This creamy cannellini fettuccine alfredo gives the classic pasta a simple vegan twist. Cannellini beans blend into a smooth sauce that coats the fettuccine well. Lemon keeps the sauce fresh, while nutritional yeast adds the cheesy flavor you expect from alfredo. Chili flakes bring a little heat without taking over the dish.

This recipe comes from The Vegan Bean Cookbook by Andrea Soranidis. The beans cook with onion and garlic before they go into the blender with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and vegetable stock. A little reserved pasta water loosens the sauce and helps it cling to the noodles.

Serve this fettuccine for an easy lunch or dinner when you want something creamy but still full of plant-based ingredients. Finish it with lemon zest, parsley, and black pepper for extra freshness. You could also add peas, spinach, or roasted broccoli if you want more vegetables on the plate.

Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Bean Cookbook by Andrea Soranidis. Page Street Publishing Co. 2021. Photo credit: Andrea Soranidis.

Whip up this creamy cannellini fettuccine alfredo

This vegan fettuccine alfredo uses cannellini beans to make a creamy, savory sauce with lemon and nutritional yeast. It is an easy pasta meal for lunch or dinner and pairs well with simple vegetables on the side.

Creamy Cannellini Fettuccine Alfredo with nutritional yeast, onion, and lemon

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Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ yellow onion minced
2 garlic cloves finely sliced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 can cannellini or navy beans rinsed and drained
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup vegetable stock hot
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
13 oz fettuccine or other pasta shapes

To Serve

Zest of 1½ lemon
1 handful of parsley leaves finely chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until just soft. Then add in the garlic, chili flakes and beans and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened, adding a splash of water if necessary.
Transfer the sautéed bean mixture into a food processor. Add in the lemon juice and nutritional yeast, and pulse until it reaches a chunky consistency.
Set the food processor on slow speed and gently pour in the stock, a little at a time, and continue to blend until the sauce reaches a creamy texture. Season with a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and as soon as the water boils, fold in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes for fettuccine. Remove 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of water from the pot and set aside.
Remove the pot from the heat and drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot, stir in the vegan alfredo sauce and toss gently to combine all the ingredients, adding a little of the reserved pasta water until reaching a velvety sauce consistency.
Top the fettuccine with lemon zest, chopped parsley and freshly cracked black pepper and serve.

Umami-rich nutritional yeast is a key ingredient in the sauce, as it provides a cheesy flavor, so it’sworth picking up even if it’s not one of your pantry staples.

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