White Bean Alfredo
“Normal” alfredo sauce always feels like so much. So heavy. So bloated and blob-like afterward.
So I made a better, vegan one that is just as luscious, and will leave you feeling like you can actually accomplish something after eating a whole bowl of it.
Alfredo Sauce
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup veggie stock
*1 1/2 cup oat milk, sweetened
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
*1/4 tsp. white miso paste
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
*1/2 tsp. onion seasoning
*3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 garlic cloves
1 basil leaf
Pasta Prep
1 box fettuccine noodles
1 bunch basil, leaves sliced thinly
*1 large handful kale, ripped into pieces
Process
Set a pot of salted water to boil on the stove. Cook the pasta according to the package’s directions.
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Place the cooked pasta in a large pot. Pour the sauce over it and add the kale and basil.
Stir together gently to coat the noodles. Warm over a low heat.
*Remove from heat when the pasta is steamy and the kale is slightly limp.
*Notes
Sweetened oat milk - Yes, sweetened. I used sweetened milk because alfredo has a low-key sweet element to it from all that butter, heavy cream and cheese (No wonder we all feel so blob-ish after eating it…). Plain, sweetened oat milk does a great job replicating this element. It’s the creamiest and most versatile plant milk that I’ve found. Almond milk is thin and doesn’t really taste like anything; cashew milk is hella expensive and sometimes has a weird aftertaste; and coconut milk just makes everything taste like coconut. Oat milk for the win!
White miso paste - This isn’t absolutely necessary for the recipe, but miso is a pantry staple in my house (you’ll soon find out how much Asian food I cook). I used it to add a titch more sour/saltiness to the sauce to replicate that tang that cheese has. So if you have everything in your pantry but the miso, or you just don’t feel like buying a whole container of it, don’t sweat - the dish will still be flavorful without it.
Onion seasoning - This also isn’t totally necessary for the recipe. I used that super salty seasoning that’s more than plain onion powder - garlic, little dehydrated onion pieces, herb flecks and such - to add a little more zing. I have a random brand of seasoning that a friend gave to me, but this one looks really similar - McCormick's Seasoning Salt.
Nutritional yeast - This is very necessary for the recipe. It’s an incredible ingredient for recreating the umami-ness of cheese. I avoided buying it for years because it seemed so expensive, BUT I found it for a great price at a local bulk store and it’s been a solid addition to my recipes. I do highly recommend picking up some, as it’s thrown around like confetti in vegan recipes.
Using kale - I’m a nut for kale, but it’s a robust leaf that people have strong opinions about. So if you don’t dig kale, you could use spinach instead.
Limp kale - I mean this exactly as it sounds. The kale shouldn’t be totally wilted and pathetic-looking, but it should be cooked enough to have lost its crunch. Same goes for if you’re using spinach!
I don’t know anyone who eats “normal” alfredo and still has the motivation to be a person after; it’s just blob. But this vegan alfredo is rich and satisfying without requiring any hefty dairy products or painstaking prep steps. You’ll be spared from going total blob.