Where are my garlic lovers? Gather round and get ready for this indulgent tangle of creamy, garlicky, restaurant-level fettuccine that you can make from scratch really easily. If you have never roasted garlic in its skin, quite frankly, you don’t know what you are missing. It is absolutely deliciously mild and sweet, which is why we can get away with using two full heads in this recipe. If you aren’t a garlic fan or don’t have time to roast the garlic, there is no need to miss out on this slurpy, delicious vegan Alfredo pasta because it’s still super delicious if you make it without! But first, just in case you aren’t familiar with me, I am Melanie McDonald, creator of the popular vegan food blog A Virtual Vegan and author of Vegan Comfort Cooking.

1 tsp olive oil
2 large whole heads of garlic
½ cup (70 g) raw cashews, (soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes if you don’t have a high-powered blender then drained)
½ cup (50 g) ground almonds or almond meal, packed
½ cup (56 g) nutritional yeast
2 cups (480 mls) unsweetened nondairy milk (I like to use soy milk for this recipe)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp (10 g) salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 lb (454 g) dried fettuccine, or other pasta of choice

1 tsp olive oil 2 large whole heads of garlic 2 cup s (480 mls) unsweetened nondairy milk (I like to use soy milk for this recipe) 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp (15 ml) white wine vinegar 2 tsp (10 g) salt, divided, plus more to taste 1 lb (454 g) dried fettuccine, or other pasta of choice

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and brush a roughly 10" (25.5cm) square piece of aluminum foil with the olive oil.
Cut the top quarter off each garlic head with a sharp knife so the cloves inside are exposed. Then place the largest parts, cut side down, in the middle of the foil. Draw the foil up around them. Wrap and squeeze it tightly shut. Separately wrap the little pieces you cut off the top, too, and store in the fridge for another recipe.
Place the foil-wrapped garlic heads in the oven, directly on the oven shelf, and roast for about 40 minutes. Check whether they feel a little squishy through the foil. Return them to the oven for a few more minutes if not. If they are done, remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.
The garlic can be roasted in this way up to 4 to 5 days before you make the Alfredo and then stored in the fridge. I like to do it when I have the oven on to cook something else.
Make the sauce by opening the foil wrapping and squeezing the garlic cloves out of their silvery, papery skins from the root end, straight into your blender. They will pop out really easily.
Add the cashews, almonds, nutritional yeast, nondairy milk, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt; then blend until completely smooth. Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt, if necessary
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season with the remaining teaspoon of salt, add the fettuccine and cook for the time directed on the package. It usually takes around 8 minutes.
When it’s done, scoop out about ½ cup (120 ml) of the boiling water and set aside before draining the fettuccine.
Return the fettuccine to the pot and immediately add the sauce. Return the pot to the stove and allow it to warm through over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. It will thicken up a little as it warms up and you can loosen it to your liking with the starchy pasta water that you set aside. You won’t need all of it; just add it a little at a time, if necessary. Serve as soon as the sauce has heated through.
Leftover sauce can be reheated. It will thicken up when refrigerated, but just loosen it up with a little nondairy milk, warm through and it will be good as new!
KITCHEN COUNTER
Serves 5. Nutrition Facts Amount Per Serving (1 Serving) Calories 553 Fat 18g 28% Saturated Fat 3g 15% Cholesterol 76mg 25% Sodium 999mg 42% Potassium 528mg 15% Carbohydrates 77g 26% Fiber 6g 24% Sugar 5g 6% Protein 23g 46% Vitamin A 425IU 9% Vitamin C 9.5mg 12% Calcium 194mg 19% Iron 3.7mg 21% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
COOK'S NOTE
I like to top my Roasted Garlic Alfredo with some of my Cheesy Brazil Nut “Parm” (page 191) or some store-bought vegan cheese and red pepper flakes.
I like to roast lots of garlic heads at once, squeeze out the soft garlic cloves and freeze them in ice cube trays so I always have roasted garlic on hand.
It’s great in recipes like this, spread on toast with some sea salt for a snack, spread in sandwiches or added to creamy sauces, mashed potato and hummus.