Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Creamy and garlicky alfredo sauce made from cauliflower (no cashews! no flour! no nutritional yeast!). This vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce is a whole food plant-based, oil-free pasta sauce for fettuccini alfredo or creamy white shells.

Guys, this sauce is so good.  Simple, versatile and creamy plant-based alfredo sauce for pasta.

🎙 What people say about this recipe

"Abi, I made this for a Mac n cheese dish. This is the bomb! It was so good, it's going to be my go to sauce!"

- Christine O.

"Superb, simple, delicious, and healthy. I made this sauce three times and making it again tonight"

- Sandra R.

🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

The sauce is made using just 3 ingredients (if you don't count salt and pepper):

• Cauliflower - Fresh cauliflower makes up the bulk of this sauce. Save time by using pre-cut cauliflower florets.
• Garlic - Fresh garlic adds flavor to this minimalist sauce. I have played around with the levels of garlic in this sauce over the years. I recommend going for a mellow, balanced flavor by adding it to the cauliflower while it is boiling to tame the sharpness and bite. You could also briefly sauté the garlic in a pan until fragrant, then add to blender. If you enjoy a very sharp garlic flavor, add it raw to the blender, but be careful with this option - there's no going back!
• Almond milk - Be sure to use a milk that is unsweetened and unflavored (no vanilla, etc.) for this savory sauce.
• Nutmeg - Optional, but traditional in béchamel style sauces. Only a pinch is needed.

📋 Substitutions and variations

Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients:

• Fresh cauliflower - use 32 ounces (2 pounds or about 8-9 cups) frozen cauliflower florets/pieces instead. There's no need to thaw it before hand, since you're going to boil it.
• Fresh garlic cloves - substitute with minced garlic (2 teaspoons) or garlic powder (1 teaspoon) but fresh is recommended
• Unsweetened almond milk - soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk and coconut milk will also all work here. (or any unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk of your choice)

Here are some variation ideas to switch up this recipe:

• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to the finished dish to infuse a little heat. Or, use cajun salt, like Tony Chachere's, instead of sea salt while blending the sauce.
• Cheesy - add 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast to the sauce before blending. Or, sprinkle some vegan parmesan on top of the finished meal.
• Nut-free - Use a nut-free plant milk when making the recipe, such as soy or oat.
• Add broccoli - Make this Gigli Pasta with Broccoli and Vegan White Sauce
• Add mushrooms and asparagus - Make this Creamy Vegan Mushroom Gigli Pasta
• Add kale and corn - Make this Conchiglie Creamy Pasta with Kale and Corn

Want a richer sauce? See this richer version of vegan alfredo white sauce using cauliflower and cashews on my website!

🔪 Instructions

Pour this sauce over cooked pasta of your choice and I dare you not to grab a fork and eat it straight out of the pan.

Instant Pot Instructions

Yes, you can make this in the Instant Pot (no draining)! In fact, I'm finding that it's a little easier to do it there and there's less dishes to clean, since I use an immersion blender to puree the sauce.

Give it a try, if you have a pressure cooker!

🍳 Equipment

• High speed blender (I use BlendTec)You can also use an immersion blender, food processor or standard blender, but you may have to stop to scrape down the sides and blend much longer to get a smooth sauce. 
• Large stockpot for boiling cauliflower
• Strainer or colander

🥡 Make ahead and storage tips

If you're making this ahead of time, store the prepared sauce separate from any cooked pasta. Then, when you're ready to serve it, heat the sauce and combine the pasta and sauce.

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months in a glass mason jar with an airtight lid. Leave and inch or two of empty room at the top to allow it to expand in the freezer.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Serving suggestions

What kind of pasta goes best with Alfredo sauce?

While fettuccini is traditionally used with Alfredo sauce in restaurants, I actually prefer linguini, personally.  We have also used rigatoni, penne, bowties, shells and macaroni with this sauce.

What vegetables go good with alfredo sauce?

• sautéed mushrooms
• steamed green peas
• asparagus
• steamed broccoli
• sweet corn kernels
• chopped kale
• chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
• red bell peppers (for a bit of color and sweetness)

But, you're certainly not limited to pasta.  This sauce can be poured over steamed broccoli for a creamy vegetable side dish. Or, pour it over rice for creamy rice.

Alone, this recipe is a simple puréed cauliflower garlic soup, light and refreshing.

My husband loves it baked with thinly sliced potatoes into an au gratin.  I did say it was versatile, didn't I?  

We make this several times a month in our house, since it's so incredibly tasty, healthy and simple.

🗺 Cultural influences

Béchamel sauce, or besciamella in Italian, is a white sauce traditionally made of butter, milk and flour. This "mother sauce" is used in many different dishes, like lasagne.

This cauliflower béchamel sauce is a vegan alternative that does not require fat to bring the sauce together, but is inspired by traditional white sauce. 

Alfredo sauce as we know it in America is very different to how Italians prepare pasta alfredo. According to Vincenzo's Plate, traditional Italian alfredo is pasta made with butter and parmesan cheese and is served when someone is not feeling well.

It's important to understand the cultural background of the foods we all love to eat. Equally important is being willing to expand our palettes with new options, especially if we have a health concern or allergy that dictates a shift in our eating habits.

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Love this wfpb alfredo sauce? Try more of my oil-free pasta sauces, dips and condiment recipes.

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