Um, wow guys. Seriously. See that not-so-good picture up there? That’s because I was like, “yeah whatever who needs a pic OM NOM NOM”
I devoured a plate, and then another . . . and then I had to get more! It’s pretty amazing stuff! This is the ‘you-won’t-believe-it’s-vegan’ dish to fool your omni friends. Or, if *you’re* the omni, this is an awesome way to get your rich creamy alfredo deliciousness, without the killer dose of cholesterol and saturated fats. Everyone wins – especially your taste buds!
Ingredients
1 lb pasta of your choice
small head of garlic, maybe 4-6 cloves
small-medium white onion
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon cooking wine (I used dry vermouth)
1/2 cup Earthbalance™
2 cups alternative milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cooking wine (I used dry vermouth)
1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to your taste level
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 12-ounce pack firm Silken tofu
5-6 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450. Wrap the garlic cloves in tin foil and place them on the center oven rack to roast. They’ll need about half an hour or so – set a timer or remember to keep an eye on them! You should smell ‘em when they’re ready, mmmm.
While the garlic is roasting, dice your onion. Place a pan over medium heat and add the oil. Sauté the onion until glassy, then reduce the heat to low and add 1 tbsp of the wine. Continue to cook until the wine reduces and the onion has browned (NOT burnt! be careful!)
While garlic is roasting and onions are going, put all the other ingredients (minus the corn starch and peas) into a food processor or blender. When the garlic is done, remove it from the oven and unwrap. You’ll need to let it cool a bit or you’ll burn your finger tips. Carefully squeeze the mushy roasted clove goo into the mix. Add the onions. BLEND!
Put on a pot to prepare the pasta. I’m sure you don’t need instructions for this part.
Put on a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Transfer the sauce from the mixer to the pan and allow it to warm. Spoon the cornstarch into a small bowl and then add enough of the sauce mix to create a thick paste. Slowly stir this into the sauce to thicken it up. Allow it to continue heating, stirring frequently to avoid bottom burn.
When the pasta is done and drained return it to the cooking pot. Pour in the peas and the sauce, mix well, and serve! Eat until you’re blue in the face!
Salekdarling
3 February, 2010
I am definitely making this. If not tomorrow, than the day after. It looks DELICIOUS!
Oh and by the way, I made my piggy bank today. I’m still decorating it but I’m definitely sending you a picture once I beautified it a bit more. :-) There’s already change in it!
Lisa
4 February, 2010
I so am going to try this! I had a recipe saved but this one looks way less complicated
April
4 February, 2010
Omg, this looks so good! This is going on next week’s menu. I’m curious to see if I can trick my children’s picky omni palettes!
Leah
4 February, 2010
Oh, I used to love alfredo before I got all lactose intolerant. I can’t have soy, though.
My mom makes this with cashews as a base, but I’m not sure of her method.
Either way, it’s been a long time since I had alfredo sauce. God, I miss it! This looks sooo good.
flower mash
4 February, 2010
Yum! I am going to try this recipe soon. I’ll just have to kick my boyfriend out while I prepare it, he shudders when he sees tofu…
Courtney
4 February, 2010
That looks amazing! I’m one of those omnis worried about cholesterol and fats. I’ll need to try it out soon while the kitchen is on a different floor so my hubby won’t see the tofu or else he won’t eat it.
Jean-Michel
4 February, 2010
Just tried your Al Vegano sauce (with a few changes): lovely! Thank you!
TeanyTinyStar
5 February, 2010
Oh my goodness this looks so delicious! I cant wait to make it :)
MathTutor
5 February, 2010
Looks great, but I am so confused! What is earthbalance????
jayjay
5 February, 2010
wow! a very healthy way to eat pasta! thank you for this wonderful recipe! can’t wait to make it.
Sarah
5 February, 2010
I am so excited about this recipe! I’m about 10 weeks pregnant and have been craving cheese baaaad. Like mouth watering, nearly crying thinking about it as I type this. Luckily, I can’t just cheat and have a bite of something somewhere because my first son’s allergic through my milk!
I usually don’t do fake/imitation dairy or meat because I’ve tried to replace it with other stuff, but *this pasta looks amazing*.
Oh, and speaking of cravings… do you have a good vegan mac&cheese recipe?
Sayward
6 February, 2010
@ Salekdarling – Oh, let me know how you like it! I’m really excited to see how people respond.
And YES, please send me pictures of the piggybank! Can’t wait!
@ Lisa and April – Please let me know how you like it, guys. I love the feedback!
@ Leah – Here’s how I would sub out the soy:
If you can get your hands on some of the soy-free Earthbalance, that would be the top choice. If not, try a 1:1 substitution of canola or vegetable oil. It won’t be quite as tasty but it’ll do the trick.
For the silken tofu, I’d use cashews like your mom does. I’d take a cup of cashew pieces and soak them in water over night. Then drain them and sub them into the recipe in place of the tofu.
Hope that works for you!
@ flower mash – It’s funny how some people just have a psychological block around tofu. It took my husband a while to come around, but now he’s a tofu *fiend*! Just hide it in something delicious like this, and then tell him afterwards. =D
@ Lily – Thanks!
@ Courtney – Haha, what’s up with the dudes and the tofu fear?? So funny. Just slip it in when he’s not looking, I’m sure he’ll never know the difference. The protein is good for him!
@ boliyou – Thanks!
@ Jean-Michel – Yay! I’m so glad you liked it. And I’d love to hear your changes.
@ sarah and TeanyTinyStar – Let me know how it goes ladies. I hope you like it!
@ MathTutor – Oh sorry! Earthbalance is a vegan butter substitute (but don’t worry, this is NOT your grandmother’s margarine). It’s delicious and made with non-GMO, all vegan, and non-hydrogynated oils. It comes in a few styles (original, organic, sticks, soy-free, etc) and they carry it at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, plus other smaller stores. It’s awesome-tastic and you should try it! =)
jayjay – My pleasure, hope you like it!
@ Sarah – Oh I totally understand. Cheese is the only thing I occasionally miss, and even then it’s really only pizza. But I do miss me some pizza sometimes! This recipe definitely hits the ‘rich-and-savory-super-comfort-foody’ itch that can be hard to scratch as a [healthy] vegan.
I’m working on a mac and cheese recipe! Is it horrible to admit that I actually am eating a bowl of mac and cheese – for *breakfast* – as I type this? Haha, ahhh pregnancy. I made this recipe which sounded so promising from the comments. I was not super impressed. I think I’m going to work on turning this alfredo recipe into something suitable for mac n’ cheese. Hopefully it’ll be coming soon!
Meghan
7 February, 2010
Hmm… I was never an alfredo person, but this loooooks gooood…
Have you tried Vegandad’s mac and cheese? I thought it was pretty good.
Sayward
8 February, 2010
@ Meghan – I have tried his mac ‘n cheese! (or at least a version of it) Actually I think I sort of blended his recipe with SusanV’s from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen.
I liked it but it wasn’t perfect for me. Recently I made another supposedly great one (linked in comment above), but it wasn’t really spot on either. Now I’m working on my own, and I’ll definitely post it when I’m done. Because, you know, the internet needs yet another vegan mac n cheese recipe! =D
Leah
9 February, 2010
Yeah, I’ve been reading about soaking nuts, so I wonder if that wouldn’t help…sometimes cashews upset my stomach. I agree that the texture and taste are awesome, though.
Sayward
10 February, 2010
@ Leah – Soaking can definitely help if the problem is ‘nut belly’ as I like to call it – that sort of too-rich, too-much feeling you can get after eating nuts. But if it’s just a sensitivity to cashews in particular, I’d try subbing macadamia nuts (still soak them over night) instead. I bet that would be awesome. =)
Sarah
12 February, 2010
I’ve seen the other mac’n cheese recipes, but I wasn’t sure which ones to try. I saw veg web’s and vegandad’s so maybe I’ll give those a try while waiting on you, Sayward, to come up with one :D
Ashley
13 February, 2010
I was cooking some veggie noodles for dinner this evening and remembered having seen this recipe. Surprisingly, I had all the ingredients in my kitchen.
Anyway, my boys(non-vegan hubby and very picky, sauce-hating five year old) both loved it! Thanks so much for sharing. :D
I’m looking forward to the perfected mac and cheese recipe
Sayward
14 February, 2010
@ Sarah – Yeah, I’m having some trouble getting that one right, so I say experiment with the other ones out there. Mine might be a while . . . *yeesh*, haha
@ Ashley – Yay! That is the BEST feedback I can get! Thank you. =)
Cyn Graner
17 May, 2010
I enjoy so much what you do here Sayward, Thank You so much! The other night I made this and >>>>WOW<<<< it was aMaZIng =)yummmm
Sayward
18 May, 2010
@ Cyn Graner – Aw, thank you!! And yay, I’m so glad you liked the Alfredo. Mmm, I think it’s time I made this again too . . .
Carly
25 May, 2010
OK, i honestly feel really terrible for posting this… but what did i do wrong?? this can’t be the sauce that everyone is raving about. my sauce turned out like grits consistency and tasted like nutmeg! HELP. my kitchen is a mess and i am left with something that went horribly wrong?
I am newly vegan and was really excited about the rave reviews . . . .
Sayward
26 May, 2010
@ Carly – Don’t feel bad! But I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. I wonder what went wrong though?
Did you use silken tofu, as opposed to brick/block tofu?
Obviously nutmeg was an issue! I guess you needed much less than that.
Was it the cornstarch? If that didn’t mix in properly I could see it going all lumpy.
Regardless, I’m sorry it bombed for you and I certainly hope it doesn’t get you down on veganism! Let me know if I can help!
Carly
31 May, 2010
Ah ha! Maybe the tofu is the issue . . . I thought “silken” was just a brand, not also a style. So I’m guessing silken is creamier? That would explain everything . . . Because I used firm tofu that was nasoya brand. Hmmm, oops! Don’t worry, I am definitely not down on veganism ( i love it so far), and I will try again and get back to you! THANKS.
Sayward
1 June, 2010
@ Carly – Yup, I bet it was the tofu then. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the veganism! If you do make the recipe again, you could also try a cup of soaked cashews in place of the tofu. Luck!
Kathy
26 July, 2010
I really do LOVE this recipe/post – so glad to post it on http://www.findingvegan.com that I even tweeted it on @FindingVegan – I am going to try this recipe tonight. Love the silken tofu idea! genius.
…keep the awesome submissions coming!
~kathy :)
Randy D.
26 July, 2010
Is cooking wine actually vegan? It was my understanding that most wineries use egg, blood, bone or bladder ingredients during the “fining” process.
Sayward
26 July, 2010
@ Kathy – Thanks! I love your site. It’s so well presented and I love the concept, and I appreciate the simplicity. I know I will be spending a LOT of time there, haha.
Let me know how you like the Alfredo!
@ Randy D. – There are a number of vegan cooking wines. http://barnivore.com is a great resource for vegan booze. Also if you can’t find anything suitable in your local area, you could always sub a particularly potent white wine. ;-)
31 Comments to Recipe: Ohmigod Vegan Alfredo Sauce