Move over heavy cream, butter and parmesan cheese. This recipe has the creamy, decadent flavour you would expect from classic Alfredo sauce without a single dairy-based ingredient.

The lemony twist  (and yes, the lemon is certainly not understated in this recipe) adds a refreshing dimension to the dish, while the hand-crafted parmesan yields a rich, nutty and salty flavour that rivals traditional parmesan cheese.

What I really enjoy about this dish — almost as much as the blissful enjoyment of eating it — is the absence of that heavy, bloated feeling you often get when you finish a plate of conventional (dairy-based) fettuccine Alfredo. Both Janik and I had a plate to ourselves and went back for seconds. The kids…..not so much. A dish with strong notes of lemon and garlic can’t compare to plain noodles with a touch of butter and salt, lol.

Enjoy~

Part A: Parmesan Cheese
This is a quick, easy recipe for vegan parmesan should you not have any store-bought cheese handy or you prefer crafting your own! 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup cashews, raw (110g)
1 tsp hemp seeds, raw and unshelled
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp lemon juice, fresh

Instructions

1/Place cashews and hemp seeds in the Thermomix mixing bowl. Grind 7 sec/Speed 7.
Note: Be careful not to overgrind.
2/Add salt and garlic powder to the TM bowl. Using the Turbo setting (1.0 sec) pulse twice.
3/Add lemon juice to the TM bowl. Using the Turbo setting( 0.5 sec) plus three times.
Transfer the prepared cheese to a small mixing bowl; set aside.

Part B: Alfredo Sauce 

Preparation

Cook pasta as directed. Drain water and pour pasta into pot. Cover with a plate to keep the pasta warm.

Ingredients

Handful of cilantro and parsley leaves, fresh (5 g)
1 garlic clove, peeled (5g)
1 small piece of ginger root (2 g)
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
1/4 cup vegan butter (50g)

1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh
2 tbsp lemon zest (If using a Thermomix, refer to the Tip below to prepare in seconds!)
1/2 cup cream cheese, soy-based
1/3 cup parmesan cheese (see recipe above)

Instructions

1/Place cilantro and parsley in your Thermomix mixing bowl. Chop 5 sec/Speed 7. Using the spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2/Add garlic, ginger and pinch of salt to the TM bowl. Chop 7 sec/Speed 7. Once again, scrape down the sides of the bowl using your spatula.
3/Add butter to the TM bowl. Sauté 3 mins/120C/Speed 1. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
4/Add lemon juice, lemon zest and salt to the TM bowl. Blend 10 sec/Speed 7.
5/Add cream cheese and parmesan cheese to the TM bowl. Blend 15 sec/Speed 6.5 (Reverse blade).
6/Add sauce to pot with cooked, reserved pasta. Fold in sauce.
Table-ready suggestion: Serve with cilantro and/or parsley and parmesan cheese.

Tip: Prepare your own lemon zest in seconds using the Thermomix!
*Place the rind from 2 lemons in the Thermomix mixing bowl (approx 75 g).
Halve the rind or cut in coarse pieces. Chop 7 sec/Speed 7.

*If you are in the mood for another type of creamy vegan pasta, our Creamy Deep-Dish Mac & Cheese will surely please!*

Product Recommendations

*Earth Balance® Buttery Spread (Original)
*Earth Island ®/Follow Your Heart ® Non-Dairy Soy Cream Cheese

Note: This recipe was made using a Thermomix appliance, however it can easily be adapted using similar food prep tools (e.g. mutli-function processor, immersion blender etc) or using a more traditional stovetop method.

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