Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Graham is a big fan of fettuccine alfredo and is always tempted to order it when we go out for Italian food.  While this creamy, buttery, and cheesy dish is delicious, its ingredients pack a fatty punch—which has no doubt led to its notorious nickname: “heart attack on a plate!”

Given the unhealthy nature of fettuccine alfredo, I was excited when I came across a healthier vegan version in one of my cookbooks.  The base of this creamy dish is actually four bulbs of braised garlic (!).  It sounds like this would be enough garlic to ward off vampires for life, but surprisingly the flavor of this dish is not overwhelmingly of garlic.  While the flavor is a little different than traditional fettuccine alfredo, give it a try if you want a healthier but still very tasty alternative!

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Adapted from The Millennium Cookbook

I found that this recipe makes enough sauce for two batches of noodles.  You could double the amount of noodles if you have a crowd to feed, or save half of the sauce for another night.   Leave out some of the almond milk if you’d like a thicker sauce.

• 1 lb of fettuccine noodles
• 3 cups almond milk or soy milk
• 4 bulbs of braised garlic (see recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package.

In a blender, combine the almond milk, braised garlic, nutritional yeast, miso, and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Heat the sauce in a large pot over low heat.  After the pasta has been cooked and drained, add it to the sauce in the large pot and stir to combine.  Garnish the pasta with minced parsley before serving.

Braised Garlic

• 4 large bulbs of garlic
• 1 cup vegetable broth or white wine
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Cut off the very top of the garlic, so that the cloves are exposed.  Place the garlic bulbs on a small baking dish lined with foil, and add the stock or wine and fresh herbs.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1½ hours, or until the garlic is soft and is starting to brown.   Once the garlic is cool, squeeze it out of the peels. 

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