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    Home » Pasta

    Creamy Pasta Sauce Without Cream (Or Cheese)

    October 6, 2022 by cookingwithelo 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This is the creamy pasta sauce of your dreams - it's made without cream or cheese, completely dairy free, high in protein and so damn delicious. The best part is that you only need 3 ingredients and 15 minutes to make it.

    Penne with white sauce on a white ceramic plate with a fork.

    If you know me, you know that I love using cashew butter to make a good creamy sauce! Proof are these creamy mushroom pasta, pumpkin pasta, vegan vodka sauce penne and vegan bechamel sauce that I make one repeat! Needless to say that it's a staple in my kitchen!

    This white sauce pasta is definitely a close take on a creamy alfredo sauce. However, it's made without butter, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. It has definitely become one of my favorite pasta dishes that you can either serve as a main dish or as a side.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Key ingredients
    • Elo's tips
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Watch the video!
    • Frequently asked questions
    • The recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's so easy, ANYONE can make it! 
    • It has 12 grams of plant-based protein per serving, which makes it super nutritious.
    • It comes together in 15 minutes (cooking time of the pasta included).
    • It's life-saving when the fridge is empty as it's made with pantry samples only.
    • You don't have to soak cashew and wait for hours.
    • You don't have the coconut taste that you get by replacing whole milk or heavy whipping cream with coconut milk (as many dairy-free recipes recommend).

    Key ingredients

    Ingredients for vegan white sauce with descriptive labels.
    • Cashew butter is the star of the show. Combined with vegetable broth, it's the best heavy cream substitute. Choose 100% pure cashew butter and try to find a brand that has a relatively neutral flavor. DON'T use any other nut butter for this recipe as their taste would be overpowering.
    • Vegetable broth is essential to add flavor to the sauce. I use vegetable broth powder but broth from the carton works, too. Whatever you use, try to find a brand with minimal ingredients and no natural flavors.
    • Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor that will make you second guess whether this recipe is actually vegan. However, it's totally optional and the sauce also tastes great without it! 
    • Garlic powder and nutmeg are my favorite spices to add to the sauce. It really makes it taste like a vegan bechamel sauce - but without cream. You could add a teaspoon of your favorite Italian seasoning, but I like to keep it simple.
    • Pasta. I like using plain gluten-free pasta for this recipe. I wouldn't recommend any whole grain, chickpea or lentil pasta as they would mask the taste of the sauce.

    Elo's tips

    1. Get unroasted, unsalted cashew butter. It's the one with the most neutral taste and exactly what we want for this recipe. I find that the whiter the color of the cashew butter, the more neutral the taste is.
    2. Skip the blending process by leaving out the nutritional yeast. You can heat up the broth and cashew butter in a saucepan or in the microwave right away.
    3. Cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water. It gives them more room to cook and dilutes the starches released into the water, which prevents them from sticking to each other.
    4. Add pan or oven-roasted veggies to make the pasta more nutritious. Check out this recipe I made with mushrooms or this one with pumpkin.
    5. Add lemon zest and a tiny bit of lemon juice to the sauce for a zesty touch.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Vegetable broth, cashew butter and nutritional yeast in a small blender container.

    STEP 1: Add the cashew butter, veggie broth, nutritional yeast and a little garlic and nutmeg to a blender. I like using a small blender as I'm not making huge quantities. You can use a food processor if you're cooking for more people.

    Blender white sauce in a small blender.

    STEP 2: Blend until perfectly smooth (you don't want to taste the nutritional yeast flakes afterward). That should take about 30 seconds to 1 minute if you have a semi-powerful blender.

    Runny white sauce in a small pot on an electric cooktop.

    STEP 3: Heat up the sauce. You can do that over medium heat in a saucepan as pictured. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at a time at 700-800 W. Whisk and microwave again until it has the desired consistency.

    Thick creamy white sauce clinging to a spoon in a small pot.

    STEP 4: Whisk until the sauce reaches a thick and creamy texture. It should stick to the back of a spoon.

    Cooked penne in a fine-mesh sieve.

    STEP 5: Drain the pasta in a sieve once they are al dente. They'll cook slightly more when you add them to the cashew cream sauce.

    Penne combined with white sauce in a small pot on an electric cooktop.

    STEP 6: Combine the sauce and the cooked pasta. Give it a good mix to make the sauce cling to the pasta. Top with black pepper and/or fresh parsley.

    Watch the video!

    Frequently asked questions

    Where can I buy cashew butter?

    You can find cashew butter at the grocery store in the nut butter section. Walmart and Whole foods carry it for sure.

    How to store leftovers?

    You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

    How to reheat leftovers

    Add the leftover pasta to a saucepan with a little bit of water or vegetable broth. Give it a good mix and slowly reheat it over low heat. If reheating it in the microwave, top the pasta bowl with a plate to prevent the pasta from drying.

    Can I substitute the vegetable broth with soy milk?

    I don't recommend substituting the vegetable broth as it's the one ingredient that really gives this simple white sauce all its flavor. If you're not vegan or vegetarian, you could however replace it with chicken broth.

    Creamy white sauce pasta topped with some black pepper on a white plate.

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    The recipe

    Penne with vegan white sauce on a white plate on a light grey background.

    Creamy Pasta Sauce Without Cream (Or Cheese)

    5 from 8 votes
    This creamy pasta sauce without cream or cheese is completely dairy free, high in protein and so damn delicious. The best part is that it comes together in less than 15 minutes.
    Print Pin
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Author: Eloïse Jennes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 servings of pasta gluten-free
    • ¼ cup 100% pure cashew butter
    • 1 cup vegetable broth or water + vegan bouillon powder
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast more to taste
    • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta according to package directions.
    • Blend the cashew butter with the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and nutmeg until perfectly smooth.
    • Add the sauce to a saucepan and whisk over medium heat until it thickens. Alternatively, transfer it to a bowl and heat it at 700-800W at 30-second intervals. Whisk in between until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.
    • Mix the cooked and drained pasta with the sauce.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Get unroasted, unsalted cashew butter. It's the one with the most neutral taste and exactly what we want for this recipe. I find that the whiter the color of the cashew butter, the more neutral the taste is.
    2. You can skip the blending process by leaving out the nutritional yeast. Simply heat up the broth and cashew butter in a saucepan or in the microwave right away.
    3. On average, 1 serving of pasta equals 2-3 ounces (60-85 g).
    4. Add pan or oven-roasted veggies to make the pasta more nutritious. Check out this recipe made with mushrooms or this one with pumpkin.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g
    Leave a rating and comment below! Thank you!Don't forget to mention @cookingwithelo on social media

    Loved it? Please rate it!

    If you tried this recipe or any other recipe from the blog, make sure to let us know how you liked it by leaving a star rating and a comment below! Your feedback really matters! To never miss a recipe, follow me on Instragram, Pinterest and Facebook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim

      October 21, 2022 at 10:30 am

      5 stars
      I love pasta and I'll try to put this wonderful bechamel into my lasagna! 😍 thank you for creating my favorite foodblog and all these inspiring recipes!

      Reply
      • cookingwithelo

        October 21, 2022 at 11:39 am

        Thank you!! I'm sure this sauce will be great in a lasagna!

        Reply
    2. Camille

      October 23, 2022 at 11:57 am

      5 stars
      Best creamy sauce ever and super easy to make (even better than the original one 😋)

      Reply
      • cookingwithelo

        October 25, 2022 at 9:13 am

        I agree, I like it even better than a traditional cream sauce!

        Reply
        • Jfj

          October 26, 2022 at 6:43 am

          5 stars
          Very good pasta and so easy to do
          Will do it again next week !

          Reply
          • cookingwithelo

            October 26, 2022 at 9:03 am

            So happy to read that!

            Reply

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