Quick Vegan Pesto Alfredo Sauce
Transform your pasta night with this creamy, flavorful Quick Vegan Pesto Alfredo Sauce! Made in just 15 minutes, this dairy-free recipe combines the richness of raw cashews and the aromatic freshness of basil for a plant-based twist on traditional Alfredo sauce. Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy depth, while garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil create a zesty, velvety finish. Perfect for drizzling over pasta, roasted veggies, or even as a dip, this versatile sauce is silky smooth and fully customizable—just add a splash of water for your desired consistency. With no compromise on flavor, this vegan Alfredo sauce is sure to become your go-to for easy weeknight dinners or elegant entertaining.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw cashews
- 1.5 cups Unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
- 4 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
- 1 cup Fresh basil leaves
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 0.25 cup Water (optional, for thinning)
Instructions
Place the raw cashews in a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for about 10 minutes while gathering the other ingredients.
Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender along with the almond milk, nutritional yeast, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper.
Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the blender as necessary to ensure everything is well incorporated.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to suit your preferences.
If the sauce is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until warmed through. Avoid overheating to retain the freshness of the basil.
Serve the pesto Alfredo sauce immediately over pasta, roasted vegetables, or as a dip. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 81.1 g | 104% | |
| Saturated Fat | 13.2 g | 66% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 2650 mg | 115% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 50.2 g | 18% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 10.3 g | 37% | |
| Total Sugars | 6.9 g | ||
| Protein | 35.7 g | 71% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.8 mcg | 19% | |
| Calcium | 762 mg | 59% | |
| Iron | 11.5 mg | 64% | |
| Potassium | 1503 mg | 32% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
