This super easy vegan Alfredo sauce with coconut milk is dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. In less time than it takes to boil your fettuccine, you can whip up this rich and creamy sauce with just 5 ingredients.
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Even though vegan fettuccine Alfredo may seem like a difficult or fancy meal, it’s actually one of the easiest meals that you can make. You can go ahead and put this meal into your busy weeknight dinner rotation!
❤️ The secret to the sauce
The secret to making this sauce the perfect texture is tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour). The tapioca starch thickens the sauce giving it a stretchy cheese texture that stays consistent even after it starts to cool down.
*You can use corn starch, arrowroot, or potato starch instead of the tapioca starch, for a similar effect, but nothing matches the stretchy constancy of the tapioca starch. The other types of starch will also thicken and get gloppy once the sauce cools, whereas the tapioca starch will maintain its constancy even after the dish cools down.
I learned the miracles of tapioca starch when perfecting my stretchy vegan grilled cheese recipe. It is the secret ingredient that makes my cheese recipe stretch.
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Coconut Milk - for the base of your Alfredo sauce. Use 1 13/5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. The high-fat content in the coconut milk will give you the mouthfeel and satisfaction of real Alfredo sauce.
- Water - to thin out the sauce a little.
- Nutritional Yeast - for flavor. This isn't absolutely necessary if you don't have it or can't eat it, but it gives the sauce a nice savory cheesy flavor.
- Tapioca Starch - to thicken the sauce and give it a stretchy texture. You can use corn starch or potato starch instead, but you will not get the same texture.
- Salt - for flavor
- Garlic Powder - for flavor. You can also use fresh minced garlic if you would like.
- Liquid Smoke - for a smoked gouda flavor. This is completely optional, but I think it's delicious. It makes the sauce taste like smoked gouda cheese.
- Pasta - you can use fettuccine, linguini, or any shaped pasta that you like!
🥄 Instructions
- Simply pour a can of full-fat coconut milk into a saucepan and add water, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, and tapioca starch to the milk and give it all a stir.
- After all the ingredients are mixed, turn on the heat to medium-low and heat the sauce while stirring frequently until it starts to boil and thicken.
- Allow it to boil for about 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
- Once your pasta is cooked and rinsed, pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well and serve hot.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips
- If you like the flavor of smoked Gouda, add 2 tbsp of hickory liquid smoke for a smoked Gouda Alfredo you won't be able to stop eating!
- Top with sauteed mushrooms for mushroom Alfredo too!
- Use this sauce to make healthy vegan broccoli alfredo.
🥥 If you don't like coconut
If you use full-fat coconut milk, the sauce has a very mild coconut flavor. I also find that organic coconut has a stronger flavor, so you may want to use a brand that is not organic. If you don’t like coconut, you can easily replace the coconut milk with 1 3/4 cup plain soy milk and 1/4 cup of any neutral-flavored oil.
🍞 Can I make it gluten-free?
Yes, the alfredo sauce is naturally gluten-free, so you will just need to use gluten-free pasta. I like to use Tinkyada brand fettuccine noodles. As far as gluten-free noodles go, they are surprisingly delicious. However, this sauce tastes great on any shape noodles. Feel free to go ahead and use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Tip for making perfect gluten-free pasta: If you use gluten-free pasta, make sure to boil it in slightly more water than you would boil wheat pasta. Drain it in a colander and rinse well until the water runs clear.
🥡 Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: The coconut alfredo will keep well in the fridge for 3 - 5 days in a sealed container.
Freeze: This vegan alfredo freezes well and can be stored in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating: Reheat a serving in the microwave for about 3 minutes, or add it to a pan with about 1 tablespoon of extra water and heat until warm.
🌟 More easy pasta dishes
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 (13.5 oz )can coconut milk (full fat)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon tapioca starch aka tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional for smoked Gouda flavored Alfredo) smoked paprika will also work
- 1 16 oz. fettuccine noodles or any pasta of choice
Instructions
- Cook pasta of choice according to package directions.
- While the pasta is cooking, pour a can of full-fat coconut milk into a saucepan and add water, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, and tapioca starch to the milk and give it all a stir.
- After the ingredients are mixed, turn on the heat to medium-low and heat the sauce while stirring frequently until it starts to boil and thicken.
- Allow it to boil for about 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
- Once the pasta has been cooked, drained and rinsed, pour the Alfredo sauce over it. Mix well and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Use full-fat coconut milk for this recipe.
- You may sub the coconut milk and water for 1 3/4 cups of plain soy milk and 1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil.
- For a Smoked Gouda Alfredo, simply add 1-2 tbsp liquid smoke to the sauce. (I use Colgin brand. Some brands of liquid smoke are stronger than others, so you may want to add a small amount and then taste it.)
- You may sub corn starch, potato starch, or arrowroot powder for the tapioca starch, but it will not deliver the same texture.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published on August 8, 2018. It was updated on April 24, 2020, to include new images and more detailed information.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a comment and starred review! I would love to hear from you!
5 out of 5.
I was skeptical first because I never had coconut milk a day in my life. I took a random risk making this and I was not disappointed. Thank you!
I'm so happy that you gave coconut milk a try! It's a great vegan dairy substitute in many recipes! 🙂
wonderful. So happy to find an easy vegan aflredo recipe that doesn't involve soaking and blending cashews. This was fast, delicious, and I had all ingredients on hand. Thank you!
You're welcome, Tiffany. I love how fast and easy it is too! Glad that you liked the recipe! 🙂
Made this tonight and all I have to say is yum! The taste reminds me of the Alfredo sauce at Red Lobster 😋thanks for sharing.
I'm so happy that you like the recipe, Amy! 🙂
I’ve been trying to perfect vegan Alfredo for more than 20 years! Your Alfredo is sooo simple, soooo quick and unbelievably delicious! Now I don’t know why anyone would use cheese. This is a more affordable, easy sauce and without all the unhealthy cheese fats.
BRAVO!
I used corn starch bc I didn’t have tapioca and it was magnificent. Don’t let not having tapioca hold you back! I’ll do it with arrowroot next time. Many farmers grow it on my island but no one is growing tapioca. This is going to be our special Valentine’s dinner. Thanks so much!
I'm so happy that you liked the Alfredo recipe, Elizabeth. It is my go-to recipe anytime I want a super easy meal!
Just what I was looking for. The ingredients are so simple and I had everything on hand except for the tapioca starch, but I did have daiya cheddar style shreds for which the main ingredient is tapioca starch. This worked really well!
I'm so happy that you liked it, Hannah! Great idea to add some Daiya cheese for a little stretchiness.
Absolutely delicious! I added mushrooms and lightlife vegan chicken on top and it was a 10/10 meal. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you ❤️
I'm so happy that you liked it, Ana! 🙂
Excellent flavor! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I used 2 Tbs of nutritional yeast to cover the flavor of the coconut and give it a more cheesy flavor. I added onion salt, and black pepper, to taste. My husband detests garlic so I had to leave that out although I am sure it would be delicious for many others with it in. I only used 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. I will be making again!
I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe and you were able to make suit your taste. 🙂
My absolute favourite go to easy recipe! So delicious and everyone loved it!!
I'm so happy that you all like it, Melissa! 🙂
Loved this recipe! The consistency is amazing. It definitely has a strong coconut flavor in my opinion so next time I think I’ll try oatmilk and the oil as a substitute. I added plant based chicken and broccoli as well as a half bag of plant based Parmesan cheese. Delicious!! Thank you for the recipe♥️
I'm glad that you enjoyed the recipe. I find that different brands of coconut milk have stronger coconut flavors. Organic coconut milk seems to have the strongest flavor. The type with guar gum in it has the mildest flavor. Enjoy! 🙂
Oh my goodness. My husband loves Alfredo sauce but he’s lactose intolerant. I did not want to go to the store and searched my cabinet for anything I could make tonight. I saw some coconut milk and googled to see if I could use it in Alfredo sauce! I AM OVER THE MOON with your recipe! So good! We’re not vegan so I added some crawfish tails & spinach bc that’s what I had on hand.
10/10! Great recipe and it won’t upset my husbands stomach! Double win!
I'm so happy that you guys liked it! It's one of my favorites too! 🙂
I love, LOVE this! Milk is an issue for me, so I've been without an alfredo sauce for a bit. thank you so much! I could just drink this stuff!
You're welcome! I'm happy that you like it! 🙂
This was the best vegan Alfredo I've had! I used veggie broth instead of water, added a little more nutritional yeast and added mushrooms with spinach. I also added some Cajun seasoning for a little spice. It was really good and satisfied my craving. Thank you! This one will definitely be cooked again. It was super easy and tasted great.
Sounds delcious! I'm so happy that you liked the base recipe and made it your own! 🙂
Do you know what I should do if it’s a little bit too sweet? I don’t mind the coconut flavor, but it was so sweet. Very delish and thick though!
I'm not sure why it would be sweet, I wonder if it was the brand of coconut milk that you used?
I think that’s exactly what it was! I tried it again last night with target brand coconut milk and it was perfect. Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh, good to hear, Amber. I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
You didn’t use coconut cream by mistake the first time?
I didn’t, but I used the brand Goya the first time and then just target brand the second time. They both said unsweetened so I’m not sure why there was a huge difference
I have tried several dairy free alfredo sauces and made an equal amount of last min trips for take out. My kids groaned when I said I found another one to try. This was AMAZING!! Thank you so much for sharing
You're welcome! I'm so happy that you all liked this one! 🙂
Made this tonight for myself and my husband - I added an extra tbsp of nutritional yeast and only 1 tsp of the smoke which was MORE than enough. Will make again!
I'm glad that you liked it. Liquid smoke can vary in strength between brands, so you may have a more powerful brand. Smoked paprika is also a nice option to give it a smokey flavor. 🙂
Made this today! By far the best vegan Alfredo sauce I have made. Thank you
You're welcome, Kristie. I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
I used this recipe but made it my own! I used coconut cream, water, cornstarch, vegan mozzarella, vegan Parmesan, Tony’s creole seasoning, black pepper, and Cajun season. I added it to pasta & broccoli and it was great. Only use the same seasonings as me if you like spice.
Sound delicious! I love Cajun seasoning too! 🙂
Made it last night! Used a can of coconut cream and an extra tbsp. of nutritional yeast for extra cheesy flavor. Quite surprising how subtle the coconut flavor was! The sauce thickened up just enough to be of nice creamy consistency but not super thick. Since I used coconut cream, it will be an occasional treat due to all the fat and calories, but the mouthfeel was great and what a tasty treat it was! Served over shirataki fettuccine noodles and added steamed broccoli for volume and nutrition. I can see adding green peas and maybe even baked tofu cubes or chunks to mix things up. Will make it again for sure, especially considering how quick this sauce was to make. Thank you!!!
You're welcome, Beata! I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
My tapioca starch clumps up is there anyway to prevent this?
Make sure you stir the tapioca starch in while the liquids are cold. Starch dissolves in cold liquid, but not hot liquid. If you live where it is really humid, you tapioca starch may be clumpy from moisture in the air, if so, you can sift it as you would flour.
If I am not gluten free can I just use regular flour instead of the tapioca starch? I don’t have that on hand. Thanks
You can swap it out for regular flour or corn starch if you don't have tapioca starch. Enjoy! 🙂
Great recipe! I doubled the recipe and used what I had in the pantry: 1 can coconut milk, 1 little coconut cream can, 1 cup water, 1 roasted head of garlic, double the yeast salt/pepper and I added some garlic powder and onion powder at the end (about a teaspoon of each.) I subbed the tapioca for arrowroot 1:1 (x2) since that's what I had. Will be making this forever now.
Loved this recipe and my omnivore family thought it was delicious! I roasted broccoli in the oven and added it at the end for extra nutrition. This will be a staple in my house for sure!
I'm so happy that you liked it, Karen. It's one of my favorites too! 🙂
Very good and easy to make!
I'm glad that you liked it, Alisa! 🙂
Hi there, I was just wondering if the portion recommendations are adult sized? I'm going to make this for 4 adults and 4 kids but can't decide whether to double or 1 1/2 times the recipe 🙂
It's adult-sized servings. It's enough for a full pound of pasta, so 1 batch may even feed the whole family depending on how much the kids eat. (The coconut milk has a lot of fat in it, so it's pretty filling. Hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
Great, thank you. I 1 1/2 timed it (just in case) but hopefully that means I can freeze some for a rainy day 🙂 Very excited to try it.
Can I make a huge batch of this and freeze it for later use?
I think that you can, but we always eat the whole batch every time I have made it, so I've never tried freezing it.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It tasted delicious! My entire family and I cleaned our bowls! I was thrilled to have discovered this recipe after giving up on finding a vegan Alfredo that tastes similar to the real thing. I am excited about using this many times again!!
I'm so happy that you and your family liked it, Jasmine.
Can I use arrowroot powder in place of tapioca?
You can Amanda. It will thicken it, but it won't be stretchy like cheese unless you use tapioca starch. Enjoy! 🙂
I made this recently and was so surprised at how great it tastes! Since going vegan last year, I have been enjoying the search for good recipes and finding some phenomenal ones. I have been looking for a really great, cheesy, creamy sauce for pasta and now I've found it! I added peas, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli and whatever else I had in my fridge. It made a wonderful meal (my husband loved it) and is one that I will duplicate for guests. Thank you so much!!!
You are very welcome Barb! It's such a great sauce! I never get sick of it and the add-in possibilities are endless! Enjoy!!
Excellent!. I followed the recipe exactly without adding the liquid smoke. The sauce was served over penne pasta with a side of roasted asparagus. I thought I made enough to have leftovers for a few days but my 8 year old grandson wiped out the remainder the following day. Thanks for sharing.
I'm so happy that you all liked it, Karen! It's one of our favorites too! 🙂
My came out a bit watery, what did i do wrong I followed the instructions to a t.
I'm not sure. Mine has never been watery. Did you measure the tapioca starch correctly? That is what thickens it up.
Hi Monica, what could be used as a replacement for nutritional yeast please? Thanks Dianne
Hi Dianne, there is really nothing that tastes like nutritional yeast, so it's not easy to replace. However, there isn't much in this recipe, and it will still taste good if you just leave it out. 🙂
I've used Trader Joe umami powder or veggie bullion instead of nutritional yeast (or with). Umami powder is mostly shiitake mushrooms, I think. It's not a perfect swap, but it helps give it that delicious savory flavor.
Perfect texture on this recipe, btw! Thanks for posting, Monica!
I'm glad that you liked it, Katie. I have been wondering if the umami powder would be able to replace nutritional yeast for those who can have yeast.
you saved my life with this recipe! easy ingredients, easy to manipulate, quick to do! love love love!
I'm so happy that you liked it Kasia! It's the best vegan alfredo that I have found for sure! 🙂
Oh I just loved this recipe.
As usual I make changes as I go:
I crushed some dehydrated spinach into the sauce close to the end.
And added some of your basic cheese, chopped up. Didn't need to do that, but thought it wasn't going to be cheesy enough for this cheese love. I was wrong.
Thank you so much. It is getting a little easier to go vegan.
I'm so happy that you liked it Arye! It is surprisingly cheesy. You can always add more nutritional yeast too, but then it's more like mac and cheese than Alfredo. Enjoy! 🙂
Fantastic!!!!! I love this. I added cauliflower also.
I'm so happy that you liked it, Sandra! Cauliflower sounds like a delicious addition! 🙂
You can replace the coconut milk with a can of coconut cream and increase the tapioca starch by 2 tablespoons, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, and you have cheese. Adjust the seasonings while cooking - maybe add a few grinds of pepper and some mustard powder (without lumps).
Glad that you like it, Sue. This Alfredo sauce recipe actually came from my cheese recipe. (I use agar agar as well in my cheese to help it set into a firm sliceable cheese, but you can definitely use just tapioca starch and have a very soft stretchy cheese). I bet the mustard powder is delicious in it! 🙂
Ever try this over Spaghetti squash?
I have not, but it's delicious over just about anything! Let me know if you serve it that way. 🙂
Just stopping by to say that I tried this the other night. I had previously tried to do this with almond milk but it was too watery, definitely less creamy than with the coconut milk. I'm going to try this again, but this time will increase the seasonings. This was very easy and I'm glad I have a new meal for my vegan rotation. Thanks!
So happy that you liked it, Kelly! It's definitely more rich and creamy with the coconut milk! It's a great base recipe to dress up any way you like. I love to throw in steamed broccoli or sauteed mushrooms into it. It's also great with liquid smoke or even cajun seasoning. Enjoy! 🙂
Yum! This is the first comment I've ever left on a recipe website; I felt *that* compelled. :p
A few notes:
- I didn't add water, because the coconut milk in a can was a little watery.
- I also noticed you didn't mention how big of a can of coconut milk to use (in ounces), so you might wanna add that!
- I added 3 times the amount of garlic, because I am a garlic freak. 😀
- I also added about 2-3 times of yeast, to make it more cheesy.
- The coconut flavor was a little overpowering, so that's why I added more stuff.
- I also added a bit more salt when I poured it over the noodles. Perhaps I should've added the salt when I boiled the noodles, but I forgot to.
- I kept adding stuff bit by bit to my taste, but I do this with a lot of recipes. To each their own. 🙂
Anyway, this is delicious!!! I can't wait to make it again. 11/10.
To be fancy, I also added Gardein brand vegan "chik'n" strips, and pistachios. Pistachios taste surprisingly amazing in alfredo.
Thanks for this amazing recipe!!! Can't wait to try your other dishes. 😀
(Oh, and thanks for being vegan! You rule.)
So happy that you liked it Amara! All the coconut milk come in 13.5 oz cans where I live. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Heck yes, YUM! Recent forced switch to a dairy free lifestyle and this makes that transition easy as pie! Holy moly this is a good one. I’d give it 10 stars if I could. Thanks for posting this!!
Aww, thanks so much Lindsey! I'm so happy that you like it! It really is the ultimate vegan comfort food! Enjoy! 🙂
This is THE recipe I’ve been searching for since I stopped eating dairy, it’s so good. I’m wondering, have you’ve ever tried making a big batch and freezing it? I can’t get enough of it and I’d like to stock up the freezer with it, if I can.
So happy that you like it Mariah! I have never tried freezing it. Let me know how it comes out if you try freezing it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing. This is an awesome "leftover coconut milk" recipe. I always end up with 1/2 to 3/4 can in the fridge and could easily halve this recipe to use it up for a lunch for 2. I'll try your recipe for tomorrow lunch!
You're welcome! That's a great idea for leftover coconut milk! Enoy! 🙂
You're welcome! That's a great idea for leftover coconut milk! Enjoy! 🙂
Hi. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I would like to know that how we can call vegan if use pasta which made with egg ???
Onur, Most dry pasta that you find at stores is vegan. (At least in the United States, where I live). Sometimes fresh pasta has egg, but that is not the type of pasta that I'm referring to in this recipe. My recipes are all vegan, but it's up to the individual to read labels and make sure the products they buy meet their dietary requirements. I hope that you make this vegan Alfredo Sauce and enjoy it! 🙂
What herbs do you recommend for garnishing? Thanks!
I love lots of fresh parsley on it. It's also delicious with basil or even pesto mixed in. Enjoy! 🙂
Thank you! I used to love Alfredo Fettuccine before I went plant based and I've missed it a lot. This is so delicious and so healthy I feel good about eating it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks so much Annamarie! I'm so happy that you liked it! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your recipe, I would like to try it but what could I substitute for coconut milk? Could almond or rice milk be used? Please advise.
You can replace the coconut milk with 1 1/2 cups of any plain flavored plant-based milk that you would like, however, it will not be as rich and creamy as the coconut milk. 🙂
Could I use Walnut milk or oat milk? If so, add the oil like you would with Soymilk? 🙂
Yes, you can and I would add the oil and follow the directions as you would for the soy milk version. Enjoy! 🙂
Can I leave out the nutritional yeast or is that a requirement for the flavor? One family member cannot have yeast products...
Yes, you can leave it out, it just gives it a hint of cheese flavor, but it's still very delicious without it!
My boyfriend is allergic to dairy, soy, and nuts. I have been searching for a recipe similar to this for months. Fettuccine Alfredo was his favorite meal before his dairy allergy developed. I made it tonight and he said it is easily a 10 out of 10. He even licked his plate clean. Thank you so much!!
You're welcome Shelby! I'm so happy that this recipe worked for your boyfriend and that he loved it so much! 🙂
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I tweaked it to make Rasta Pasta. I cooked the sauce for longer than 30secs (coconut milk not fully cooked can give you the runs) and I added jerk seasoning. 👌🏾
Hi Lesley, Glad to hear that you liked it! Jerk seasoning sounds like a delicious addition!
I just made this dish and was extremely impressed by how it turned out and tasted. I added more veggies such as red onion, green peas, and bell peppers. This is going to be my new staple dish!
Ps. I also made vegan garlic bread to go with it.
I'm so happy to hear that you liked it Brittnay! Those veggies and garlic bread sound like a great addition! I love sauted mushrooms with it too! 🙂
Hi! This is delicious!! La hice el mismo día que me llegó la receta y es sabrosa y súper secilla de hacer. Es mi nueva favorita!! Gracias!!!
Yary, so happy that you like it! 🙂
I didn't have regular alfredo so I resorted to Pinterest! I had coconut milk on hand, corn starch in place of tapioca, and parmesan cheese in place of yeast. Turned out awesome, nobody would have known except I added smoked paprika so the colour was off. A few ingelredients call for liquid smoke so I may just get some to keep handy!
I'm glad that you liked the recipe, Trish! 🙂
Wow. 2 tbsp liquid smoke???
I use Colgins, proportionately that would be overpowering.
There must be some pretty watery versions out there...
I said the same thing ... but trusted the recipe ....It was too overpowering for me .... no Alfredo taste left so sad .
I made this last night.
Awesome recipe - easy, quick, creamy and tasty.
Thanks!
Oh great Emma! So happy to here this! It is crazy easy! 🙂