Gosh, was I ever happy when I landed upon this creamy, vegan alfredo sauce. Alfredo sauce is traditionally made with butter, whipping cream, and parmesan cheese –  that’s a whole lot of dairy. Dairy, much like gluten, processed foods, and refined sugars can cause inflammation in the gut and consequently, inflammation systemically throughout the body. 

So how do you make a vegan dish creamy? Cashews! Soaked cashews are the best way I’ve found to transform any traditional dairy-based product into a creamy, vegan masterpiece. The healthy fats in coconut milk also give this sauce an extra boost of nutrients and creaminess.

This recipe also includes nutritional yeast, that yellow, cheesy superfood I sprinkle everywhere like pixie dust.

I adapted this recipe from Vegan Yumminess, I love this recipe and think you will too! I will usually make the sauce in a large batch and spiralize a few zucchini to store in the refrigerator. That way, I’ll have several, easy weeknight dinners ready to go. I pour this sauce over zoodles with sauteed onion and top it off with 1 tbsp of walnuts.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup diced potato (should be diced in 1/2 inch pieces)

1/2 cup diced onion

1 clove garlic

3/4 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup coconut milk (full-fat, unsweetened)

¾  cup hot water (preferably cooking water from potatoes and onions)

2 ½ teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes 

2 teaspoons fresh or bottled lemon juice

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

1. Soak cashews overnight or for at least 6-8 hours in room temperature water
2. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a saucepan on medium heat
3. Dice a potato and about 1/2 an onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Place 3/4 cup of diced potato and 1/2 cup of diced onion into boiling water on the stove. Peel a clove of garlic, and add that to the boiling water in the saucepan.
4. Simmer diced potatoes, onion, and garlic on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are just fork-tender.
5. Use a strainer, colander, or slotted spoon, to drain the liquid off of cooked potatoes and onions. Make sure to save at least 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
6. Place cooked potatoes, onion, garlic, cashews, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt into a high-speed blender. Add ¾ cup of your reserved cooking liquid (or hot water) to the blender as well. (You may add the remaining 1/4 cup of cooking liquid later if you want your sauce a little thinner.)