This isn’t the first time I’ve posted a vegan Alfredo sauce recipe. In fact, it’s not even the second time. But I think this one is the best. What we have here is a simple 8-ingredient mashup of all the best cream sauces I’ve made over the years. It’s part cauliflower Alfredo (which everyone knows about by now), part cashew Alfredo, which is super creamy but really high in fat & calories, and there’s some potato, which might sound strange but it adds a stretchy starchy component and subtle sweetness that rounds out the flavors and textures of this sauce. Blend all that with the essentials of any vegan Alfredo (nutritional yeast, garlic powder, non dairy milk) and it might just become your new favorite cream sauce.

At the end, I’ve also included a simple recipe for what’s in the photos: fusilli with sautéed mushrooms. It’s a simple 15-minute meal that brings together these amazing flavors of pasta, cream sauce, and some meaty soy-glazed mushrooms.

Makes ~1 quart of sauce

Ingredients: 2 cups cauliflower florets

1 small potato

2/3 cup raw cashews

1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1+ teaspoon garlic powder

A bunch of salt and pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Prep: Soak the 2/3 cup cashews for at least an hour before blending

Step One

Boil some water in a saucepan and add a few handfuls of cauliflower florets along with one small potato (peeled) and allow to boil for about 20 minutes until both the potato and cauliflower are soft.

Step Two

When ready, strain out the cauliflower and potatoes and add them to a blender. Drain the cashews of their soaking water and add them to the blender too. Then, add everything else into the blender: the non-dairy milk (almond works well), nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and juice of a lemon. Begin blending and add a little water as needed to create the consistency of a cream sauce.

Step Three

At this point, give the sauce a taste and adjust the flavors as needed. This is important; you want to trust your tastebuds and add extra salt, pepper, garlic, or nutritional yeast as needed. When it’s perfect, pour into a mason jar or other sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Recipe Idea: Fusilli Alfredo with Mushrooms

There’s a million ways to use this sauce, but one of my favorites is a really simple pasta dish with whole wheat fusilli and some tasty soy-garlic mushrooms. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, slice some mushrooms and sautée them with just soy sauce and a pinch of garlic powder for 10 minutes until they reduce and soften. Then, add some of the Alfredo 2.0 onto the pasta, toss with the mushrooms, and add a few grinds of black pepper.