I’m excited to introduce you to a new series I’ll be doing here on The Veg Life! called “Vegan On A Budget”. So many times I see comments around the web about how expensive it is to be vegan. And unfortunately, many are living on very fixed income forced to feed their families less than ideal meals. This series attempts to show you how to shop smart & eat healthy on a budget. Even if you aren’t on a fixed income, I think you’ll find the data informative and the recipes appealing.
Some of the posts will include: “Building a Vegan Pantry”, taking the “SNAP (food stamp) Challenge”, “Grocery Hauls” and “What I Eat In a Day”.
“Vegan On A Budget” will be a comprehensive multi-part series when the new and improved TheVegLife.com premieres late summer/early fall, but I wanted to start giving you a sneak peak at what’s to come!
So let’s get started with our first dish. This is White Bean Fettuccine Alfredo with Broccoli and Garlic Bread. A complete meal packed full of protein. You see, as the name implies, this alfredo is made from Great Northern Beans! Similar in it’s preparation to our Cauliflower Alfredo, this sauce is very smooth and creamy. The beans are very, very mild in taste and take on the other flavors we’ll be adding later.
Most of the recipes in this series are meant to feed two people. However, this sauce will easily feed four. You’ll just need to increase the pasta and broccoli to do so. You could also opt to make less sauce using one can of beans and to stretch it a bit, use slightly more almond milk. Be sure to taste for seasoning if you do adjust the recipe.
Here’s how it breaks down cost-wise. I’m including how much it cost me to purchase each item and the size I was able to get for that price as a form of reference. Obviously, not all areas of the country (or world) will be priced similarly. Some of your grocery items may be more (or less) than I was able to find them. That being said, this recipe in it’s entirety, serves two people for just under $5.00! We assume you’ll already have the very basics for your pantry such as salt, pepper, etc.
To begin, drain and rinse two 15 oz. cans of Great Northern Beans or soak 1 C of dried beans overnight, drain and rinse. Dried beans are almost always less expensive, especially since you can buy in bulk which will make your budget go that much further.
Place the beans into a food processor. Add melted and garlic-infused vegan margarine to the beans. Additionally, add the lemon juice, almond milk and nutritional yeast. If you are unfamiliar with nutritional yeast, you can read my blog post here. It provides a nutty, “cheesy” flavor and wealth of vitamins, minerals and protein. Speaking of protein, this recipe boasts nearly 21 grams per serving!
Process the beans until you achieve a smooth, creamy sauce. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Transfer the sauce to a large saute pan to heat through. If it seems too thick, add a bit more almond milk.
So let’s get that fettuccine cooking! Pasta is one of those foods that is quite inexpensive. At my local store, we can almost always find pasta for $1.00 per box. Dollar stores are another alternative for these items.
The sauce will thicken as the starches from the pasta seep into it, so combine just prior to serving.
We found frozen broccoli for $1.00 per 1 pound bag as well as .99 french bread still warm from the grocery store bakery. We’ll also be posting a recipe for french bread so that you can make your own. There are savings to be found in making your own bread. Though it isn’t difficult, it may seem a bit too time consuming for some.
Another area of savings is in growing your own herbs. From my local Home Depot, I was able to buy several plants at $2.00 each. From these, I can get a continual supply of fresh parsley, thyme, green and purple basil, oregano and mint. If you live in an area where you can garden, you can save even more on some of your produce. Here in Arizona, I patio garden. It gets too hot, so the herbs come inside during the summer months.
We served the pasta with fresh tomatoes and steamed broccoli florets. A few wedges of lemon and a sprinkle of parsley round out the dish. At just $2.49 per person, this makes a hearty and nutritious meal.
The full meal, including broccoli and two slices of french bread come in at just under 500 calories per serving. Check out that protein, nearly 21 grams!
Before you go, why not check out some of our recent videos and be sure to subscribe to the YouTube Channel! 🙂
White Bean Fettuccine Alfredo {Vegan}
Ingredients
- 4 oz Fettuccine
- 1 C Dried Great Northern Beans (if using dried, soak overnight and cook according to package instructions), or two 15 oz. Cans
- 4 tbsp Vegan Margarine
- 3 Cloves Garlic or to taste
- 1 C Almond Milk or other non-dairy
- 1-1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 8 oz Broccoli Florets
- 1 Tomato such as Roma
- 1/2 Loaf French or Italian Baguette
- Parsley for garnish
- Lemon Wedges for garnish
Instructions
- If using dried beans, soak over night and cook according to package instructions. If using canned, drain and rinse well.
- In a large saute pan, melt the vegan margarine and add the garlic cloves. Cook for 2-3 minutes to infuse the garlic flavor.
- Add the drained beans and vegan margarine mixture to a food processor.
- To that, also add the lemon juice, nutritional yeast and almond milk. Season with salt and pepper.
- Puree until absolutely smooth in texture.
- To that same saute pan, add the now processed mixture to reheat.
- Meanwhile, prepare the fettuccine and broccoli florets.
- Serve the sauce over prepared pasta. If mixing, do so just before serving as the starch in the pasta will thicken the sauce.
- Serve with broccoli florets and a few slices of homemade or store bought baguette.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon.
Jim Webster says
I’m going to use your recipe. Looking forward to the series.
paul says
i tried it last night . was creamy and tasty. used zucchini as my pasta. used whole grain bread.
Cheryl Northrup says
I was thrilled to read this recipe before I noticed the Earth Balance. I will still try it, but we are trying LowFat Vegan, so I was disappointed to see it. I keep hoping for a creamy fettucini that doesn’t use fat! But, otherwise, it sounds great! And I appreciate the budget approach.
Thank you.
aimee says
Hi Cheryl, you could always substitute the Earth Balance. Or leave it out all together and use more non-dairy milk. While my site doesn’t specifically cater to low-fat vegan diets (or any other vegan-specific diets for that matter), I always suggest using my recipes as a guide and adjusting them to your dietary needs and/or preferences. I don’t think I’ve ever made a recipe as written. I would strongly suggest tasting as you go along as the need for seasoning may change, but I honestly think you would like it sans the vegan margarine. Would love to hear how it turns out if you try it! 🙂
LeLe says
Thank you for sharing. Looks great. I can’t wait to try it.
Jennifer says
You could also use one or two cashew in place of butter if you don’t have a nut allergy 🙂
Ines Di Lelio says
HISTORY OF ALFREDO DI LELIO CREATOR IN 1908 OF “FETTUCCINE ALL’ALFREDO” (“FETTUCCINE ALFREDO”), NOW SERVED BY HIS NEPHEW INES DI LELIO, AT THE RESTAURANT “IL VERO ALFREDO” – “ALFREDO DI ROMA” IN ROME, PIAZZA AUGUSTO IMPERATORE 30
With reference of your article, I have the pleasure to tell you the history of my grandfather Alfredo Di Lelio, who is the creator of “Fettuccine all’Alfredo” (“Fettuccine Alfredo”) in 1908 in the “trattoria” run by his mother Angelina in Rome, Piazza Rosa (Piazza disappeared in 1910 following the construction of the Galleria Colonna / Sordi). This “trattoria” of Piazza Rosa has become the “birthplace of fettuccine all’Alfredo”.
More specifically, as is well known to many people who love the “fettuccine all’Alfredo”, this famous dish in the world was invented by Alfredo Di Lelio concerned about the lack of appetite of his wife Ines (my grandmother), who was pregnant with my father Armando (born February 26, 1908).
Alfredo di Lelio opened his restaurant “Alfredo” in 1914 in Rome and in 1943, during the war, he sold the restaurant to others outside his family.
In 1950 Alfredo Di Lelio decided to reopen with his son Armando his restaurant in Piazza Augusto Imperatore n.30 “Il Vero Alfredo” (“Alfredo di Roma”), whose fame in the world has been strengthened by his nephew Alfredo and that now managed by me, with the famous “gold cutlery” (fork and spoon gold) donated in 1927 by two well-known American actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks (in gratitude for the hospitality).
See also the website of “Il Vero Alfredo”.
I must clarify that other restaurants “Alfredo” in Rome (as Alfredo alla scrofa or Alfredo’s gallery) do not belong to my brand and are out of my family tradition of “Il Vero Alfredo – Alfredo di Roma”.
I inform you that the restaurant “Il Vero Alfredo –Alfredo di Roma” is in the registry of “Historic Shops of Excellence” of the City of Rome Capitale.
Best regards Ines Di Lelio
Jennifer L says
This looks delicious! And I’m super excited about your new series of budget recipes!
Yum Girl says
What a great challenge! I worked in SNAP administration for our state for almost 20 years and know that it takes a great deal of effort to work within the budget.
We are now following you on all your social media and hope you will do the same………that way we can tag you when we share your submissions on many of the 11 platforms available to us.
Kelli from Yum Goggle
Paula says
Have just made this Alfredo sauce and it is absolutely wonderful. Incredibly rich and creamy, with a hint of earthiness from the beans. I love it! The only modification I made to the recipe was that I sauteed the garlic in cold-pressed rapeseed oil rather than vegan margarine, and then added just a little margarine to the food processor along with the other ingredients. I’m a fairly new vegan, but will be making this over and over again, I’m sure. Thanks for a great recipe!
gail says
99%pasta is made with eggs and have you read what is in vegan margarine and margarine itself that stuff is soooo bad for you also a lot of soy which is used in vegan is now gmo there is no way of knowing unless the manufacturer volunteers information watch labeling natural has no meaning organic really means no pesticides so what kind of soil is your organic grown in full of chemical fertilizers? unless you know the farm uses compost methods organic really doesnt have much meaning either…vegs grown in compost soil are shown to have more flavor (due to sugar analysis) and more trace elements which our diets need there is a whole science to composting and using it in gardens for your vegs
aimee says
Hi Gail, Please understand that this site features recipes that are vegan-friendly (meaning no animal products or by-products) period. I make no additional claims regarding dietary concerns. I am not sure where you are buying your pasta, but even this one by Barilla is egg-free: https://www.barilla.com/en-us/products/pasta/classic-blue-box/fettuccine?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PastaShapes-CBBFettuccine-Brand-BMM&utm_term=barillafettuccine In reference to your comment about vegan margarine, this one by Earth Balance is Vegan, Non-GMO and Soy-Free: http://earthbalancenatural.com/product/soy-free-sticks/. Labeled very clearly. At the end of the day, I leave it up to the reader to make their own decisions and/or substitutions if there is concern regarding an ingredient. As it is impossible to please everyone, my recipes will remain “vegan-friendly” unless additional claims are stated. It seems you have several dietary concerns that maybe a nutritionist may be better able to assist you with. Good luck! 🙂
Judith Arayaes says
Omg so so yummy!!!! My toddlers loved it and so did i. Brilliant way to use beans. And a change from the also yummy cashew alfredo.
Roger Nehring says
I made this tonight and I suggest a sprinkle of Liquid Aminos. It tastes like smoked cheese! Great recipe. Easy, inexpensive and nutritious. What a winner!
Robin Delargy says
I used this recipe as a sauce for potatoes au gratin, and it was wonderful. The only suggestion I have is to point out that dried beans need to be cooked after soaking. 🙂
This recipe will be a regular part of my diet from now on. Now, time to check out the rest of your site. Thank you!
aimee says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And, you are right…I forgot to mention the cooking. It’s fixed now. Thanks for the lovely comment 🙂
Tiffany says
This is good, but more of a soup. Definitely not Alfredo, at all.
aimee says
Sounds like yours turned out a bit too thin. I am planning on retesting and photographing this recipe, so I’ll see what I can figure out!