Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce with veggies and mushrooms

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I would say my all time favourite meal is a good hearty pasta dish. Nine times out of 10 we make a red sauce for our pasta, but with the dreary weather this week I have been itching for a garlicky, Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce. Such a rebel I know!

Before becoming plant-based, I rarely allowed myself to eat alfredo sauces because they are so full of heavy cream, milk, cheeses and butter. All of those bad foods you know you really shouldn’t eat and don’t want swirling around in your gut…

What makes it creamy if there is no dairy in the Alfredo Sauce?

Recipe modification to the rescue! You may be starting to see know pretty much anything can be ‘veganized’. In this recipe, hemp seeds, tofu, onions and garlic are used to make the base of the Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce.

Use hemp seeds instead of cashews for a nut free version!

I am often asked for alternatives to nuts when people have nut allergies. I experimented using both hemp seeds and cashews in this recipe and although I assumed I would prefer the sauce containing cashews, they are both delicious! You could use either if you aren’t concerned about nuts, or a mix of the two might be nice. By using hemp seeds, you will get a good dose of omega 3s. Omega 3s fight inflammation and heart disease, promote brain health and help combat autoimmune diseases. (1)

The “old me” version of alfredo sauce…

Almost 30 years ago, (wow I am dating myself), during University, my best friend prepared the most amazing dinner for me. It was a spicy Alfredo Jambalaya sauce with shrimp and sausage over fettuccine. I’ll never forget it. Back then it was “to die for”… now I realize animals did die for it, and the whole thing just makes me cringe. For years I have thought of veganizing and recreating that dish… This Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce recipe has given me some ideas around how I can bring that saucy goodness back into our lives without all of the hormones, saturated fat and suffering! Stay tuned. 🙂

Why this Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce is so much better for you!

You might know I always aim to add extra nutrition whenever I cook. This sauce has the benefit of tofu, hemp seeds, onions, garlic and vegetable broth, with no added oils. The dish itself contains cauliflower, mushrooms, peas and any type of pasta you enjoy. If you have issues with gluten, go for a gluten free pasta. I gave my family a break this time and cooked just regular organic pasta, not the lentil, quinoa, brown rice or whole wheat I often use. I enjoy them all, but they say some of the pastas taste “too healthy”. Imagine.

Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Veggies and Mushrooms

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Serves: 5-6 Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• SAUCE
• 3/4 cup hemp seeds (can use cashews instead if preferred)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 large onion diced (the equivalent of 1 1/2 cups), sauteed
• 5 garlic cloves minced and sauteed, plus 2 whole uncooked cloves
• 1/2 cup silken, medium or firm tofu
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• OTHER INGREDIENTS:
• 2 1/2 cups pasta of your choice, boiled in salted water and prepared a la dente
• 6 cups mushrooms, cremini or white, diced the same size, stir-fried with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
• 3 cups cauliflower florets chopped into similar sized pieces, lightly drizzled with olive oil (optional), tossed in your favourite spice and roasted
• 1 1/2 cups green peas

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees celsius.  
2. Wash, and chop cauliflower.  Lightly drizzle a teaspoon or so of olive oil (or spray with balsamic vinegar) and sprinkle with spices of your choice.  Place cauliflower on a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet.  Bake for about 25 minutes, stirring part way through.
3. Dice onion and 5 garlic cloves.  
4. Pour one cup of the vegetable broth into a frying pan.  Add diced onion and cook for 8 minutes.  Then, add diced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  By now, the liquid should be almost completely gone.  Place the onion and garlic mixture into a high powered blender/Vitamix.  
5. Next, add the remaining of the sauce ingredients to the blender.  (If you are using cashews instead of hemp seeds, soak them in very hot water for at least 30 minutes before blending, unless you are using a Vitamix.  It is so powerful that this is not necessary.)
6. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes.  This will heat the sauce up so it can be served warm.  (You can reblend closer to the time of serving to heat it back up if needed.)
7. Wash, chop and fry the mushrooms in a tiny bit of water or broth with your choice of spices. (Pepper, garlic powder, steak spice and salt are good options.)
8. Add peas to the mushrooms for the last couple of minutes of cooking time, or heat them up on their own.
9. Cook your pasta a la dente in well salted water so that it is not bland.  Drain and set aside. 
10. Once all ingredients are ready, place the pasta, mushrooms, peas and cauliflower into a bowl and cover with the alfredo sauce. 

                                                                          www.thevibrantveggie.com

 

Notes

- add toppings like large coconut flakes, nutritional yeast, chili flakes or hot sauce for extra interest, texture and heat.

Please submit a comment below if you try out my Creamy Vegan Alfredo Sauce!

Now for dessert! If you love a little something sweet and are trying to add more fruits and veggies to your diet this New Year, you might like to try this delicious Super Moist Carrot Cake!

If it’s a chocolate craving that you have, this Chocolate Aquafaba Mousse recipe is fun to make and tasty to end your dinner off with!