooms

    My eight-ingredient take on a Vegan Alfredo Sauce with cashews is creamy and silky and savory with herbs and roasted garlic. Mushrooms roasted with wine make this sublime Italian sauce even more delicious. A vegan, gluten-free and soy-free recipe.
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Pasta
    Cuisine: gluten-free, Soy-free, Vegan Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Vegan Alfredo Sauce
    Prep Time: 30 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 50 mins
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 228kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 large heads garlic
    • 1 cup raw cashews
    • 2 cups nondairy milk
    • 1 teaspoon oregano
    • 2-4 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or vegan butter)
    • 32 oz crimini mushrooms sliced
    • ยผ cup white wine (or vodka makes a good substitute. The alcohol is optional, but nice)
    • 1 tablespoon sage (fresh, cut thinly. You can sub with 1 teaspoon dry sage)
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    Instructions

    • Slice the tops off the heads of garlic. Place the bulbs in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle on some olive oil on the exposed tops, and then wrap the garlic in the foil. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes until the garlic is golden and soft and squeezes out easily from the papery skin.
    • Soak 1 cup of cashews in 2 cups of any nondairy milk (except coconut โ€” the strong flavor doesnโ€™t really work here).ย  After about 15-30 minutes, blend it until very, very smooth with 2-4 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (use more or less according to your preference), the roasted garlic, 1 teaspoon of dry oregano, salt and ground black pepper to taste.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegan butter or extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the mushrooms along with some salt and ground black pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of the chopped sage and ยผ cup of white wine or vodka. Continue to stir fry until all of the visible moisture has evaporated.

    • Add the creamy cashew sauce to the skillet, stir well to mix, then cover and let it cook for 15 minutes on a low flame.
    • Add more salt and pepper if desired, then stir in your cooked pasta. This sauce is best served hot when it's at its smoothest and silkiest. If you have leftovers, reserve some of your pasta cooking liquid in the refrigerator and reheat the sauce with a small amount of the pasta liquid to make it smooth and silky again.
    • You can garnish your pasta with parsley and serve with vegan cashew parmesan on the side.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Potassium: 987mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 5.7mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 2.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Miriam

      May 06, 2022 at 7:12 am

      5 stars
      Deeeeeelicious!!! I used oat milk with the cashews, and gin instead of wine (thatโ€™s all I had hah). So good!! I love mushrooms & this will definitely become a regular dinner.

      Reply
    2. jules

      March 05, 2020 at 7:25 pm

      can i use tequila instead of vodka?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 28, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        I suppose it would be fine, although wondering if the strong tequila flavor would leave behind an aftertaste...if you try let me know!

        Reply
      • Kaytlin

        January 26, 2022 at 9:59 pm

        5 stars
        This was SOOO good. I had fun drinking wine and making this amazing dish. Thank you!!

        Reply
        • Vaishali

          February 09, 2022 at 2:11 pm

          So happy to hear, Kaytlin!

          Reply
    3. Anonymous

      February 21, 2020 at 10:41 pm

      5 stars
      Loved loved loved this recipe! Even the picky non vegan teenager approved. Only change is next time I will add more soy milk for extra sauce to dunk my garlic bread in.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 28, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        Awesome, so happy to hear!

        Reply
    4. Angie

      February 16, 2020 at 2:43 pm

      Have you tried this with something other than cashews? We have a new cashew allergy in our family and all the good creamy vegan recipes use cashews. ๐Ÿ™ Looks so good tho'...

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        August 18, 2020 at 10:46 pm

        You could try pumpkin seeds!

        Reply
    5. Coyote

      July 11, 2019 at 9:41 pm

      5 stars
      Haven't made it yet, someone posted on FB but wow, what a great thread! Very interesting and I love the enthusiasm for delicious, healthier plant-based food! We are waking up and I love it. I'll post after I make mine
      Just a question; I was under the impression that when one cooked with wine/alcohol it simply added flavor and that the alcohol burned off? Some of my friends shouldnt have alcohol. (Ok I mean me.) But that's what I've always been taught. Might be just a myth?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 11, 2019 at 9:46 pm

        Yes alcohol does cook off or that's what I've always heard. The dish definitely isn't boozy. ? But you can and should leave it out if making the dish for someone who can't tolerate alcohol for any reason.

        Reply
    6. Anonymous

      July 11, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious, easier than I thought, and so mushroomy!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        February 09, 2022 at 2:11 pm

        Thrilled you loved it!

        Reply
    7. Saranya

      September 05, 2018 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Vaishali, I remembered seeing a cashew sauce mushroom pasta recipe somewhere on here so I came searching for this today. I made a version of it for dinner - forgot to add the milk though. It was just cashew cream, basil, chives, rosemary, parsley from my garden, onions, garlic, carrots and peas sauteed in some butter with the mushrooms. Delicious!! Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        February 09, 2022 at 2:12 pm

        So happy you enjoyed it, Saranya!

        Reply
    8. Laura Hodos

      January 16, 2018 at 10:35 am

      Hey there!
      Do you drain the cashews of the milk before blitzing? Or does it all get blitzed together? (When I make vegan cheese, I know the soaking water is discarded!)
      Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        January 16, 2018 at 1:16 pm

        No, blitz them with the milk!

        Reply
    9. Will

      January 16, 2014 at 5:43 am

      5 stars
      I had this tonight it was fantastic. The wine with the mushrooms and the sage really took it to another level!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        February 09, 2022 at 2:12 pm

        So awesome to hear!

        Reply
    10. Miss Kay

      January 03, 2014 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      holy crapยฐยฐยฐยฐ i have just made this! SO EFFIN GOOD!!!! totally love it ๐Ÿ™‚ THANK U

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        January 03, 2014 at 11:16 pm

        Miss Kay, that's wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, and so happy you liked it. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Vaishali Honawar

      July 30, 2013 at 9:48 pm

      VM, thanks for the feedback. So happy you liked it. Oregano's a natural with pasta.

      Reply
    12. Vegan Magic

      July 28, 2013 at 7:12 pm

      5 stars
      I made this dish a while ago and LOVED IT! I had to tweak it a bit - no wine so kids could eat too, oregano instead of sage cos I didn't have any, and regular vegan mozzarella instead of nutritional yeast, again for lack of it. Very creamy and super delicious, I couldn't get enough of it. Will definitely try the original sometime. Thank you, Vaishali, for another amazing recipe!

      Reply
    13. Vaishali Honawar

      July 26, 2013 at 3:39 am

      Sameera, you can leave out the wine. Add a pinch of sugar to help the mushrooms caramelize. Hope you like it.

      Reply
    14. Sameera

      July 26, 2013 at 1:40 am

      This sounds lovely...would love to try it out with my mom (who is a big fan of Fettucini Alfredo)

      We are considering going vegan so this is great timing ๐Ÿ™‚

      Just a quick question, we don't consume alcohol so do you have any alternatives to the wine you would suggest? Or is it okay just to omit it from the recipe? ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    15. Chitz

      July 08, 2013 at 11:57 am

      That's something which is making my stomach growl.. If we can enjoy such pleasures without guilt, then I'm in for it !

      Reply
    16. Vic

      July 07, 2013 at 10:16 pm

      5 stars
      Very yummo. Made it yesterday and both me and my meat-eating husband loved it. So it will definitely go into my regulars ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thanks for this amazing recipe.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        July 08, 2013 at 7:54 pm

        Vic, thanks for the feedback. So happy you guys liked it.

        Reply
    17. Kelsey M

      July 07, 2013 at 3:58 pm

      Wow yum!!!

      Reply
    18. Paolo Cuomo

      July 07, 2013 at 10:29 am

      HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF โ€œFETTUCCINE ALLโ€™ALFREDOโ€, NOW SERVED BY THE GRANDCHILDREN, ALFREDO E ISA DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT โ€œIL VERO ALFREDOโ€ IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30

      With reference of your article we have the pleasure to tell you the history of our grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of โ€œfettuccine allโ€™Alfredoโ€ in 1908 in restaurant run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi).
      Alfredo di Lelio opened the restaurant โ€œAlfredoโ€ in 1914 in a street in central Rome, after leaving the restaurant of his mother Angelina. In this local spread the fame, first to Rome and then in the world, of โ€œfettuccine allโ€™Alfredoโ€.
      In 1943, during the war, Di Lelio sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
      In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 "Il Vero Alfredo" (โ€œAlfredo di Romaโ€), which is now managed by his nephews Alfredo and Ines, with the famous โ€œgold cutleryโ€โ€ (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
      See also the site of โ€œIl Vero Alfredoโ€ (in which there are also informations on franchising) .
      We must clarify that other restaurants "Alfredo" in Rome do not belong to the family tradition of "Il Vero Alfredo" in Rome.
      We inform that the restaurant โ€œIl Vero Alfredoโ€ is in the registry of โ€œHistoric Shops of Excellenceโ€ of the City of Rome Capitale.
      Best regards Alfredo e Ines Di Lelio

      Reply
    19. Glo

      July 05, 2013 at 10:45 pm

      this looks so delicious!!! I know it's in my future!!!!

      Reply
    20. Peanut

      July 05, 2013 at 3:47 pm

      Wow, I really love your veggie version of the recipe, that creamy sauce must be delicious! But for the records, i have to say it: fettucine alfredo is not actually an Italian dish! we don't eat it here nor we know any Alfredo ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        July 05, 2013 at 3:53 pm

        Peanut, your comment intrigued me, so I went and did some digging. According to Wikipedia, Fettuccine Alfredo was invented by a Rome restaurateur named Alfredo in the early 20th century, but in Italy it's typically called Fettuccine al Burro. Anyway, we can all agree that this sauce by any name is quite delicious. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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