This Cashew Shrimp Alfredo is a great recipe option if you love Alfredo Pasta but can't eat dairy.

Cashews make the sauce super creamy. Honestly, this sauce is much easier (and dare I say, tastier!) to make than traditional Alfredo sauce because it all comes together in the blender in about a minute.

It's worth a try even if you can eat dairy. Cook up some pasta, some shrimp and maybe some vegetables and top it all with sauce. Dinner is served!

Creamy pasta in a dish with broccoli and shrimp.

The Ingredients

Alfredo Sauce:
- Raw Cashews- Make sure that you are using raw cashews and not roasted as they won't blend up to the same creamy consistency. For best results, soak the cashews overnight.
- Water
- Garlic
- Lemon Juice
- Fine Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
Shrimp- The pasta and sauce is pretty filling all on its own so you can leave out the shrimp for a vegan option or substitute another protein of choice.
Broccoli- Feel free to leave it out if you're not a fan. Or you can try substituting another vegetable such as cauliflower, carrots or asparagus.
Pasta- If you need it to be gluten free, use brown rice pasta or another gluten free pasta. If not, you can use whatever you like best and feel free to use a different shape as well. Or you could substitute spiralized vegetables! You would need about 6-8 cups.

The Method

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a high powered and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Cook shrimp and broccoli your preferred method, such as steaming, boiling or frying.
Cook pasta to al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water before draining.
Combine everything together in the pasta pot over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes until heated through.

Bowl of one pot pasta with broccoli, shrimp and creamy cashew sauce.

Make Ahead

The sauce can be made up to 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Leftover Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Cashew Shrimp Alfredo Variations

Make Cashew Chicken Alfredo- Substitute 1 lb cooked and shredded or diced chicken breasts in place of the shrimp.

Add more greens- Stir in 2 cups of fresh spinach when you combine all of the other ingredients with the pasta.

Topped with Parmesan- If you don't need it to be dairy free, try topping with freshly grated parmesan cheese just before serving.

Serving Ideas

Enjoy this Alfredo alongside:

a simple Spinach Salad
Baked Herb Tomato Zucchini
A slice of Honey Oat Bread
Or check out this post with 23 Perfect Sides to Serve with Alfredo (Plus Toppings!) for even more ideas!

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

Chai Frappe (Also made creamy by cashews!)
Pot Pie Soup
Sautéed Spinach Pasta
Turkey Spinach Lasagna

Recipe Card

Cashew Shrimp Alfredo

Cashews make this dairy free Alfredo sauce ultra creamy! This rich and delicious dinner comes together quickly and easily making it perfect for busy weeknights.

5 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Servings: 4

Calories: 601kcal

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

1 cup raw cashews soaked overnight and drained
¾ cup water
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Pasta:

12.5 oz brown rice fusilli or other pasta of choice
4 cups broccoli florets
1 (12 oz) bag shrimp peeled and deveined

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Set aside.
Steam broccoli and cook shrimp. Set aside.
Cook pasta to al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water prior to draining.
Drain pasta and return to pot along with prepared sauce, 1 cup reserved pasta water, broccoli, shrimp and spinach. Stir and heat over medium low for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. If you would like a thinner sauce, add more pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftovers