Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce

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Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce is a savory, nutty, “cheesy” gluten-free and vegan sauce you can enjoy with vegetables, pastas, or a spoon. Because it’s just that good! Tips and tricks are included so you get the flavor YOU want! {Vegan + Paleo-Friendly}

Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce is what happens when you need a dairy alternative but miss the dairy taste. Spiriteds, I don’t think I used the word dairy enough in that last sentence. Dairy.

I digress.

This vegan cheese sauce is the bees knees. Also, it’s nearly impossible to screw up. Because why? Because it’s mostly throw-it-together-and-taste-test-as-you-go. Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce is a whatever-suits-your-palate recipe. And if you need to modify it along the way, for taste or consistency, then you can. This cashew sauce is just that flexible. 

And once you’ve made it then it’s time to enjoy it! Before we brainstorm all the ways, let’s just be honest here: there’s no reason to limit ourselves to only “Alfredo-style” recipes. This paleo-friendly cheese sauce will go with more than just noodles. Although that is a clear choice, no doubt. Add Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce to a variety of pastas, drizzle it over vegetables, or scoop it with a spoon. Go wild and add it to chicken or burgers (animal- or planted-based). 

So let’s do this, Spiriteds! Let’s have our Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce and eat it, too!

Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce ingredients

• Cashews. Raw and unsalted. Soak them for a handful of hours to allow them to soften. Rinse and drain before preparing the sauce.
• Water. Start with less and add more to thin out the sauce, if needed. Although you can add more cashews to a sauce that’s too thin, I find adding more water to a sauce that’s too thick much easier to do.
• Garlic. Start with one or two cloves, and if you want to add more garlicky goodness, then go for it! Vampires beware!
• Sea salt. I add this to taste, starting with 1/8 teaspoon and increasing from there. The actual amount you need will depend on your preference and the type of cashews you work with.
• Coarse black pepper.  It deepens and intensifies the flavor without overpowering the sauce.
• Optional mix-ins: Fresh or dried herbs (think sage, thyme, or rosemary), a splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor, olive oil to increase the richness, or nutritional yeast for an added cheesy taste. In place of water, you can also use veggie broth to make your Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce.

How to make Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce

1. Soak the cashew for at least a few hours to as long as overnight. Rinse and drain them and then transfer the softened cashews to a high-speed blender. Add the remaining base ingredients, along with desired mix-ins, and blend on a MEDIUM-HIGH speed until smooth.
2. If enjoying right away, the sauce may be warm enough from the blending to serve as is. If not, then transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat until the desired temp is reached.
3. Refrigerate leftovers for about 1-2 days or freeze for about 1-2 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator until the sauce softens and reheat in a saucepan as above.
4. Sauce will thicken as it stands. Stream in more water, if needed, to thin it to the desired consistency.

If you are new to nutritional yeast…

…then pull up a chair, and let’s talk! I have wanted to use nutritional yeast in recipes for as long as I can remember. But I didn’t know anything about it or how best to use it. I’ve since learned it is a versatile ingredient and ideal for, but not limited to, cheesy-style recipes. 

Furthermore, there are several variations, including fortified and non-fortified. And because the yeast can be made from more than one source, it’s important to read product labels, especially if you have specific dietary needs. Whole Foods Market in the article Nutritional Yeast: The One Pantry Staple Your Cooking is Missing, provides more details, including how to store nutritional yeast when you’re not using it. 

I also wondered if, in addition to being dairy-free and gluten-free, it is vegan and paleo-friendly? According to the above article, the answer is, yes, it can be. This is yet another good reason to read the product label.

When using nutritional yeast, I start small and then add more as I go. This is, in part, because, aside from it’s cheesy-like flavor, nutritional yeast has a nutty, umami, and intense taste. In addition to sauces, add nutritional yeast to popcorn, dips, allergen-friendly buttery spreads, and other savory dishes.

Still have questions? Then check out Betty Gold’s and Kimberly Holland’s Real Simple article Curious About nutritional Yeast? Here’s Wy Vegas Love It.

Recipe tips and tricks

• Use raw, unsalted cashews. This will give you the most flexible flavor, allowing you to adjust spices and additional ingredients to your liking. This is especially helpful if you want to make one batch of sauce as a base to be divided across multiple recipes. Roasted cashews are also an option and will provide a deep, intense flavor. 
• Soak the cashews for a few hours ahead of time. I find this softens them and makes them easier to blend into an Alfredo sauce-like consistency. As for the exact amount of time, my search of the Internetwebs said anything from a few hours to overnight. Others said NEVER to overnight. I say, do what works for you. I tend to favor about 4-6 hours. Additionally, food bloggers, including Eating By Elaine in her article How (and Why!) to Soak Cashews Properly, suggest soaking cashews to make them easier to digest. She notes what I have discovered, too, which is soaking cashews too long turns them slimy.
• Add additional flavors. Think of this recipe as a base from which to expand. Extra garlic, along with onion and nutritional yeast, which tastes an awful lot like cheese, all add to an intense flavor. If you want to add some zing to your sauce, then throw in some Italian seasoning, too.

More sauces and spreads!

If you are in the market for more dairy-free sauces and spreads, then peep your eyes right on these recipes and click through to read more.

• 2-Ingredient Cashew Cream
• Paleo Tzatziki Sauce
• Homemade Basil Pesto

Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can. And, as always, know I’m glad you’re here. 🩷

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Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce

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Dairy-Free Cashew Alfredo Sauce is a savory, nutty, “cheesy” gluten-free and vegan sauce you can enjoy with vegetables, pastas, or a spoon. Because it’s just that good! Tips and tricks are included so you get the flavor YOU want! {Vegan + Paleo-Friendly}

• Author: Spirited and then Some
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 3 cups 1x
• Category: Sauces and Spreads
• Method: Blender
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Cash Alfredo Sauce base:

• 3 cups cashews, soaked and rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced or pressed
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• Dash of coarse black pepper

Optional mix-ins:

• Fresh or dried herbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1–2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

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Instructions

1. Soak the cashew for at least a few hours to as long as overnight. Rinse and drain them and then transfer the softened cashews to a high-speed blender. Add the remaining base ingredients, along with desired mix-ins, and blend on a MEDIUM-HIGH speed until smooth.
2. If enjoying right away, the sauce may be warm enough from the blending to serve as is. If not, then transfer the sauce to a saucepan and heat until the desired temp is reached.
3. Refrigerate leftovers for about 1-2 days or freeze for about 1-2 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator until the sauce softens and reheat in a saucepan as above.
4. Sauce will thicken as it stands. Stream in more water, if needed, to thin it to the desired consistency.

Notes

• Use raw, unsalted cashews. This will give you the most flexible flavor, allowing you to adjust spices and additional ingredients to your liking.
• Soak the cashews for at least a few hours ahead of time. I find this softens them and makes them easier to blend into an Alfredo sauce-like consistency. I’ve soaked for as little as four hours and as long as overnight. Either way will work for this sauce.
• Stream in more water or liquid of choice to thin your sauce if it’s too thick.
• Yield provided is an approximation. Actual yields may vary.