Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

5 from 1 vote
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An easy recipe for dairy-free Alfredo sauce. This dairy-free Alfredo sauce is so creamy and is also vegan and nut-free!

dairy-free Alfredo sauce over pasta in a cream bowl with a black napkin, salt and pepper shakers, and cutting board in the background.

Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

This rich and creamy dairy-free Alfredo sauce tastes so similar to the traditional dairy-filled Alfredo sauce. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients and is cooked in just 10 minutes. Plus this non-dairy alfredo recipe is also nut free and vegan.

You can see just how easy this dairy-free Alfredo sauce is to make in the detailed recipe step photos.

dairy-free alfredo sauce recipe ingredients

Ingredients In Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

  • Dairy-Free Milk: your choice here in dairy-free milk is important as the creamy texture and a lot of the flavor is going to come from this main ingredient. The one I used for this recipe is Silk Nextmilk (an oat milk and coconut milk blend with soy protein). Whatever you choose, make sure that it’s unsweetened. 
  • Olive Oil: the olive oil is used in place of butter and helps to sauté the minced garlic and create the roux with the gluten-free flour.    
  • Minced Garlic: the garlic packs a lot of flavor into this sauce. You can adjust the quantity in this recipe to suit your taste. 
  • Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: this helps to thicken up the sauce.  
  • Dairy-Free Parmesan: a key ingredient for getting the flavor similar to traditional Alfredo sauce.  
  • Nutritional Yeast: helps give the sauce that cheesy flavor. 
  • Salt: to help bring all the flavors together. 
  • Pepper: for just a little extra kick of flavor.  

How To Make Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

  • In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, sauté minced garlic with olive oil for one minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic. (photo 1)
  • Add gluten-free all-purpose flour to the saucepan and whisk for about 1 minute until the flour is all absorbed and the mixture starts to form a loose paste. (photo 2)
  • Add the dairy-free milk, dairy-free Parmesan, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper into the saucepan over low-medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a light simmer. (photo 3)
  • Let the mixture continue to simmer, still whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit. (photo 4)
  • Remove the saucepan from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests. 
  • Serve hot. Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature then store leftovers in a sealed food-safe container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
dairy-free alfredo sauce recipe step photo collage

Tips For Making The Best Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

  • The dairy-free milk you chose here is key! You want something that has a creamy texture and something that you enjoy the taste of. I first tried this recipe with soy milk but didn’t find that it made the sauce very creamy. Silk Nextmilk (an oat milk and coconut milk combination) had that creamy texture I was looking for. 
  • This dairy-free Alfredo sauce is an easy recipe to make and takes just a few minutes to prepare but don’t try to speed up the process by raising the stovetop heat above low-medium. Slow and steady is important for this recipe. 
  • Whisking these ingredients constantly while cooking is important. If you walk away from the saucepan, even just for a few seconds, the mixture could boil over or start to burn. Whisk constantly for the best results and the least amount of mess. 

How Long Does It Take To Make Alfredo Sauce?

From the time you start preparing the ingredients to the time you have Alfredo sauce ready to eat, you can expect about 15 minutes for this recipe (that includes the 5 minute resting time for the sauce).

Can I Freeze Alfredo Sauce?

No, this Alfredo sauce doesn’t freeze well. The oil based ingredients and the dairy-free milk ingredients start to separate from each other once frozen.

How Do I Reheat Leftover Alfredo Sauce?

The microwave or stovetop both work for reheating this Alfredo sauce. If reheating on the stovetop, reheat in a saucepan over low heat just until you see the first few bubbles of a simmer. 

What Goes With Alfredo Sauce?

The most popular pairing for an Alfredo sauce is serving it over your favorite pasta. Alfredo sauce is also great as rich topping poured over steamed vegetables or as a base for a homemade pizza. 

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How Long Is Alfredo Sauce Good For?

Alfredo sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed food-safe container. Like most foods, it’s tastiest when eaten fresh. 

Ingredients Substitutions For Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

  • If you don’t like dairy-free Parmesan cheese, you can omit that ingredient and substitute it with a ¼ cup nutritional yeast to get that cheesy flavor without dairy. The ¼ cup of nutritional yeast would include the 1 tablespoon already listed in the recipe. 
  • The olive oil can be substituted for dairy-free butter. 
  • Most types of dairy-free milk would work well in this recipe but I’d suggest something with a little bit of coconut milk for that creamy texture. For instance, if you prefer soy or almond milk, use 1 ½ cups of soy or almond milk plus ½ cup of unsweetened coconut milk. 
dairy-free alfredo sauce in a glass jar with pasta, black napkin, and cutting board in the background

Easy Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

This rich and creamy dairy-free Alfredo sauce tastes so similar to the traditional Alfredo sauce. Pair this sauce with your favorite gluten-free pasta and you’ll have a delicious meal the entire family will enjoy.  

Mama Knows Gluten Free e-book photo collage

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5 from 1 vote

Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauce

Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
dairy-free alfredo sauce over pasta in a bowl
An easy recipe for dairy-free Alfredo sauce. This dairy-free Alfredo sauce is so creamy and is also vegan and nut-free!

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups dairy-free milk (unsweetened)
  • ½ cup dairy-free Parmesan, I like Follow Your Heart
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, sauté minced garlic with olive oil for one minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Add gluten-free all-purpose flour to the saucepan and whisk for about 1 minute until the flour is all absorbed and the mixture starts to form a loose paste.
  • Add the dairy-free milk, dairy-free Parmesan, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper into the saucepan over low-medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a light simmer.
  • Let the mixture continue to simmer, still whisking constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens a bit.
  • Remove saucepan from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

  • Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature then store leftovers in a sealed food-safe container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • This Alfredo sauce doesn’t freeze well. The oil based ingredients and the dairy-free milk ingredients start to separate from each other once frozen.
  • Like Mama always says, “Check your labels!”

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 100kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 202mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 172IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 165mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: sauces
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @mamaknowsglutenfree or tag #mamaknowsglutenfree!

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1 Comment

  1. Easy to prepare with items we had lying around. We enjoyed not having to scour our local grocery for sometimes hard to find items like Vegan Cream Cheese or Sour Cream.

    We also have some allergies and we’re glad to find a recipe that didn’t call for the use of Tree Nuts.