This roasted cauliflower alfredo is creamy, savory, garlicky, and delicious! It’s a healthy comfort food that happens to be vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and packed with nutrients. Instead of heavy ingredients like butter and cheese, this alfredo sauce is secretly made with cauliflower. Toss it with fresh parsley, pine nuts, and vegan parmesan for the ultimate weeknight dinner!

roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta on two ceramic plates beside a bowl of pine nuts and parsley

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but cauliflower has been getting lots of attention in recent years. At this point, you’ve probably heard of cauliflower wings, cauliflower rice, and even cauliflower in smoothie bowls. But did you know cauliflower can be used to make homemade alfredo sauce? Pretty cool, right?

Unlike traditional alfredo, which is heavy in butter and cheese, cauliflower alfredo is made with no dairy, lower in calories, and contains more nutrients. It’s the perfect option when you’re craving a rich and creamy pasta but trying to maintain a plant-based diet.

This roasted cauliflower alfredo is:

  • Vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free
  • Creamy, garlicky, and savory
  • A secretly healthy comfort food
  • Made with wholesome ingredients
  • Easy to make and ready in under an hour
  • A vegan alfredo sauce without cashews!
vegan roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta on two plates beside a bowl of pine nuts and fresh parsley

What ingredients are in roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta?

  • Cauliflower: Cauliflower is the main ingredient in this dish. It’s rich in vitamin C, K, B6, folate, pantothenic acid, and potassium.
  • Pasta: Any pasta variety can be used for this recipe. Try fettuccine, linguine, rotini, or penne.
  • Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor while keeping this alfredo dairy-free. It’s also loaded with vitamins, minerals, and protein.
  • Olive oil: I recommend using a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
  • Mellow white miso: Mellow white miso paste has a savory, tangy flavor. It’s a key ingredient commonly used in creamy dairy-free sauces, like this vegan alfredo sauce.
  • Lemon: Fresh lemon juice also adds a tangy flavor. It’s another ingredient that helps mimic the flavor of traditional alfredo.
  • Garlic: Garlic is used for both the roasted cauliflower and the sauce itself. It pairs nicely with the other ingredients to create a bold, flavorful, garlicky pasta dish.
  • Seasoning: In particular, this recipes uses a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. You can adjust the seasonings to your preferred taste, if needed.
a marble board topped with cauliflower florets, nutritional yeast, rotini pasta shells, sliced lemon, parsley, garlic cloves, and mellow white miso paste

How to make vegan cauliflower alfredo sauce

For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add cauliflower florets to a large bowl along with extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to evenly coat all of the cauliflower, then transfer to a large baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the package instructions. Cook al dente, or slightly underdone, as it will continue to cook later on once it’s combined with the sauce. When draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water for the alfredo sauce.

Once the cauliflower is roasted, add 3 cups to a blender along with the nutritional yeast, mellow white miso paste, lemon juice, garlic cloves, onion powder, salt, black pepper, pasta water, and your choice of liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to your preferred liking. Thin the sauce with additional water as needed.

Transfer cooked pasta back into the pot, along with the alfredo sauce and remaining roasted cauliflower. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and evenly combined.

Finally, divide the roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta among serving plates and garnish.

two ceramic plates topped with roasted cauliflower alfredo, surrounded by a wooden fork and small bowls with parsley and pine nuts

Kaylie’s tips

Use your favorite type of pasta. You can use any variety of pasta for this dish. Some great options include fettuccine, linguine, rotini, and penne. For a meal packed with plant-based protein, use chickpea pasta. It contains more fiber and protein than traditional pasta, but tastes no different! (As pictured, I used chickpea rotini pasta. It’s my favorite.)

Cook pasta al dente. While preparing the pasta, follow package instructions. However, I recommend cooking the pasta al dente or slightly underdone for this recipe. Why? The pasta will continue to cook later on once it’s combined with the alfredo sauce. If you cook it completely, you risk it becoming overcooked and falling apart once it’s tossed with the sauce.

Reserve some pasta water. While draining the pasta, be sure to reserve 1/2 cup of that starchy water. It will be used to thicken the alfredo sauce while you blend the ingredients together.

Garnish while serving. This roasted cauliflower alfredo is incomplete without the garnishes. I love (and highly suggest) adding fresh parsley, vegan parmesan, pine nuts, and/or breadcrumbs. Yum!

Use the sauce for more than just pasta. There are a variety of ways to put this cauliflower alfredo sauce to good use! You can drizzle it on top of pizza, buddha bowls, roasted vegetables or add to sandwiches.

vegan roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta tossed with parsley, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese

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roasted cauliflower alfredo pasta on two ceramic plates beside a bowl of pine nuts and parsley

Roasted Cauliflower Alfredo (Vegan)

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  • Author: Kaylie Grace
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: Italian, American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This roasted cauliflower alfredo is creamy, savory, garlicky, and delicious! It’s vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Toss your favorite pasta with a secretly-healthy cauliflower alfredo sauce, then add vegan parmesan and fresh parsley on top. It’s a healthy comfort food that can be enjoyed guilt-free as a weeknight dinner.


Ingredients

Scale

Roasted Cauliflower

  • 5 cups cauliflower florets
  • 12 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Pasta

  • 12oz your choice of pasta (such as fettuccine, penne, or rotini)

Alfredo Sauce

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp mellow white miso paste
  • 23 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup water, plant-based milk, or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from the boiled pasta

Garnish (optional)


Instructions

  1. Roasted Cauliflower: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Add cauliflower florets to a large bowl. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Spread cauliflower across a large baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown. After, set aside 3 cups of roasted cauliflower for the alfredo sauce.
  2. Pasta: Cook pasta according to package instructions. I recommend boiling the pasta until it is al dente or slightly undercooked. The pasta will cook further once you combine it with the alfredo sauce later on. While draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water (to be used for the alfredo sauce).
  3. Alfredo Sauce: Combine 3 cups roasted cauliflower to a blender along with all other alfredo sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning as needed. Thin the sauce with water as needed.
  4. Combine: Transfer cooked pasta back into the pot. Add the alfredo sauce and remaining roasted cauliflower. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot and evenly combined. Divide among serving plates and add garnish. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Read “Kaylie’s Tips” in the blog post for tips and recommendations.
  • Nutrition information below reflects the use of 12oz whole wheat pasta. The nutrition information will vary depending on the type of pasta you use.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
  • Calories: 425
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Fat: 8g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 69g
  • Fiber: 11g
  • Protein: 16g

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