Alfredo Sauce with Coconut Milk

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.

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!

What makes this vegan Alfredo thick and cheesy?

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, arrow root, 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.

How do I make Alfredo sauce with coconut milk?

1. Simply pour a can of full fat coconut milk into a sauce pan and add water, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, and tapioca starch to the milk and give it all a stir.
2. After all ingredients are mixed, turn on the heat to medium low and heat the sauce while stirring frequently until it starts to boil and thicken.
3. Allow it to boil for about 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
4. Once your pasta is cooked and rinsed, pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well and serve hot.

Tips for making great vegan Alfredo sauce:

• 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 sauted mushrooms for mushroom Alfredo too!

What if I don’t like the flavor of coconut?

This Alfredo sauce has a very mild coconut flavor, but 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 oil.

What type of pasta can I use to make gluten free fettuccine Alfredo?

Since we are gluten free, I make this dish with Tinkyada brand fettuccine noodles. (the noodles pictured)  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 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 colondar and rinse well until the water runs clear.

5 from 2 votes

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ALFREDO SAUCE WITH COCONUT MILK

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

3 mins

Total Time

5 mins

 

A rich and creamy vegan Alfredo sauce made with coconut milk that is free of gluten, soy, and dairy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: gluten free, Italian, vegan

Keyword: alfredo sauce with coconut milk, alfredo with coconut milk, vegan alfredo

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 317 kcal

Author: Monica

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk (full fat)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tsp tapioca starch aka tapioca flour
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp liquid smoke (optional for smoked Gouda flavored Alfredo)
• 1 16 oz. fettuccine noodles or any pasta of choice

Instructions

1. Cook pasta of choice according to package directions.

2. While the pasta is cooking, pour a can of full fat coconut milk into a sauce pan and add water, salt, nutritional yeast, garlic, and tapioca starch to the milk and give it all a stir.

3. 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.

4. Allow it to boil for about 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.

5. Once pasta has been cooked, drained and rinsed, pour the Alfredo sauce over it and mix well and serve hot.

Recipe 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 2 tbsp liquid smoke to the sauce.
• You may sub corn starch, potato starch or arrow root powder for the tapioca starch, but it will not deliver the same texture.

Nutrition Facts

ALFREDO SAUCE WITH COCONUT MILK

Amount Per Serving

Calories 317 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 12g 18%

Saturated Fat 9g 45%

Cholesterol 47mg 16%

Sodium 317mg 13%

Potassium 261mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 42g 14%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 1g

Protein 9g 18%

Vitamin A 0.7%

Vitamin C 0.6%

Calcium 2.8%

Iron 15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Don’t forget to pin the Alfredo sauce with coconut milk for later!

Do you want another delicious pasta sauce?

Try this vegan vodka sauce!

Monica

Creator Of Vegan Recipes, Writer, And Photographer For The Hidden Veggies