Vegan Creamy Cashew Alfredo Zucchini Noodles (Printable)

Silky cashew-based Alfredo sauce over spiralized zucchini for a light yet satisfying dairy-free Italian-inspired 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 such as almond or oat
06 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh 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 fresh chopped 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 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spiralized zucchini noodles and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly tender. Season with sea salt and remove from heat, setting aside.
03 - In a high-speed blender, combine soaked and drained cashews, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic cloves, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
04 - Pour the blended sauce into a saucepan and warm over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until heated through. Add additional plant milk in small amounts if the sauce becomes too thick.
05 - Toss the warm zucchini noodles with the creamy Alfredo sauce until evenly coated throughout.
06 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish immediately with fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts, and additional black pepper as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is deceptively creamy thanks to blended cashews, so rich you'd swear there's cream involved.
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you want something special without the fuss.
  • Naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, but tastes so comforting that nobody feels like they're missing out.
02 -
  • Blending time matters—underblindering the cashews leaves little flecks that disrupt the silky texture, so blend longer than you think you need to.
  • Drying your zucchini noodles completely prevents a watery, disappointing dish, which I learned the hard way my first attempt.
03 -
  • Soaking your cashews in hot water specifically (not cold water overnight) gets them soft and ready faster, saving you time when hunger strikes.
  • The nutritional yeast isn't just flavor—it's what gives the sauce that subtle richness that makes you forget dairy was ever involved.
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