This easy vegan Alfredo sauce (without cashews) is a low fat, low calorie, healthy WFPB pasta sauce that's ready in 5-minutes.
I love a good vegan cashew cheese sauce. But sometimes, you want a recipe that's nut free, and maybe without nutritional yeast.
Even better if it's also gluten free and oil free, and of course, dairy free.
Ever since creating Chickpea Cheese Sauce (for you readers asking for a nut-free cheese sauce), I’ve been so excited by the possibilities. What other delicious, low fat, high fiber sauces might I whip up with the help of the mighty little chickpea?
This Alfredo sauce is a luscious, much healthier alternative to the infamous cream sauce I always wanted to love, but couldn’t. (It always made me feel ill after eating it.)
And a creamy white pasta sauce you can whip up in your Vitamix (or other high speed blender) in just 5 minutes with 7 ingredients? That's gotta be a winner in anyone's book.
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What I love about this plant-based Alfredo sauce
There are plenty of vegan Alfredo sauces out there, so what makes this one different?
First, I love the idea of using veggies to make Alfredo sauce (I’ve seen versions with cauliflower, potatoes, etc.), but this one requires almost no cooking--just warm it up.
In fact, it's so simple, a 4-year-old can make it. This is one of those lightning fast, busy-weeknight-go-to-meals you'll make over and over again.
And it's hard to imagine a healthier way to make Alfredo sauce than with high fiber chickpeas, fresh garlic and lemon. It's everything traditional Alfredo sauce isn't--and I think that's a good thing.
It’s uber nutritious, since chickpeas--along with other beans and legumes--are life promoting foods we should be eating every single day.
In fact, according to Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen, we should get 3 servings every day.
This white pasta sauce is also super adaptable, so you can use what you have on hand. See the substitutions and variations for ideas.
Ingredients
- chickpeas - canned are fine, but get the best quality you can.
- plain unsweetened plant milk
- garlic
- fresh lemon juice
- white miso paste - I use Miso Master Mellow White miso paste. You can skip this ingredient if necessary, but I recommend it.
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley as garnish (optional).
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these photos and instructions to help make it great, every time. Please also see the full recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step 1. Place the ingredients (expect the chickpea liquid) into a high speed blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
Step 2. If desired, gently heat the sauce (on low in a microwave or in a pot on the stove) to warm it up, combine the flavors, and cook the garlic.
Pro tips
Buy good chickpeas. The flavor and texture of chickpeas can vary quite a bit, so if using canned, buy a high quality chickpea for the best result.
They should be large and plump, with a pleasing flavor when eaten straight from the can.
Use a high-powered blender. It's probably possible to make this sauce with a 'regular' blender, but a high speed blender like a Vitamix will produce a smooth and creamy texture.
I've had a few readers comment that they've gotten a grainy result making my chickpea cheese sauce, and I suspect this is due to not using a high speed blender.
Cook a couple of minutes for a mellower flavor. We use fresh garlic in this recipe, which can have a bit of a bite if not fully cooked.
So if that's not appealing to you, make sure you heat long enough to cook the garlic. It should only take about 2 minutes.
Reserve pasta water. If you forget to save the aquafaba (chickpea liquid) or make your chickpeas from dried, reserved pasta water is great for thinning out your sauce.
I try to alway save some of my pasta water whenever I make thick, creamy sauces so I can thin if needed. It's a little thick and starchy from the pasta, so it works great.
Substitutions and variations
Check out these ideas for ingredient substitutions, and creative ways to adapt this recipe to your liking. I haven't tried all of these myself, but please give them a try if you don't have everything you need on hand or just like to experiment.
Substitutions
- Chickpeas. You can also make this sauce with soft white beans like cannellini beans. I haven't tried it, but cooked cauliflower would also likely work well here--you may need less liquid though. You could also try silken tofu here, again, probably with less liquid.
- Miso paste. It's not 100 percent necessary in this sauce, but I like it because it adds some healthy saltiness and thick texture. But skip it if you want, or add about 1 tablespoon of a mild tasting seed butter like tahini or sunflower seed butter.
- Fresh garlic. I love it, but if desired, you could simply use about ½ teaspoon more of the powdered garlic.
- Fresh lemon juice. You can substitute about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar + 2 extra tablespoons of plant milk. I don't recommend lemon juice from a jar. Ever. 🙂
- Reserved chickpea liquid. If you forget to save the aquafaba (chickpea liquid) or make your chickpeas from dried, reserved pasta water is great for thinning out your sauce.
- Plant milk. You can use vegetable broth or lite coconut milk instead, but the flavor won't be quite the same.
Variations
- Alfredo Florentine. This sauce is great with greens like cooked spinach or kale mixed in. But add them after you remove the sauce from the blender unless you want green Alfredo!
- Mushroom Alfredo. Sautéed mushrooms are the perfect chewy, umami complement to this sauce.
- Alfredo with peas. Fresh (or frozen), baby peas tossed into the sauce at the end are a delicious addition.
- 'Chicken' Alfredo. Toss some rehydrated soy curls into the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes for a meaty vegan and vegetarian white pasta dish.
- White wine sauce. Replace about ½ cup of the plant milk with a dry white wine, and cook for at least 1 minute to cook off the alcohol. This will substantially enhance the flavor of the sauce, and I very much recommend it if you have wine on hand.
How to serve Alfredo sauce
Pasta is the main way most people enjoy Alfredo sauce, especially wide noodle dishes like fettuccine Alfredo or linguini with Alfredo sauce. But any noodle will work.
Don't forget to sprinkle on some cashew Parmesan cheese if you're not nut free!
You can also drizzle in on pizza or use it as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.
I love it poured on top of a baked potato with veggies like broccoli or spinach, too.
FAQs
If you're sauce is too thin, you can add more chickpeas or about a tablespoon of cornstarch or some nutritional yeast to thicken it.
An easy way to thin any pasta sauce is to reserve some of your pasta water --after the pasta has fully cooked, before draining it--and add a little at a time to your sauce. The starchy pasta water works well to thin sauce without leaving it too watery.
Or, in this recipe, liquid from the canned chickpeas works well to thin the sauce and is recommended.
If you don't care to use plant milk, you can substitute a light colored vegetable broth, coconut milk (lite or full fat), or thin cashew cream sauce (soaked cashews + water in a high speed blender) if you eat nuts.
Store this recipe in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Happy, whole food plant-based cooking, y'all!
-Elizabeth xo
I LOVE hearing from you! Connect with me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest, or drop me a note in the comments.
More whole food, plant-based pasta recipes
📖 Recipe
5-Minute Chickpea Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas 1 15 ounce can, drained & LIQUID RESERVED
- 1 ½ cups plain unsweetened plant milk adjust for desired thickness
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoons onion powder
- Pink Himalayan salt, to taste
- Optional: 2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Optional: substitute ½ cup vegan dry white wine for ½ cup of the plant milk
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients EXCEPT THE RESERVED CHICKPEA LIQUID in a high speed blender and process on high speed until thoroughly blended, about 20-30 seconds.
- Add a little of the reserved chickpea liquid ('aquafaba') to thin the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Gently cook the sauce for a few minutes (on low in the microwave or in a pot on the stove) to combine the flavors, cook the garlic, and cook off the alcohol if using wine.
LucyD
Fantastic!!!! Before thinning, set some aside to use as sauce on pizza (under veggies). Definitely a keeper! You’re a genius!!
Chris
Followed recipe exactly. End product was so very sour. Used a little less than 1/4c as that is how big my lemon was. I ended up adding more miso, baked potatoes and cauliflower to try and cut the sour. End result was still tart. I love that it uses minimal ingredients and is easy to make. I have a big batch to get through. Hoping to make another batch and lessen the amount. Would rather not omit S i do love lemon. Other than that, any insight to the sourness? The only thing I can think is that I picked up a different brand of chickpeas than I normally use, but I can't imagine that making a difference?
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Chris, the average lemon gives 2-3 Tablespoons of juice, so my guess is that 1/4 cup was a pretty large lemon, and too much juice. Also, some lemons are more sour than others, especially when they're overripe. I'd definitely recommend trying it with less lemon juice--maybe adding a tablespoon at a time and tasting to your preference. It could be the chickpeas as well, but I'd bet it was the lemon. Hope this helps.
Suzanne
Best vegan Alfredo. Super easy and delicious. This one is a keeper! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Elizabeth Shah
So glad you liked this, Suzanne! Thanks so much for your kins words and rating. 🙂
Reita
Does it work out with suger free coconut cream?
Elizabeth Shah
I've never tried it!
Cleo
Sounds amazing. Grateful to have stumbled upon your blog - Can’t wait to make a healthy alfredo!
Elizabeth Shah
Hi, and welcome! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
amanda johnson
delicious! I did'nt have miso so I substituted with tamari. Very good, will make again.
Elizabeth Shah
Thanks so much Amanda! This recipe is pretty versatile.
Emily
This is truly a fantastic recipe! In the time it takes for my water to boil and the pasta to cook, I can put this sauce together in my Vitamix and sauté mushrooms with onions to serve on top of the pasta. My family loves this recipe. Thank you!
Elizabeth Shah
Yay!!! So happy to hear it's a hit with your family, Emily.
Grayson
Do you happen to know how much each serving size is? It says it serves 8 but I just want to make sure I’m portioning this correctly since I’m counting calories. It looks delicious!
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Grayson, If memory serves, this makes approximately 3 cups. (Sorry, I don't always measure the final result!) But if you want to be sure about the calories, just check the total cups at the end, and divide into 8 servings. Enjoy!
Mimi
Hello! I am wanting to try this recipe out, but I have red miso paste in my fridge right now, not white. Is that an ok substitute? Does the miso amount need to be adjusted if it's red?
Thanks!!
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Mimi, I have not tried this with red miso. Red miso does have a stronger taste, so it might make sense to add a little at a time. Or you could skip it altogether if you'd like. Good luck!
Alesha Whitaker
This looks great! I am making a vegan pink vodka sauce to make with some pasta. The recipe I am following calls for cashew cream but I have no cashews and do not want to go to the store during this quarantine... I do have chickpeas! How do you think your Alfredo sauce would work being added to a tomato based sauce for added creaminess?
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Alesha, I think it would work great! The texture will be different of course, but I say go for it! 🙂
Becky
I made this omitting the nutritional yeast and used 4 garlic cloves. Sadly the garlic was overwhelming so I added 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast and the garlic is still overwhelming. So I added another 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder and more nutritional yeast, garlic is still overwhelming. It's like eating raw garlic. Any suggestions of what I can do to get rid of the garlic? I was thinking I may need to make another batch without the garlic cloves and mixing it with the other batch to see if that would help but I wanted to get your opinion first. Thanks!
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Becky! First, how much garlic did you use? Not to insult, but i've occasionally heard of people confusing cloves for heads. If indeed you used the 2-4 cloves the recipe calls for, you could try 1) simmering the sauce for awhile. This will cook the garlic and eliminate any raw taste. And/or 2) doubling the recipe, but not adding anymore garlic. Hope this helps!
Becky
I used 4 cloves not heads. I did make a second batch without the cloves and powder. Still tasted the same. I didn't cook it. I had someone else taste it and they liked it. Since I'm not a big garlic fan, that is more than likely the problem. I'm not giving up! I will make this recipe again leaving out the cloves and only use the amount of garlic powder called for and let you know how it turns out.
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Becky, Sorry, had to ask about the cloves vs heads! Alfredo is a garlicky sauce by nature, but if you're not a big garlic fan, by all means, a bit of the powder should probably do ya! More of a cream sauce, but just as good. Best, Elizabeth
Dianna L Grose
I had cannellini beans in my pantry and used them. It came out great! Thank you for the recipe!
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Dianna, So happy to hear that! These days more than ever, we definitely have to improvise. Some of my best recipes start as experiments! You're most welcome for the recipe and thanks so much for letting me know how your version turned out. 🙂
Ashley
Thanks so much for the idea of using chickpeas as a cream sauce base. I love it that this is low-fat and WFPB. I think I'll have to play with this a bit since mine came out watery and mostly tasted like chickpeas. I followed the recipe exactly (white wine version without nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan) and still had to add cornstarch (to thicken things up enough to stick to the noodles) and a lot of pepper, salt, thyme, and extra garlic powder (to decrease the chickpea flavor). With the cornstarch and spices, the thickness was really nice and made a hearty meal.
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Ashley, I'm not sure why your sauce came out watery. I've made this and my other chickpea sauces many times, and if anything, I usually have to thin them out a bit. When you added the wine did you decrease the plant milk accordingly? If not that could be the issue. Also, it could be the brand of chickpeas--they're not all the same. If you don't think either of these could be the issue, perhaps start with less plant milk and add more as you go to your desired consistency. Hope you give it another go and it turns out thicker next time!
Yo
Does it thicken more with cooking? I have tried 2 brands and both are watery. Is it as thick as it will be before cooking?
Flavor was amazing!
Elizabeth Shah
Hmm, did you drain the chickpeas before using them? You do save the liquid, but only use enough to thin the sauce. But yes, it will thicken with cooking. Glad you enjoyed the flavor!
Deborah
Hi, I have tried almost every alfredo/cheeze sauce. All have fallen short, I remember what the real thing tastes like. This recipe turned out simply so tasty! I had a bit more garlic than necessary (4 big cloves) and forgot the nooch. OMG!!!!! I wanted to drink it! Thank you for this. I will be using it on a very regular basis ?
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Deborah, Thanks so much for your review! I'm so glad you like this Alfredo sauce and have found a new 'go-to.' Life is too short to live without a good vegan cheese or Alfredo sauce. 🙂
Heather
Will this work without miso? I cannot eat any soy products.
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Heather, I recommend replacing the miso with a little tahini and low sodium tamari or soy sauce.
Nancy Ratcliff
How much of each do you recommend using in place of the miso?
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Nancy, I assume you're wondering about substituting some tahini and low sodium soy sauce or tamari for the miso? In that case, I'd recommend 1 tablespoon of tahini (or up to 2 if you enjoy the flavor of tahini) and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari.
Alice Holtin
There is a chickpea miso, which I use exclusively.
Elizabeth Shah
Hi Heather, I haven't seen chickpea miso in my local stores, but will be on the lookout for it next time I shop. Thanks for the tip!
JoAnn M Lakes
Try coconut aminos or Braggs Aminos since they aren't made with soy. Soy sauce and tamari, are both made with soy.
Qweenie
Hi Heather,
You can use white miso which is made with chickpeas instead of soy. It's the only miso I use. It tastes great! I purchase it from Whole Foods.
Janell
This Alfredo sauce is amazing!!! Didn’t change a thing, I am so excited for our pasta dinner tonight!!
elizabeth
Hi Janell, Thanks so much for your feedback! So happy you like this recipe. Bon appetit!
bilberryelf
Yum! I need to try this :3 You writing about your past relationship with alfredo sauce brings me right back to my pre-vegan days, where I too would order it in restaurants repeatedly (I remember one time on a visit to Berlin in particular) albeit with quite some time in between but time and again feel so sick after just a few bites! This one seems right up my alley though, so I'm so grateful to you for sharing it 🙂 Wishing you a lovely day <3
elizabeth
Indeed, those were what I call my 'not-so-healthy-vegetarian' days. It's obvious to me now (and I know is to you as well) that our bodies are simply not built to digest all of that cream and butter! It's even worse when you're traveling, isn't it? So glad we've both seen the light. 🙂 Take care Mattis, and thanks for stopping by! <3
Claudia
Why use both garlic and garlic powder?
elizabeth
Even though they're both garlic, they have slightly different flavors and intensities, and a I like the combo here. Of course you can easily skip one and still get a great result--in this case, I'd go with the fresh garlic and omit the powdered if that's your preference.
Cat
What is a good substitute for the Miso paste? Cant wait ti try this!
elizabeth
Hi Cat, There's no exact substitute, but if you don't have an issue with adding a little fat, I'd recommend some tahini and low sodium tamari or soy sauce. Hope you like it!
James Strange
The sauce sounds great. Love that you left out the nutritional yeast ( can not have it).
elizabeth
Hello James! Thanks for your comment. I love the stuff myself, but realize not everyone can eat it. It seems so important to find myriad ways to build flavor in food as well, since we either don't always like or can't eat the same things. So I try to mix it up, you know? Have a lovely evening.
Monika
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I have ICP and must follow a LOW fat diet. Recently my doctor suggested a plant based way of life, and I love it, but it seems so many recipes use nuts and I can't have the fat. This is great!! I put it on edamame noodles and no one knew any different. Keep the chickpea recipes coming...
elizabeth
Hi Monika, So happy to hear that this sauce fits your dietary needs. I hear from quite a few people who are restricting fats, nuts, yeast, etc. so I'm working to create more recipes and/or adaptations. I love plant-based food, and would hate to have anyone be left out of this wonderful way or eating. I especially love hearing that someone is enjoying a recipe I just shared that same day! Thanks for sharing, and no worries, the mighty chickpea and I are very good friends. 🙂 Best wishes.