Creamy and decadent, this vegan Fettuccine Alfredo has a secret healthy ingredient that makes it a meal the whole family will love. Made in just 30 minutes for a quick, delicious, and surprisingly veggie-packed dinner.
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When it comes to comfort food it doesn't get much better than a big plate of Fettuccine Alfredo. Amiright?
For most months of the year, I eat pretty darn healthy. Kicking it off every January with my 30-day cleanse, I maintain a mostly whole-food, gluten & refined sugar-free diet throughout the spring and summer. And I feel awesome! I have lots of energy, I sleep straight through the night, and I manage stress better. Life is great when I make healthy choices and I can never imagine another way.
But then something happens towards the end of September.
The days get shorter, the pumpkin spices come out, tea gets replaced with homemade chai lattes, and I get some hardcore vegan pasta cravings. And those cravings will stop at nothing. It's pasta, gnocchi, and pumpkin pastries from here until the sun sets on 2019.
But just because I'm craving pasta, doesn't mean I have to eat completely unhealthy for the next several months. And that is why I love this vegan fettuccine with skinny Alfredo sauce.
How to Make Vegan Fettucine Alfredo {Video}
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fettuccine Pasta – Feel free to swap out the fettuccini noodles for any other kind of pasta you have on hand.
- Olive Oil
- Cauliflower
- Vegetable Broth
- Garlic
- White Onion
- Non-Dairy Milk – I recommend a full-bodied, subtle flavored milk like cashew, soy, or macadamia nut milk. Whatever you use, make sure it’s unsweetened.
- Fresh Parsley
- Lemon
- Salt & Pepper
- Vegan Parmesan – I’m a HUGE fan of Violife parmesan. It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan or omit it altogether.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a saucepot, skillet, basic kitchen utensils, including a chef's knife, a high-powered blender, and a colander. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
How to make Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
Step One - Make the Cauliflower Sauce
Break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Sauté the cauliflower with diced onions and minced garlic until the onion is fragrant. Add vegetable broth, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is tender.
Blend the cooked cauliflower, along with the remaining Alfredo sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender until perfectly smooth.
Step Two - Make the Fettuccine
Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water. Make sure your pot is large enough to allow the pasta to cook without sticking together. Once it is al dente, about 12 minutes, drain it through a colander and toss it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. This prevents the pasta from clumping together as it cools.
Step Three - Assemble and Serve
In a large bowl, toss the cooked fettuccine pasta with the skinny Alfredo sauce. Top with vegan parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and freshly ground pepper.
Serving and Storing
Serving - Serve this fettuccine immediately with vegan parmesan cheese, freshly ground pepper, parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve with Vegan Caesar Salad or artisan bread.
Storing - Leftovers are better kept separately. Extra Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this recipe be gluten-free?
Sure! There are many vegan and gluten-free pasta options available. This is my favorite brand of gluten-free pasta. (<<affiliate link)
Can this recipe be keto-friendly?
Sticking to a keto diet? No problem! Make this Fettuince Alfredo Keto-friendly by using nut-based milk such as cashew and swapping out the fettuccine noodles for zucchini noodles.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Skinny Creamy Garlic Sauce Pasta
- Vegan Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Bechamel Sauce
- Penne Pasta with Vegan Vodka Sauce
- Pumpkin Alfredo with Roasted Hazelnuts
Skinny Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tbsp. white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ½ cups fresh cauliflower florets
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I use cashew or soy
- 2 tablespoon vegan parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- juice of ½ lemon
- salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta, about 1 inch in diameter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
Toppings
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- vegan parmesan cheese
- fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cook the fettuccine in salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes, until al dente. Drain into a colander, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once melted, add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower florets and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Once slightly tender, add vegetable broth, cover and cook until cauliflower is soft all the way through, about 5 more minutes.
- Transfer to a high-speed blender and add remaining Alfredo Sauce ingredients. Blend until completely smooth. Set aside.
- Toss noodles with the Alfredo Sauce. Top with vegan parmesan, fresh parsley, and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Sylvia Perry says
The sauce was delicious! I just needed to double the recipe for the amount of fettuccine noodles I had.
Bravo. I have to add that I made some adjustments. I used what I had. Broccoli 🥦 instead of Cauliflower and Almond milk in place of cashew milk. I also added to the Broccoli a little 🧂 to taste.
Maxine says
I don’t see cashews in the recipe. I wondered where u got 10g protein. Can you advise how much?
Swash🏴☠️B says
For a more creamy sauce that really binds with the pasta add a ladle of pasta water to the pan and stir well. This is a good chef hack that works with any type sauce or even something as simple as alio y olio.
Char says
What else can you use if you DON'T have a high speed blender?
Swash🏴☠️B says
Food processor, immersion blender, or just your average blender will work just fine.