Spaghetti Squash Alfredo secretly made vegan! The blind taster will never guess the rich vegan Alfredo sauce is made predominately of cashews. Swirl up a forkful of this plant-based play on the Italian classic for a veggie-packed dinner everyone will love.
Universally loved, yet seldom thought of as the most nutritious option on a menu, we're talking pasta Alfredo! Alfredo sauce is traditionally made with butter and Parmesan (and sometimes heavy cream), and often served with thick strands of fettuccine.
While undeniably decadent and delicious, it's also the type of pasta dish that warrants a nap afterwards. Unlike my lightened-up Creamy Pasta Florentine or Spinach Artichoke Pasta.
That us, until now.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo - Made Vegan!
Before we dive into the recipe, I want to share a few reasons why this dish should work its way into your weeknight rotation:
- Spaghetti squash is 100% allergen friendly--free of gluten, dairy, soy, and nuts--and easy for kids to eat.
- It's a great way to sneak in a few extra servings of veggies (especially for the picky eaters!)
- You can easily double the recipe to feed 4, or stick to the 2-serving quantities.
- It's a fabulous way to dip your toes into plant-based cooking, especially if you're trying to reduce your meat and dairy intake.
- It tastes so similar to the Italian classic, yet is significantly lower in saturated fat, and higher in fiber, protein, and magnesium.
How to Make Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
The ingredients for this recipe are simple and scrumptious—two of my favorite qualities of Italian-inspired recipe.
The Ingredients
- Spaghetti Squash: While it’s common to slice the squash in half for roasting, this recipe uses a different method to achieve longer, more spaghetti-like strands. The strands have somewhat of a spiral effect inside the squash, so by slicing it crosswise, you're preserving their length and further emulating their pasta counterparts. Trust me, it's a game changer!
- Cashews: Raw cashews create a knockout sauce without the heft and saturated fat of heavy cream. Just make sure to purchase raw cashews, as opposed to roasted/salted.
- Miso Paste: Miso is a fermented soybean paste and secret weapon for adding worlds of savory depth to vegan sauces. It’s the kind of umami-packed powerhouse ingredient that can make sauces and soups taste like they took hours to prep.
- You can typically find miso paste in the refrigerated section by the tofu in most grocery stores. Alternatively, if you live near an Asian market, they will have the best deals and largest variety of miso paste.
- Nutritional Yeast: Another staple ingredient for adding savory depth to this kale caesar salad. Nutritional yeast can be often be found in the bulk-bin section of most health food stores, or the spice aisle.
- Garlic: Just 1 clove of fresh garlic infuses the vegan Alfredo sauce with aromatic flavor.
- Parsley: To finish with a pop of color and freshness, garnish with parsley leaves.
The Directions:
Step 1: Soak Cashews
Place cashews in a small bowl and top with ½ cup of boiling (or very hot) water. Let stand while you roast the squash.
Step 2: Roast the Spaghetti Squash
Slice squash horizontally into 1 ½ inch rings. Use the edge of a large spoon to clean out each squash ring by scraping away and discarding the seeds and stringy membranes. Place rings on a rimmed baking sheet, and lightly each side coat with cooking spray. Season with ¼ tsp. salt, and bake for 40 minutes.
Let squash cool slightly, then cut through the outer edge of each ring so that you can pry it open to get the full length of the strands. Gently scrape out strands using your fingers or a fork. Arrange squash strands on a platter.
Step 3: Blend Vegan Alfredo Sauce
Pour cashews and soaking liquid into a blender or Nutribullet. Add lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso paste, and garlic; blend on high speed until creamy. Stir in black pepper.
Step 4: Assemble Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
Spoon Alfredo sauce over spaghetti squash, and garnish with fresh parsley leaves. If desired, add extra veggies (such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli), or top with extra chopped nuts. 
Recipe Variations:
- Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Broccoli: Prep a batch of my Perfect Sautéed Broccoli for a pop of green and extra nutrients. You can also use shredded Brussels sprouts here!
- Shrimp Alfredo Spaghetti Squash: Cook 12 ounces of peeled and deveined raw shrimp in a skillet until no longer opaque. Season with salt and pepper, and toss them in with the spaghetti squash and Alfredo sauce.
- Fettuccine with Vegan Alfredo Sauce: This sauce also works great with classic pasta noodles! Simply sub the spaghetti squash for 12 ounces of cooked fettuccine noodles.
Storage Tips:
- Store: Transfer the spaghetti squash and vegan Alfredo sauce to an airtight Tupperware container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: This recipe reheats best in a skillet. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and lightly grease with cooking spray. Add leftover spaghetti squash Alfredo, and cook until warm, tossing occasionally. If needed, add a splash of water, milk, or broth to help rehydrate the sauce.
More Spaghetti Squash Recipes to Try:
Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
Skinny Chicken Alfredo Stuffed Squash
If you make this recipe, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo (Vegan)
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Blender or Nutribullet
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 2-3 lb. spaghetti squash
- Cooking spray
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. white miso paste
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ tsp. cracked black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- Optional add-ins: sautéed broccoli florets or shredded Brussels sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes, wilted spinach
Instructions
- Place cashews in a small bowl and add ½ cup of boiling (or VERY hot) water. Let sit while you roast the squash (or a minimum of 30 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.Slice squash horizontally into 1 ½-2 inch rings. Use the edge of a large spoon to clean out each squash ring by scraping away and discarding the seeds and stringy membranes. Place rings on a rimmed baking sheet, and lightly spray each side with cooking spray. Season evenly with ½ tsp. salt, and bake for 40 minutes. Cut through the outer edge of each ring so that you can pry it open to get the full length of the strands. Gently scrape out strands using a fork. Arrange squash strands into three bowls.
- Pour cashews and soaking liquid into a blender or Nutribullet. Add lemon juice, nutritional yeast, miso paste, and garlic; blend on high speed until creamy. Stir in black pepper.(If desired, heat vegan Alfredo sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat until warm. Otherwise, it's closer to room temperature.)
- Spoon Alfredo sauce over spaghetti squash, and garnish with fresh parsley. If desired, add extra veggies (such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli), or top with extra chopped nuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Brittany
Just made this tonight and officially putting it in rotation! So impressed. Great recipe.
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Brittany! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Jeanie
Did I miss where the oven temp is?
Jamie Vespa
Hi Jeanie - so sorry about that! The correct oven temperature is 375ºF.
Laura
This looks amazing Jamie! I love that vegan cashew cream sauce! I didn't really watch any of the Super Bowl....we actually left at the beginning of the 4th quarter to go home and put the kids to bed! We couldn't believe it when the score was tied!! And we don't have TV soooo we watched the updates online lol!
dishingouthealth
Haha honestly, the only thing that held my attention was the halftime show. I'd much rather be twirling up a forkful of these "noodles" than watching any sport 😛
Recipes
Completely agree with you roasting your spaghetti squash that has proved to be a major game changer.
and all Recipes looks Good