Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo without Nuts
Perfect, classic, and creamy vegan fettuccine alfredo without nuts! Lots of lemon and garlic make a thick and rich sauce that clings to the noodles for an indulgent meal that’s healthy! Dairy free and gluten free recipe.
This has been a recipe a long time in the making, my friend. I wanted to create a dairy free alfredo sauce that didn’t use nuts or seeds as the base but still had flavor and was easy enough to make quickly on a weeknight.
And I think this recipe does just that.
This noodle dish is the ultimate one to make when you don’t feel like cooking. It takes about 20 minutes to make, doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, and has that classic Italian flavor profile that just is comfort in a bowl.
Plus, as with most noodle dishes, the leftovers taste somehow even better! So let’s get ready to mix up a big pot of these alfredo noodles to enjoy tonight and tomorrow. 🙂
Ingredients
For the full ingredient list, complete with recipe quantities, please see the recipe card below!
Tofu
This can be made with a silken tofu, soft tofu, or firm tofu, depending on what you have access to. I’ve made it with all 3 types and found that the silken tofu does produce the sauce that is the creamiest and most alfredo-like. You can’t replace the tofu in this recipe as it is the stand in for the nuts/seeds.
Lemon + Garlic
These are the main flavor drivers of this recipe and when combined with the tofu produces a bright and dreamy sauce. Use fresh lemon and garlic when possible, but I won’t tell anyone if you use lemon juice from a jar and frozen garlic cubes. (I’ve done this many times and it still makes for a delicious sauce that is easier/less dishes to clean so it’s a win in my kitchen.)
I’ve gone for a middle-of-the-road for flavor intensity with the lemon and garlic so if you know you LOVE one of these flavors, feel free to add a bit more. Or if garlic isn’t your jam, reduce the garlic to only 1 to 2 cloves.
Noodles
Totally any noodle shape will work with this recipe. I love the fettuccine as it holds onto the sauce really well. But so does penne pasta, orecchiette pasta, or even macaroni elbow noodles!
Substitutions
Need to make this gluten free? It’s super easy! Here is how:
- Use a tamari sauce or coconut amino acids in place of the soy sauce.
- Use gluten free noodles. My personal favorites are brown rice noodles or a corn noodle. Some of the brands I’ve had the most success with are Barilla Gluten Free and Tinkyada Brown Rice noodles.
Variations
- Swap the black pepper for some red pepper flakes for a spicy twist.
- Add any vegetables you like to this pasta. In a separate pot, you can steam up some broccoli, asparagus, or peas.
- Make it more like a pasta primavera by sauteing some zucchini, yellow summer squash, and bell peppers to add to the noodles after cooking.
What to Serve With Alfredo
While you can totally serve this pasta dish as a meal unto itself, I love to combine it with something to make it feel more complete.
- Salad: Some of my favorite salads to serve with this are a Classic Vegan Greek Salad or my Crunchy Fuji Apple Salad with 321 Balsamic Dressing which is especially nice in the fall!
- Bread: What goes better with pasta than Soft Vegan Garlic Swirl Rolls?!
- Protein: Since there is tofu in the sauce, I typically don’t add extra protein to this but you can add some oven baked tofu for a little extra.
How to Store
Why is it that all pasta tastes better on day two?
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, or reheat in a skillet on low with an additional splash of plant based milk to help the sauce thin out a bit.
More Pasta Recipes
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Equipment
- blender or food processor
- Cooking pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing spoons
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 10 oz fettuccine noodles can be gluten free
- 8 oz silken tofu can also use soft or firm
- 1 cup plant based milk soy milk or almond milk recommended
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon bouillon mix Better than Bouillon vegetable recommended
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the noodles. In a large pot of salted water, cook the noodles according to package directions. Make sure to give them a stir while cooking so they don’t all stick together. This is especially important for gluten free noodles. See my notes below for noodle recommendations.
- Make the sauce. Into a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, plant based milk, garlic, lemon juice, onion powder, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, soy sauce (or tamari), bouillon mix, and salt. Blend together until smooth. Give it a taste and add more garlic or lemon if you prefer. This recipe hits at about the middle of the scale for both flavors.
Notes
Nutrition
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