Even since I was a kid, I’ve never been one of those people who squealed over pasta primavera, who even ordered a reasonable marinara, who ever got excited a cheesy baked ziti. Nope, it’s alfredo all. the. way. for me.
Which is unfortunate seeing as how, you know, it’s laden with cheese, cream, and butter, none of which are a) very healthy or b) very vegan. So when I went vegan, I knew I had to recreate this dish. Of course, there’s my avocado alfredo which is creamy, garlicky, and oh-so-rich, and I’m working on a cashew- and miso-based concoction to share with you. But there are (frequent) times when all I want is a classic bowl of tangy, rich, totally heavenly sauce just absolutely smothering some tender fettuccine, and in those times? This fits absolutely obliterates, destroys the bill.
I came up with this recipe for the vegan dairy brand Tofutti with whom I partner (check out that sweet rectangular ad in the sidebar >>>), and you may have seen some of my previous Tofutti recipes like my..
- strawberry cheesecake milkshake (omg.)
- ricotta and tomato layered pasta bowl (nom.)
- lemon ricotta cheesecake with blueberry white wine sauce (omgomgomg…. NOM)
- chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting, or..
- vegan cronuts with blackberry-cream cheese filling and lemon glaze (I know. I know! It almost hurts how good they are)
So suffice it to say, Tofutti products and I have a pretty stellar working relationship, and they once again exceeded my expectations in this classic alfredo! By using Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, I found a totally smooth creaminess and richness, and by adding in a bit of Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream I found a necessary tang that comes with the cheese-and-butter edition and is so often missing from vegan takes.
O and I totally devour this every time I throw it together, which is unsurprisingly often considering how a) delicious it is and b) how extremely easy it is to make. It’s also super versatile, lending itself well to folding in almost any veggies, proteins, herbs, or spices (even, say, a Cajun-blackened chicken, if you’re just trying to avoid dairy and aren’t vegetarian!). We’ve served it with steamed broccoli and chopped Roma tomatoes, which was bright and springy, yet still rich and so satisfying; it’s perfect, too, with just a handful of baby spinach stirred in right before serving. However you do it….
do it.
Check out the recipe on Tofutti’s site!
If you make this, please share! Make sure you use the hashtag #40aprons on Instagram or Twitter so I can see. There’s nothing more I love than browsing your creations!
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic , minced
- 4 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (half tub)
- 1 cup almond milk , unflavored and unsweetened
- 1/4 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 servings pasta , boiled in salted water until al dente and drained once sauce is finished
- vegetables like baby spinach , sautéed mushrooms, diced Roma tomatoes, steamed broccoli, optional
Instructions
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In a medium skillet, melt vegan butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
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Add in Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese and reduce heat to medium-low. Let melt slightly then add in almond milk, Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and miso paste. Whisk until very smooth and heated through.
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Add in 1/2 teaspoon salt and taste. Add more salt and/or dried or fresh herbs to taste. Toss with hot pasta, add in any vegetables (optional) and serve.
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My mind is blowing right NOW!!! Thank you for introducing me to vegan alfredo sauce. I am drooling over your photos 🙂
Thanks Pang!! 😀
This is so ridiculously good. Did you have to post this around lunchtime? My PB&J sandwich is looking pretty inadequate right about now. 🙁 Great photos as always!
Thanks O! And yes I do have to post around lunchtime.. because that’s when people are browsing their phones whilst eating their pb&j!
I have scoured the Tofutti website but I cannot find this recipe! Very disappointed as this is one of my favorite non-vegan treats and would love a vegan version.
So sorry about that! It seems there’s a slight lag. Just emailed you! 🙂
Can this sauce be made a few days in advance?
I don’t see any reason why not! 🙂
i’ve never made my own alfredo sauce before.. looks delicious. definitely something i need to do!
It’s so easy – perfect for a quick but satisfying weeknight dinner!
I just made this tonight. I was a little skeptical with the Tofutti products. But Wow! it is really, really good! Excellent! I added a little nutmeg at the end. Thank you so much for this recipe. It is exceptional.
I’m so glad you liked it, Dawn! The touch of nutmeg sounds like a great addition.
Fantastic recipe!! This was my first time making this recipe. It tasted great and was very similar to alfredo sauce with the creamy base! Excellent!!
Thank you!!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you liked the recipe, Camille. Thank you!
can you substitute the miso paste with something else or is it essential to this recipe! Sounds really amazing and a lot easier than what I don’t right now.
The miso adds that umami and sort of fermented cheese flavor you’d get from parmesan, so I would not recommend skipping it. However, the recipe would probably still be fine without it! It won’t taste miso-y, though, if that’s your concern.
This was absolutely delicious for vegan and non-vegan friends alike! I didn’t have vegan sour cream so I substituted with 1 tbsp of Earth Balance Vegan Mayo.
I’m so glad you liked it, Melinda! Great to know that you can sub the sour cream, too. Thank you!
Yum! My mouth is watering! We’ve been trying to find a good vegan alfredo sauce with no success. This looks just easy enough for me to make. Thank you!
I bet you’ll love it, Suzanne!
Can you make this without the tofutti sour cream? Thanks!
You should be able to just increase the Tofutti Cream Cheese to replace the sour cream. Let me know how it works!
Unbelievable. I found this recipe looking for something to serve at a dinner party. Added mushrooms and a bag of Gardein beefless tips and presented it as “Beef and mushroom fettuccine alfredo” to a room of omnivores, most of whom didn’t even know I’m vegan. It blew everyone away. You know your recipe is a success when you reveal it’s vegan and your guests argue with you about it because they simply can’t believe it.
Ha! That’s actually pretty funny to me. I’m so glad you could fool them with this recipe! 😀
This is absolutely mind blowing! I can’t put my fork down. I am so ecstatic to have found this recipe. Great job Cheryl! My family loves cheese and I constantly lecture how unhealthy it is and now I’m making this for every one .life is Gooooood again!😀
I am soooo glad you like it!!