Recipe: Ohmigod Vegan Alfredo Sauce

February 3rd, 2010 - filed under: The Food » Recipes

IMG_1485


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!
sign-off

Newer Comments →
  • http://salekdarling.livejournal.com/ Salekdarling

    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!

  • http://starshipnarcissus.blogspot.com Lisa

    I so am going to try this! I had a recipe saved but this one looks way less complicated

  • April

    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

    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.

  • http://flowermash.blogspot.com flower mash

    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…

  • http://theamberlily.com/ Lily

    Wow, that sounds great!!

  • http://thegreengeek09.wordpress.com Courtney

    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.

  • http://www.endomental.com boliyou

    Sounds delicious!

  • Jean-Michel

    Just tried your Al Vegano sauce (with a few changes): lovely! Thank you!

  • http://www.creativeanomalie.com sarah

    Adding to shopping list for next weeks groceries…

  • TeanyTinyStar

    Oh my goodness this looks so delicious! I cant wait to make it :)

  • MathTutor

    Looks great, but I am so confused! What is earthbalance????

  • jayjay

    wow! a very healthy way to eat pasta! thank you for this wonderful recipe! can’t wait to make it.

  • Sarah

    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?

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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

    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

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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 . . . .

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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

    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.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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!

  • http://www.healthy-happy-life.com Kathy

    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 :)

  • http://twitter.com/randy_wrecked Randy D.

    Is cooking wine actually vegan? It was my understanding that most wineries use egg, blood, bone or bladder ingredients during the “fining” process.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    @ 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. ;-)

  • Vegan Mama

    Just stumbled upon your site and found this recipe…it is amazing! Thank you for sharing!

  • AC

    I’m eating this now, hehe… I’m not normally a pea person, but they are really good in this. It’s sooo yummy :) I can’t believe fettuccine alfredo can be vegan AND gluten free ! (I used rice pasta)

  • Nicole

    Ohmyfreakinglord this was amazing!!!! My carnivore Mister loooooved it (considering how much he loves ‘normal’ alfredo this is huge). The only thing I did differently was, I added some white pepper as the sauce was warming on the stove. It gave it a really nice flavor.

    Ten million sparkly thank you’s for sharing this with us!!

  • renita

    I was so skeptical of this recipe as I have been seriously disappointed by other vegetarian/vegan recipes claiming to taste just like dairy; but this…amazing. Thanks…I’ll make it another vegan day.

  • Rea

    OMFG THIS IS SO AMAZING! I can’t believe it took me EXACTLY a year to try this out, but it’s about to be on the table and it’s delicious. Sayward, you’re a kitchen goddess. <3

  • Moira

    I sooo want to try this but I have a terrible soy intolerance. Any good subs for the tofu??

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com Sayward

    Rea – w00t! So glad you liked it!

    Moira – Yes! I’m making it soy-free for Valentines day. =) I’m subbing 1 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours, in place of the silken tofu. I’m also using soy-free Earthbalance. If you can’t find a soy-free alternative butter or other hard-at-room-temp sub, I’d say use oliv oil but use a bit less.

    Luck!

  • http://www.royjoy.com Jessica

    HI Sayward! I came across another vegan alfredo-type sauce and it was to-die-for. Main ingredient? Almonds! I used a recipe from Giada as a starting point (and removed all vegan ingredients obviously) and added some onions, white wine, asparagus, and some herbs. Seriously – who knew a blender could transform almonds, veggie stock, garlic and olive oil into creamy goodness? :)

    To see the original recipe: http://bit.ly/ec3kbz

  • Natasha

    this recipe = WIN!! i didn’t use any nutmeg, but it’s still uber yummy.

  • Kerynlundgren

    What can you use in place of alcohol for us sober vegans?

  • Bekah

    hey keryn, I didn’t have any wine and just sautéed the onions until browned. worked beautifully. so delicious.

  • Bekah

    oops. sauce too–i’m sure it would have been yummy with it, but didn’t use wine in sauce either, and it was great.

  • Jacqui

    Why don’t you try scope mouth wash. There’s no alcohol in scope :) therefore, you won’t get drunk off scope!

    P.S. You’re an embarrassment to vegans.

  • http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/ Sayward Rebhal

    Hi Jacqui,
    I love me a good snarking, but there’s an entire Internet out there to blow off your steam. Bonzai is not the place for it, k?

  • Riseley P

    I tried mixture of white grape and fresh squeezed lemon juices.

  • Riseley P

    I tried mixture of white grape and fresh squeezed lemon juices.

  • Mark

    I have come to believe that when people are intentionally rude it is because they do not have the capacity to be otherwise. You are an embarrassment to YOURSELF.

  • Mark

    You might try non-alcoholic wine. There are some fairly good ones on the market. Also, the suggestion by Riseley P of white grape juice and lemon juice sounds like it would work just fine.

  • g8r_chick

    I am throwing a surprise party for my vegan daughter and was looking for different sauces to serve with pasta… This one looks AMAZING! Do you think it would do well cooked a couple of days ahead and reheated and kept warm in a crock pot?

Newer Comments →
Subscribe to my RSS feed Follow me on twitter Find me on Facebook Find me on Pinterest