Ok, I called this Nooch Fettuccini alfredo to not immediately scare anyone off and hopefully intrigue my fellow meat eaters. <Deep breath> Okay guys, this Meatless Monday I have a vegan dish for you… STOP! DO NOT RUN AWAY!!!
Seriously, this may be vegan, but I’m hoping to convince you by the end of this diatribe that you won’t even know that it’s vegan… well, you’ll “know” because you’re cooking it ~ blah, blah, blah… but your *tongue* won’t “know.” Got me? 😉😉 Maybe not. Alright, screw it, let me just jump in here.
As I elaborated on yesterday, I am all about the almond milk. I know, I know. I’m a broken record… HAHAHAHAHA, that shows my age. Does the younger generation still say that? If they do, do they even know what the fuck it means??? Okay, me 👉🏻 “old” woman + almond milk = broken record.
So, I wanted to play with this new kick of mine for, <gasp>, Meatless Monday. I mean, heck, I’m already on board the diary free milk train (say that ten times fast). Why not utilize that for a vegetarian dish I post up each week? I did a little research, picked the brain of my vegan buddy, and started to piece together this meal. First, I switched over to cashew milk instead of my go-to almond milk. I read that cashew milk is creamier than almond milk, so it seemed more appropriate for an alfredo dish.
Then, I discovered nutritional yeast, aka nooch. Nutritional yeast is the vegan answer to cheese, for the most part. Bonus points! Nooch is an excellent source of both protein and vitamin B’s while also being low in calories. Annnndd, for all my meat eater buddies, it tastes just like adding Parmesan cheese to the sauce!
As is typical with my Meatless Monday meals, I loaded this up with veggies: namely shallots and Brussel sprouts, which I roasted in the oven sprinkled with leeks. In the sauce pan, I heat up vegan bacon ~ trust me, or don’t, but it adds a nice flavor to the meal… don’t want to add it, don’t! Or be adventurous and give it a go!
After that was heat up and chopped, I used the same pan to roast cashews and garlic, which I then threw into a blender with a couple tablespoons of cashew milk and processed until smooth (think MORE PROTEIN!). I used a TON of garlic, which really complimented the alfredo sauce! AND, if you have any hesitation that the sauce will not taste delicious, the garlic really gives it a pleasant boost. Plus, I added the zest and juice from one lemon and WOW did that just make this sensational!
I reserved some of the pasta water to add to the “cream” sauce. I ended up adding between half a cup and a cup of pasta water to get just the right amount of consistency. Just add in a little at a time (AFTER the pasta, veggies, and vegan bacon has been added and tossed with the sauce) until you reach your desired sauce consistency.
I guarantee that you will be amazed as to how closely this tastes to “authentic” fettuccini alfredo. PLUS, this is the best part… EVERYTHING factored in, including the pasta, this comes to UNDER 600 calories!! That is more than HALF the calories of a traditional fettuccini alfredo. You cannot argue your way out of that one! Whether you’re on a diet or not, being able to eat a bowlful of pasta guilt free is always a good night! Add that to the fact that you won’t even be able to tell the difference, double bonus!
And don’t blame me if you get semi-addicted to nooch and start sprinkling it on all your favorite pasta dishes, soups, nachos, popcorn, etc., etc., etc…
Enjoy!
Nooch Fettuccini Alfredo with Roasted Shallots & Brussel Sprouts
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Italian, pasta
- Cuisine: Dinner
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
16 oz fettuccini
1 lb Brussel sprouts, halved
6 large shallots, quartered lengthwise
1 leek, cut in half and sliced
1 TB olive oil
2 TBs vegetable broth
5.25 oz vegan bacon
8 garlic cloves
½ cup cashews
1 cup cashew milk
2 TBs nutritional yeast
1 lemon, juiced & zested
salt & pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F
Spread the Brussel sprouts, shallots, and leeks on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and vegetable broth. Sprinkle with salt and toss to thoroughly coat. Cook 20 to 25 minutes until nicely roasted. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the fettuccini until all dente according to the package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
In a large saucepan, cook the bacon according to the package. Remove and set aside on a cutting board to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
In the same saucepan, add the garlic cloves and cashews and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and evenly roasted. Turn the heat off. Scoop the cashews and garlic into a food processor and pulse. Add 2 tablespoons of cashew milk and blend until smooth.
Put the saucepan back over a medium heat and add the rest of the cashew milk, the cashew/garlic blend, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the pasta and roasted vegetables and toss to thoroughly mix with the sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to achieve the desired sauce consistency.
Serve immediately, topped with additional nutritional yeast if desired! Enjoy!
Keywords: vegan fettuccini, vegan fettuccini Alfredo, fettuccini Alfredo, fettuccini Alfredo with shallots, fettuccini Alfredo with roasted Brussel sprouts, fettuccini Alfredo with roasted Brussel sprouts and bacon
