Dreamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
This rich, creamy, and totally dreamy cauliflower alfredo sauce recipe is 100% dairy-free. You'll be amazed at how healthy and delicious vegan can be!
This recipe was originally published back in 2016. We've spruced it up with some new photos and more information. It's been one of our favorite healthy hacks for years now. If you haven't tried it yet, we hope that you treat yourself to it tonight!
Cauliflower alfredo sauce
This cauliflower alfredo sauce is EVERYTHING! Seriously, it's a game-changer. Even though we're all on the get-healthy-in-January train right now (all aboard!), this cauliflower alfredo sauce is going to see us through the whole year.
When we ditch the kale smoothies and salads in favor of chocolate cake and peanut butter cookies, this vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce will remain stay strong.
Regular alfredo sauce, with all its cream, butter, and cheese, is pretty darn awesome. For our mouths. Not so much for our bellies. Jeans are feeling a little tighter just thinking about it!
This alfredo sauce is something different. It's made from the highly skilled impersonator, cauliflower. It's cooked with some onions and garlic then blended into a smooth, creamy sauce with some veggie stock.
We've flavored it with a little nutritional yeast ā¦ that weirdly awesome flaky stuff that tastes a little like parmesan cheese.
This sauce has been a lifesaver. Whip up a batch in all of 15 minutes then slather it on everything from spaghetti squash to pumpkin alfredo noodles to casserole. It's a total timesaver/ healthy hack.
How to make vegan alfredo sauce
Making this vegan alfredo sauce is super easy. Here's what you're going to do:
- Saute some onions and garlic.
- Add the cauliflower and some stock to the pot and steam the cauliflower until it's nice and soft.
- Transfer all the good things in the pot to your blender. Now add the remaining ingredients and blend until you've made a deliciously creamy sauce.
Full recipe in the recipe card below.
What does cauliflower alfredo sauce taste like?
Since we're eat-everything-arians, we're pretty picky when it comes to imitations of ‘real' food. That's why this sauce is such a dream; it's the best knockoff alfredo sauce ever.
Does it taste EXACTLY like cream and butter loaded alfredo? No, but it's unbelievably close.
It's super creamy even though there's not a drop of cream in sight. And the flavor is mild with a touch of garlic and a little cheesiness thanks to some nutritional yeast.
What to serve with cauliflower alfredo sauce
Pasta is the obvious choice here. Linguini, fettuccini, or even penne or fusilli all go well with this sauce.
And you can add extras like spinach, steamed broccoli, peppers, peas or any other veggie that you like.
This is also a great ‘base recipe”. You can use it to build a special (and healthy!) dinner. Here are a few ideas:
- Add some roasted garlic.
- Pour it over steamed or roasted broccoli.
- Make some vegan mac and cheese pasta.
- Use it as a dip for nachos.
- Pizza sauce!
How long does cauliflower alfredo last?
Cauliflower alfredo sauce will keep well for at least 5 days in your fridge.
Does this recipe freeze well?
Yes! This vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Troubleshooting cauliflower alfredo sauce
This can happen if too much stock evaporates while cooking the cauliflower. If needed, add a little extra stock or water to the blender.
This can happen if your blender isn't very strong. In this case, pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any pieces that didn't blend properly.
When making the sauce, start with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, then add more as needed
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Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes:
- Creamy Coconut Lentil Curry
- Cashew Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Curried Vegan Shepherd's Pie with Coconut Sweet Potato Topping
- Chipotle Mushroom Sloppy Joes
- Deliciously Rich Lentil Bolognese
Dreamy Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Recipe
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- Ā½ yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 cups (12 ounces) chopped cauliflower
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, see notes
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
- Ā½ teaspoon soy sauce, gluten-free or coco aminos, as needed
- Optional: 1 tablespoon butter, vegan or regular butter both work, use what you have on hand
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower and the vegetable stock or water to the pot, cover with a lid and let the cauliflower steam for 5 minutes, or until it is soft.1 teaspoon olive oil, Ā½ yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, 3 cups (12 ounces) chopped cauliflower, 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- Transfer everything in the pot to a blender (a high-powered blender will make the smoothest sauce, but any blender will work) and blend on high until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (starting with 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast and 1 teaspoon of sea salt) and blend again. Taste and add more nutritional yeast and sea salt, if you'd like. If you are using the optional butter add it now and blend once more.1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1-2 teaspoons sea salt, Ā½ teaspoon soy sauce, Optional: 1 tablespoon butter
- Either use the cauliflower alfredo right away or pour it into a pan to keep warm until you are ready to use it.
Notes
Unfortunately, it is really bland and was not a pleasant experience. It would be nice cauliflower soup individually but not over pasta. I’m really lucky I didn’t mix all sauce with pasta, so can eat it sepreatly as a soup.
Seriously so good, exceeded all expectations. It is now my husband’s favorite dinner! That you for a wonderful recipe!