Creamy Zucchini Alfredo Sauce (Nut Free/Dairy Free)

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This zucchini alfredo sauce recipe is light and creamy, low calorie, and made from blended roasted vegetables and spices! A perfect way to transform your summer squash into a delicious pasta sauce the whole family will love.

This plant-based alfredo sauce is super flavorful, and clings to each noodle.  No cashews, no dairy, and no cheese are needed for an unbelievably luxurious alfredo sauce. 

Want more great dairy & nut free pasta sauces? Try our acorn squash pasta sauce, delicious red pepper Romesco pasta, and our favorite angel hair pomodoro.

Note: this recipe was originally published in 2021, but I gave it an update in 2025 with more information and suggested additions and swaps.

We love a good creamy alfredo sauce, any time of year! It’s especially great in the summer when we have loads of fresh zucchini from the garden. Since the sauce is made with roasted vegetables and spices, it’s lower in calories and a lighter option than traditional heavy alfredo sauces made with cream and cheese.

Since this sauce contains no nuts or cashews, it’s great for a plant-based allergy friendly meal. The sauce to pasta ratio in this recipe is perfect. The noodles absolutely swim in the delicious flavorful blended sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

• It’s creamy, thick, and velvety.
• Loaded with vegetables, this sauce is a great way to get added veggies in!
• A great dairy free and nut free option for alfredo sauce.
• A perfect way to use up extra zucchini.
• Anyone can successfully make this recipe by following our step-by-step directions below.

A Great Plant-Based Pasta

I was inspired to create the recipe for this dish after my amazing Roasted Carrot Mac and Cheese (also vegan, gluten free, and dairy free).  The flavors in that sauce were insanely good, and I wanted to make a version for more of a classic alfredo. 

Making a sauce from roasted vegetables is an unbelievable way to get your servings in, and lighten up a sauce that is normally made from butter/cream.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

Fettuccine noodles: fettuccine noodles are perfect for this creamy zucchini alfredo, it’s a classic pasta shape for alfredo sauce.

Zucchini: This is the magic in this sauce! Fresh zucchini are roasted and blended into a thick and creamy sauce.  I actually used zucchini right from the garden for this.  But you can also use yellow squash if you have it on hand.

Onion, Garlic, and Parsley for added veggies.

Ground Mustard: for a great burst of savory flavor in the sauce,  a little bit of ground mustard goes a long way!  I keep this mustard powder in my pantry at all times!

Milk Alternative: soymilk is a great option since it is nut free.  Or use oat milk, rice milk, or coconut milk… any kind you would normally drink!  However, make sure it is plain and unsweetened.

Nutritional Yeast: a heap of this gets blended in the sauce, gives a great nutty and cheesy flavor to the alfredo. I am obsessed with Anthony’s Nutritional Yeast, its the best.

Additions and Substitutions

• You can use any long or medium pasta you wish – although thicker noodles work best. I like linguine, spaghetti, bucatini, rigatoni, or rotini for this sauce.
• If you don’t have mustard powder, you can omit it or add yellow prepared mustard or Dijon instead. The mustard gives the sauce a sharp ‘cheesy’ flavor.
• Any milk alternative works in this dish – just be sure you use a plain unsweetened variety. I like almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or oat milk. Just be sure it fits in with your dietary needs.

How To Make This Recipe

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Drain and return the noodles to the pot.  Set pot aside for later.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  On a large sheet pan, add the zucchini, onion, and garlic.  Pour the olive oil over the vegetables, add the ground mustard powder, and toss to combine so all the veggies are coated.
3. Roast in the oven for 40  minutes, flipping halfway.
4. Scoop the roasted veggies into a blender. Add the nutritional yeast and plant-based milk and blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.  The sauce should be thick and creamy.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
5. Pour the sauce over the cooked noodles, and stir well to combine.  Hear on low for a few minutes to warm up the noodles.  Add fresh chopped parsley for garnish, and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

Dietary Modifications

This sauce is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and dairy free!

The soymilk in the sauce makes this recipe nut free, but if you can use any milk variety that you would normally drink.  Oat milk is a great option.  Alternatively, you can use regular milk if you aren’t vegan or gluten free.  Just make sure any kind of milk you use is plain and unsweetened.

This recipe is gluten free, but if you aren’t gluten sensitive you can use regular fettuccine noodles in this dish and not GF.

This is a low calorie recipe – it calls for a little olive oil to roast the vegetables, but you can use a cooking spray to make this even more low calorie.  Or use zucchini noodles instead of pasta for a double dose of squash!

More Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes!

• Roasted Carrot Mac and Cheese
• Creamy Vegan Hummus Pasta
• Rigatoni Pasta Salad
• Instant Pot Penne Pasta
• Creamy Vegan Mushroom Tetrazzini

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

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