Vegan Cashew Alfredo Zucchini (Printable Version)

Silky cashew sauce coats tender zucchini noodles for a light, dairy-free Italian-inspired dish.

# 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

# How to Make It:

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 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. Season with sea salt, then remove from heat and set aside.
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 the sides as needed.
04 - Pour the sauce into a saucepan and warm over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until heated through. Add additional plant milk if the sauce is too thick.
05 - Toss the warm zucchini noodles with the creamy Alfredo sauce until evenly coated.
06 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts, and additional black pepper as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cashew sauce tastes indulgently creamy without a drop of dairy, which honestly shocked me the first time I made it.
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something restaurant-quality but don't have the energy for a project.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but simple enough to throw together on a random weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the cashews in hot water—it's the difference between a grainy sauce and one that tastes like velvet, and I learned this the hard way by trying to rush it once.
  • The moment you blend those soaked cashews, they transform into something almost magical; your first batch might make you doubt the recipe, but trust the process.
03 -
  • Make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator—it'll thicken as it cools, so just warm it gently and add a splash of plant milk to reach the right consistency when you're ready to eat.
  • If you're cooking for someone skeptical about vegan food, this is your secret weapon; it tastes so rich and satisfying that the conversation about dairy never even comes up.
Go Back