A twist on the traditional Alfredo sauce, this Broccoli Alfredo Pasta is made with ingredients that are vegan, dairy free and gluten free! Perfect for a family meal or to have leftovers for the whole week. Made in under 30 minutes, this Broccoli Alfredo Pasta is a dish everyone will enjoy!
Dairy Free Alfredo Pasta
Where are my dairy-free friends at?! One of the things I missed most when I first went dairy free was homemade Alfredo pasta sauce. I missed the creamy comfort food and thought I would have to say good-bye to Alfredo forever. That is, until I created this Vegan Broccoli Alfredo Pasta!
I didn’t want to have to accept my fate of never enjoying a warm bowl of creamy pasta again so I made a new recipe that reminds me of my once favorite dish. This vegan broccoli Alfredo pasta is dairy free, gluten free, vegan!
It’s made with cashew butter, nutritional yeast, broccoli and a few other flavorful ingredients! And the best part is I don’t miss the traditional Alfredo pasta anymore!
Ingredients in Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Okay I know what you’re thinking, how can this taste like creamy Alfredo without the cheese? The secret is in the cashew butter and the nutritional yeast. The cashew butter makes this dish so creamy and hearty feeling like traditional Alfredo. Additionally, the nutritional yeast adds the cheesy flavor without the dairy. These two ingredients are what sends this pasta dish to the next level of deliciousness.
Here's the full list of ingredients:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Cashew Butter
- Lemon Juice
- Vegetable Broth
- Nutritional Yeast
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Broccoli
- Fettuccine Pasta (or alternative noodles, I use gluten free)
Check the recipe card below for exact amounts.
How to make Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Step 1: Sauté the onion and garlic: In a small sauté pan, add about 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat the pan on medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic. Stir constantly and sauté until the onion is softened (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.
Step 2: Make the alfredo sauce: Next, add the onion, garlic, cashew butter, lemon juice, broth, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and water to the blender or food processor. Blend on high for several minutes, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides of the blender. If the consistency is too thick, add more vegetable broth or water, one tbsp at a time. Continue to blend until the mixture is smooth and at the desired consistency. Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the noodles and broccoli: Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta. Stir and cook the pasta according to directions on the box. When there is 5 minutes left on the cooking time for the pasta, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Cook and stir for another 3-5 minutes until the pasta and the broccoli are cooked. The broccoli will turn bright green and easily poked with a fork when done. Drain the pasta and broccoli and place in a large serving dish.
Step 4: Serve: Pour the Alfredo sauce over the pasta and broccoli and serve. Optionally top with more red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Tips for making Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Type of Cashew Butter: The cashew butter that I use to make this recipe is this one from Target. I use pre-made cashew butter for convenience but there are also great recipes out there for homemade cashew butter. Just simply google “homemade cashew butter recipe” and there are loads of relatively easy recipes out there.
Add More or Less Broth: The amount of vegetable broth or water that you end up using will depend on the thickness of your cashew butter and desired consistency of the sauce. If you find yourself wanting your Alfredo sauce to be more runny or less thick, add more broth or water and blend again. Alternatively, if you find the sauce is too thin, add more cashew butter or less vegetable broth next time. That is one thing I love about this recipe is that it’s easy to customize the consistency and flavor of the sauce based on your own preferences.
Try Alternative Noodles: Traditionally, fettuccine noodles are served with Alfredo sauce. I used gluten free fettuccine noodles in this dish but feel free to try others! Zucchini noodles are also a great veggie option that would work well with this recipe. Depending on how you cook alternative noodles, you may need to cook the broccoli separately and add it to the dish after the noodles are prepared.
Adjust the Spice: This vegan Alfredo sauce is not spicy but there is a little bit of spice added with the dried red pepper flakes. If you’re looking for more or less spice, feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes accordingly.
How to store
You can store this Alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can save the Alfredo sauce mixed with the pasta or separately in individual containers in the fridge.
More dinner ideas:
- Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Healthy Dairy Free Pistachio Pesto Pasta
- Spicy Sesame Peanut Zucchini Noodles
- Baked Tuscan Chicken
- Spicy Honey Garlic Shrimp
Did you like this recipe? Let me know in the comments below. Also check out my Instagram and Pinterest for more food photography inspiration and recipes!
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Broccoli Alfredo Pasta (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup white onion peeled and chopped
- ½ cup creamy cashew butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup vegetable broth (plus 1 tbsp at a time to thin, if needed)
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup water (plus 1 tbsp at a time to thin, if needed)
- 1 head broccoli trimmed and cut into bite-sized florets
- 16 oz fettuccine pasta I used gluten free
Instructions
- Sauté the onion and garlic: In a small sauté pan, add about 1 tbsp of olive oil and heat the pan on medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped onion and garlic. Stir constantly and sauté until the onion is softened (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Make the alfredo sauce: Next, add the onion, garlic, cashew butter, lemon juice, broth, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and water to the blender or food processor. Blend on high for several minutes, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides of the blender. If the consistency is too thick, add more vegetable broth or water, one tbsp at a time. Continue to blend until the mixture is smooth and at the desired consistency. Set aside.
- Cook the noodles and broccoli: Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta. Stir and cook the pasta according to directions on the box. When there is 5 minutes left on the cooking time for the pasta, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Cook and stir for another 3-5 minutes until the pasta and the broccoli are cooked. The broccoli will turn bright green and easily poked with a fork when done. Drain the pasta and broccoli and place in a large serving dish.
- Serve: Pour the alfredo sauce over the pasta and broccoli and serve. Optionally top with more red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
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