Vegan Creamy Cashew Alfredo Zucchini Noodles (Printable)

Luscious dairy-free Alfredo sauce made with soaked cashews, served over fresh spiralized zucchini noodles for a light yet satisfying meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Zucchini Noodles

01 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Creamy Cashew Alfredo Sauce

04 - 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained
05 - 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
06 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
08 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Toppings

12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
13 - 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Spiralize the zucchini and gently pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini noodles and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly tender. Season with sea salt and remove from heat.
03 - In a high-speed blender, combine soaked and drained cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed.
04 - Transfer blended sauce to a saucepan and warm over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until heated through. Add additional plant milk if sauce is too thick.
05 - Toss warm zucchini noodles with creamy Alfredo sauce until evenly coated.
06 - Plate immediately and garnish with fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts, and extra black pepper as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and buttery despite being completely plant-based, so even your non-vegan friends will ask for seconds.
  • You can have dinner on the table in thirty minutes, yet it feels fancy enough for company.
  • The nutritional yeast adds an umami depth that makes you feel like you're eating something restaurant-quality.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the cashews or try to rush it with boiling water for just five minutes—the sauce will taste slightly chalky and won't have that luxurious texture you're after.
  • Low heat when warming the sauce is non-negotiable; high heat can make it separate or become grainy, which breaks the whole spell.
03 -
  • Make the sauce ahead and reheat it gently; it actually tastes better after a day in the fridge as flavors meld together.
  • A pinch of smoked paprika or white miso added to the blender takes the sauce from lovely to absolutely transcendent.
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