You know when you want alfredo but you don’t want the consequences of alfredo, lol? I don’t even have to explain it -- you already know what I’m talking about. The heaviness, the bloating, the acidity of the dairy, the guilt? Yeah, that...Lately, I’ve been making cashew alfredo instead and it’s truthfully hard to go back to the dairy-based one. I don’t suffer those consequences when I eat cashew alfredo and it tastes JUST LIKE THE REAL THING. I’m not vegan (I still eat dairy and eggs), but I tend to love vegan substitutes. This recipe is no exception!This cashew alfredo is totally simplified but delicious. It’s only 4 ingredients: cashews, olive oil, garlic, and water. 

Making cashew alfredo is EASY, especially using the quick soak method! I originally saw the quick soak method on Pasta-based! Thank you Matt and Steph for changing my LIFE.

To quickly soften up cashews for the perfect blend, place your cashews into a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, squirt some lemon juice in there (optional!), remove from heat, and cover. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes! 

While I let the cashews sit, I typically quickly pan fry my garlic in olive oil with a WATCHFUL EYE to make sure that the garlic doesn’t burn. There’s nothing worse than burnt garlic. 

Once that’s done, I drain my cashews and add them into my nutribullet along with the garlic and olive oil. Then I usually add ¼ of water and blend away! It tastes some playing around to get the consistency that you want! If you like your sauce more liquidy, add a combo of olive oil and water. This is usually when I add my salt and any fun extras. Sometimes I throw in a tsp of flax seeds or nutritional yeast. Sometimes I’ll squirt in some lemon. It depends on my mood! What’s great about this recipe is that it serves as a base and you can get creative with it! 

My favorite combo is to toss this with spaghetti and peas! Enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of raw cashews

• 2 tbsp of olive oil

• 6 cloves of garlic

• 1 tsp of salt

• (optional) juice from ½ a lemon

Instructions:

• Measure out 1 cup of raw cashews

• Cover your cashews with water in a small pot and bring to a boil

• Once the water is boiling, squirt the lemon juice into the water with the cashews, stir, and cover. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. 

• While you’re letting your cashews soak, put the olive oil and garlic into a pan and set to medium-low. 

• When your garlic starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes, turn off the stove and remove from heat. 

• Once time is up, drain cashews

• Combine cashews, garlic, olive oil, and water into your nutribullet, blender, or food processor. 

• Blend until creamy and smooth! 

• Note: Add more water or olive oil as needed to get the desired consistency! 

• Pair with your favorite pasta and enjoy!