I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, cashews are the most magical things ever! You can use them to make savory salad dressings, sweet desserts and amazingly creamy alfredo sauce. I’m convinced that there isn’t anything you can’t make with cashews!
A great cashew tip I’ve just started doing is boiling them for about 30 minutes before I use them instead of soaking them overnight. It works really well to soften them up and I can now make cashew alfredo on a whim instead of having to plan for it the night before.
While creamy pasta dishes like this one scream comfort food, this dish is extra comforting to me because it was inspired by one of my favorite childhood foods, Annie’s Alfredo Shells and Cheese. Mac and Cheese is good and all, but Alfredo sauce has so much more flavor and in my opinion it just blows regular mac and cheese away. Although, I have never been known to say no to creamy pasta 🙂
Cashews are naturally slightly sweet, so when making a savory sauce out of them it is important to use un-sweetened milk and season it up with a bunch of savory spices. The real hero flavors in this cashew alfredo are the basil and the Herbs De Provence. Herbs De Provence is a mixture of dried thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel, sage, and lavender. I bought it randomly a while ago because it was on sale and it is now my go-to spice that I put on just about everything!
If you have any doubts about the magical power of cashews I think this creamy alfredo sauce will change your mind!
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Cashew Alfredo Pasta with Broccoli
Yield: 4-6 1x- Category: Entree, Gluten Free, Vegan
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Pin RecipeIngredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta, I used shells
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Cashew Alfredo Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight or boiled for 30 minutes
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons plain, un-sweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 3 teaspoons Herbs De Provence
- overflowing 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. When pasta is 3 minutes from being done, add the broccoli florets. Drain pasta and broccoli and add Alfredo sauce. Stir until combined and serve hot.
- To make the Cashew Alfredo Sauce, add all ingredients into a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
Ahhh love this Izzy!! I’ve been reducing my dairy intake so of course I’ve had major cravings for creamy dishes like pasta. Using cashews in the sauce is genius! Wish I could just dive into that bowl! 🙂
Thank you, Alyssa! You should totally make this then!! I still eat some dairy but I usually don’t feel very well afterward so sauces like this always hit the spot 🙂
I’m loving everything about this dish, Izzy! Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous! And I agree that cashews are a magical ingredient. I’ve never tried a cashew sauce before, but I definitely need to after seeing this recipe. Delish!
Thank you so much, Gayle!! Cashew sauces are so good even if you do eat regular dairy sauces! And they are kinda fun to make and see it all come together 🙂
I’ve never been a cashew fan, but I think I need to try this — I’m so intrigued about making a creamy sauce with them! I don’t normally go for super heavy cream-based sauces, so this sounds perfect!
You can still taste a little cashew flavor, but it really is so good! This sauce might just change your mind about cashews 🙂
Love that this cashew alfredo is vegan! I’m a huge fan of both cauli and cashew-based vegan sauces, and this looks delicious paired with the broccoli. Pinning!
Thanks Medha! I’ve been meaning to try a cauliflower one but haven’t gotten around to it yet!
This looks delicious Izzy! Your pictures are looking so great! I’ve never tried a cashew-based sauce, but they always look so creamy and appealing, so I may have to give this a go!
Thank you so much Lauren! I really think you would love them! I hope you are enjoying your new little bundle 🙂
Cashews truly are an amazing and versatile ingredient! I never thought to make alfredo sauce using cashews – this is absolutely brilliant! I just saw a creme brulee recipe on The Frosted Vegan using cashews, so now I’m thinking I need to make a whole spread of cashew recipes #cashewsdordayz 😉 Love this creamy dreamy healthy pasta!
Thank you, Julia!! OMG, creme brulee with cashews?! I need to check that out asap! We totally need to make an entire spread of food made with cashews, amazing!
This looks so delicious and intriguing–though I’m curious, what is nutritional yeast and how crucial is it to the alfredo? Can you substitute other types of yeast in its place? Thanks!
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Thanks Franchesca! Nutritional yeast is actually much different than baking yeast, so it wouldn’t work to substitute other types of yeast for nutritional yeast. It is yellow and flaky and has a nice cheesy flavor that is perfect for a vegan alfredo sauce! You should be able to find it at any health food store 🙂
YUM!!!! I am loving this recipe Izzy, all of the flavours sound so delicious! I love making creamy sauces from cashews, they’re the best! All of the herbs and spices you used sound amazing, and I love the photographs – they’re making me so hungry! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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They really are the best! I just made a salad dressing last week and I’m obsessed with! Thank you so much, Harriet 🙂
I always find these vegan sauces so friggin’ unique!! And this one is certainly included in that!
And so delicious!! Thank you, GiGi!
This pasta looks AMAZINGGG! And my husband is the biggest broccoli lover so I know he will love this too!
Pinning!
Thank you, Mariah!! My husband loves broccoli too, thank goodness haha 🙂
Ok, this is 100% on my list to make. I’m an absolute alfredo lush, but don’t let myself have it very often for obvious reasons. If I can have it without the guilt, I’m SO on board.
We used to eat so much alfredo and I never though about how it might not be so great for you, lol! But at least the cashew fat is good fat! I hope you love this, Nicole 🙂
I really need to get on board with cashews and creamy sauces like this one! This looks so incredible and I love cashews, I’d bet I’d love this too 😉
You so do, Danielle!! Even if you eat regular alfredo this really is so good!
Loooove this, Izzy! Cashews are amazing and soooo versatile. I continue to be impressed and inspired by them… like this recipe! They’re right up there with chickpeas, if you ask me! This creamy alfredo pasta is quite impressive… love the broccoli you’ve tossed in. Oh yeah, I know Annie’s… good stuff. Thank you for this, Izzy!! Yum!
Thank you, Traci!! Me too! There really isn’t anything you can’t do with them! I make sure to always have a big bag on hand 🙂
This looks wonderful! I would have never guests there were cashews in this! What an awesome idea!
Thanks Kelley! It is so good!!
I really need to try this. I grew up eating cashews (my mom put it in stir-frys) and I love them so much but have never used them in any way like this. It looks amazing and the flavor has to be incredible. Their butteriness is so good for this kind of use.
Ohh, cashews in stir frys is such a good idea! Their butteriness makes them go so well in so many different dishes, both sweet and savory! I think you will love this pasta 🙂
This looks so comforting and delicious, Izzy! I would have never guessed it was made from cashews. They really are an amazing ingredient! And I love that you used herbs de Provence. I have an enormous container of it from when we went to France last fall so this pretty much HAS to happen in my kitchen. 🙂
Thank you, Sarah!! They are so awesome and make everything taste better! I really think you will love this!! I just started using herbs de provence and I’m obsessed! I love adding them to french fries 🙂 I hope your weekend is going well!
Oh my, this recipe looks delicious! I’m huge a cashew fan. Pinning now & will be making it soon! 🙂
Thank you Nicole! I’m in love with cashews too! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
They are magical! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
This sounds like the absolute perfect dish for me! Beautiful and so extremely creamy, I love it a lot!!!
I finally got around to making this, and it is the BEST dairy-free alfredo I’ve had since I discovered my mustard allergy. Now, let’s see how many pounds I can gain from eating a mountain of cashews…
Hi Jennifer! I’m so glad you liked it!! Yeah, I just like to tell myself that the cashews are the good kind of fat 🙂
I just made this (went a little off the recipe with spices) and it is INCREDIBLE. I really didn’t think it would be that good. I boiled the cashews (forgot to soak them). It’s outstanding. Maybe I’ve been vegan too long, but I think this is better than any ‘real’ alfredo sauce I have ever had. Excellent recipe.
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Hi Kate! I’m so glad you liked it!! I really think it tastes better than regular alfredo sauce too, much more flavor! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
This recipe was easy to make and absolutely delicious. I’m not a vegan but a gluten free, low fodmap vegetarian who tries to limit the amount of dairy in my diet. The alfredo sauce is very savoury and a great alternative to the real deal. Thank you!
Hi Laura! I’m the same exact way, not strictly non dairy but try to limit it. And I Love cooking with cashews! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Herbs De Provence. What is this? Can I substitute? Hoping to make this tonight. I’m a cashew nacho cheese warrior…(recipe at 40aprons.com) and hope I love this too!!
Hi Amber, sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. Herbs De Provence is just a mixture of dried herbs containing things like basil, oregano and lavender. You can most certainly sub dried Italian seasoning or even just dried oregano or basil for it. I hope you enjoy this alfredo sauce!
I am a mother of a newborn and try to prep meals ahead of time. This looks delicious. I am dairy-free while breast feeding. Wondering how long the alfredo sauce can be stored in the fridge before using???
Thank you, Rachel! I would store it up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 🙂
We have vegetarians and non in our family. I like to make things that I hope everyone can eat and will like. Thank you so much for this recipe, this definitely pleased some of each! I did have to make some adaptions due to missing (nutritional yeast) or different ingredients and it still came out amazing. I had roasted cashews, but I did boil them for about 20 minutes to soften and they worked fine (raw, sprouted would likely be healthier-I’d like to try that next time). I used dried oregano and dried basil and a little BB Vegetarian bouillon. I really look forward to trying it the “official” way someday!
P.S. Your website and pictures really are beautiful.
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I’m so glad to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe, Kari! I’m intrigued by the use of the roasted cashews, did it give it a really nice roasted nutty taste? That sounds like it could be really good! Thank you so much for your comment and kind words! 🙂
Thank you for saving me 🙂
I had a friend the other day ask me to find her a recipe for Alfredo Sauce, BUT she was making it for a friend and he has strict dietary restrictions so she asked me to find one without the following:
Soy
Dairy
wheat or gluten
onions or leeks
cauliflower
very little spice
and no lentils
wow what a challenge! I didn’t think I was going to find one, but then came across your recipe and you as I said saved the day!
So I am handing you a Virtual Medal of Hero 🙂
Wonderful sauce, we tried with the pasta as directed, and we tried it on plain pasta without the broccoli (as he can’t have that either) and it was so good, we tried it on him and he loved it and asked for more, something he never does! One serving of any food is his normal max, and sometimes that is even a struggle to get him to have.
But this is perfect, thank you a million times over!
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That is so nice to hear! Thank you so much! I’m so glad he enjoyed the alfredo sauce and ate a lot of it!
Hi!
This looks amazing but I am allergic to almonds. Would substituting unsweetened coconut milk work?
Thanks!
Hi Marissa, I definitely think that would work! It might give it a slight coconut flavor, but I still think it would be good!
Taste wise very flavorful.
Textures something to play with a bit. Turned out thicker than we hoped. Added a little more plant milk. Seemed to please the family.
Working with soaked over night might be better next time than boiled.
Glad to hear the family liked it! 🙂
Looking forward to making this. Do you heat the sauce after it’s blended?
Hi Martin, I just mix it in with the hot pasta and it usually heats it up enough, but you could also turn on the stove a little bit to make sure it gets hot 🙂
This recipe was delicious. I served it over spaghetti squash and since I did not have broccoli I used zucchini. Even my husband liked it!
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I’m so glad you and your husband liked it!! 🙂
Made this for my non vegan family and they didn’t even know!
Ha, that’s awesome!!
Hi. My wife and I have made variations on this recipe before. Can I use a food processor instead of a blender
Hi Jesse! I think that would work! It might not get quite as smooth as a high powered blender would get it, but it should do the job 🙂
OH MY GOD!!!
I have just made this recipe after finding it on the internet and IT IS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!
I only used fresh flat leaf parsley and dried oregano instead of all the other green herbs (because I didn’t have them in) and the result is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!
Thankyou so much fur sharing this recipe, I wil definitely be making it again.
Awesome!! I’m so glad to hear you liked it!! Thank you for the kind words 🙂
Recently found out my (breastfed) baby has a milk allergy and I need to go dairy-free. I have been CRAVING a creamy pasta and this really hit the spot! Never thought it would taste good, but even my husband thinks it’s great. Thank you! My only mistake was soaking the cashews overnight on my countertop. They got moldy! So then I boiled another batch for the recipe. Next time I’ll soak them in the fridge.
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I had to go diary free for a few months when I was nursing my son so I know how that feels! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Alfredo and that it let you eat what you were craving! 🙂
Hi Izzy!
I have just found your web stite. Have company coming that are gluten and vegetarian. Panic what should I fix!! Found you! Am so excited at the recipes I have found. They actually sound good. Have been frustrated at times when I have looked for vegetarian dishes.
Love the peoples comments and your advice and thank yous.
Not sure which recipe to try for company …….looking forward to trying many as time goes on, Would love to convince my meat eating husband to enjoy a few nts of vegetarian meals!!! I think with your help I will get there!!
Hi Susan! Gluten free and vegetarian can definitely be overwhelming sometimes but it’s usually easier than you think! I hope you can find some recipes here that they will enjoy! Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂
I just made this sauce and it came out soooo good! I love it and I think I will make it my new favorite pasta sauce! The only thing I added was a tablespoon of soy sauce to make it a little saltier. Thank you for this great recipe!
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That’s so great to hear, Libby! I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I have made and tried several different vegan Alfredo sauces and I have to say this is the best one!
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Yah! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you! 🙂
Hi, I really want to try this with my picky teen who loves Alfredo. What’s the purpose of the yeast, and can it be omitted? Thank you
It gives a nice cheesy flavor. If you can’t find it I think it would be ok without but I really like the flavor it gives.
WOW! I made this last night and it was beyond my expectations. I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. Be aware that just like regular Alfredo sauce, this is very, very rich so you may want to use less than you think you need at first. I used it on whole wheat pasta with sauteed onions and mushrooms (oil-free) and it was so good my carnivore husband loved it too! Next i will try it on scalloped potatoes. Thanks for an outstanding recipe!
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That’s so nice to hear, Shelby!! I’m glad you and your husband both enjoyed it! I love the idea of using it in scalloped potatoes!!
Hi, this recipe sounds great! My daughter and I are new to the vegetarian world but are eager to make the transition. Question, is there a substitute for nutritional yeast? Also, is that Herbs De Provence seasoning pack available in regular grocery or specialty stores?
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Hi Paula, sorry for the late response. There isn’t really a sub for nutritional yeast. It adds a nice cheesy taste that you can’t really get with anything else. It probably would still be good even if you let it out, but just a little less cheesy tasing. It should available in the regular grocery store but you could always sup dried Italian herbs instead 🙂
I’m quite new to the vegan and gluten free cooking. I can find gluten free pasta shells but not both vegan and gluten free. What brand did you use?
I used delallo brown rice pasta for this recipe which I believe is also vegan but I’m not 100% sure. There are a lot of bean based pastas that are gluten free and vegan though!
I hope you are talking about cashew nuts and not the fruit! Because you only said “cashews” and that’s the fruit… I hope I don’t mess it up
The nuts!