I'm so excited to share this dairy-free fettuccine alfredo with you! I have tried so many different combinations of ingredients to create the creamy, salty flavour of a traditional alfredo and this recipe is the winner.
It's ready in minutes
Using only a few ingredients
With a creamy texture
A rich, salty taste
And no clumps!
Ingredients For Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
Even when I was making traditional alfredo sauce using parmesan cheese, heavy cream or cream cheese, and dairy-butter; I found that the sauce could very easily get clumpy. Many dairy-free recipes call for cashews and as it is difficult to blend cashews completely smooth, a smooth sauce is still difficult to achieve.
That's why I was hoping to create a recipe that had the same thick and creamy texture using silken (or soft tofu). The key for me... was adding a starch.
This recipe uses:
- Silken (or soft) tofu
- Tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
- Plant milk
- And reserved pasta water
These ingredients make up the bulk of the sauce and achieve that smooth but thick and creamy texture. The salty and tangy flavour that usually comes from parmesan cheese is achieved with:
- Lemon juice
- Nutritional yeast
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- And black pepper
Method
I was thrilled when adding starch to this recipe made the sauce thick enough that silken tofu was the only main ingredient needed. My excitement came from the fact that this sauce can blended up in minutes!
To make this dairy-free fettuccine alfredo:
- Boil pasta in well salted water and reserve some of the starchy pasta water
- Blend the sauce
- I use my immersion blender because it is easier to clean than my stand up blender!
- Heat the sauce for a few minutes at a low boil to fully activate the starch and thicken the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta
- And enjoy!
Adding Other Ingredients
To add to the salty flavour I crave with an alfredo pasta, I like to use salty additions for the pasta.
Sun-dried tomatoes and olives are great because they don't need to be cooked and can just be sprinkled on top of the pasta with some fresh herbs and my Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese Topping.
I often wilt in some greens like spinach because they can be added in the last minute or so of the cooking time and they don't really alter the flavour of the sauce. Alternatively, you can serve this dairy-free fettuccine alfredo with a quick dairy-free Caesar Salad to get those greens in!
If you want to add other vegetables or protein to this recipe I would suggest sautéing them separately. You can then stir them into the pasta just before serving. I have found that the flavour of the sauce can be diluted if vegetables or other ingredients are cooked directly in the sauce. I'm usually not picky about those small changes in flavour but for this recipe I really like keeping that alfredo flavour of the sauce as true as possible.
Recipe Cost For Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
This recipe makes 600ml of vegan alfredo sauce, serves 4, and costs us under $6!
The sauce alone costs us approximately $4.23 CAD. If I use a fresh lemon instead of lemon juice from concentrate, an extra dollar can be added to my cost.
A traditional alfredo sauce would cost us roughly $9.50. That's using ½ cup butter, 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup parmesan. Most traditional recipes though, call for up to 2 cups parmesan and many add cream cheese as well! A store-bought non-dairy alfredo sauce can cost us approx: $13.99!
This homemade recipe is so simple to make, so quick, and likely half the cost of other options! Oh... and the tofu provides a good amount of protein too.
Let me know in the comments below if you think this dairy-free fettuccine alfredo recipe is as easy, quick, and absolutely delicious as I do! Make my Easiest Vegan Garlic Bread to have on the side. And if you like this recipe, you might also love my Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!
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Easiest Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo In 20 Minutes!
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy dairy-free fettuccine alfredo in just 20 min! Smooth, creamy, & no clumps! Big flavour & huge savings compared to traditional alfredo!
Ingredients
- 450g fettuccine noodles
- 300g silken tofu (or soft tofu)
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk of choice
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup pasta water (or more milk as needed to thin the sauce)
Optional Toppings:
- 4 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Fresh chives
- Vegan parmesan
*All the ingredients for this recipe are from our pantry and freezer tips!
Instructions
- Boil water for your pasta. Salting the water well will help make the pasta more flavourful and achieve a fuller flavour for this alfredo (I usually skip that step but for this one it makes a huge difference). While your water boils, make the sauce.
- Add all the sauce ingredients to an immersion blender or stand blender and blend until smooth.
- Cook pasta according to your package instructions. Reserve some of the pasta water in a heat proof bowl before straining the pasta from the remaining water. *You can skip the pasta water and just add extra milk to thin the sauce as needed if you forget. The salted, starchy water is a nice addition to the sauce.
- Pour the blended sauce into a large saute pan, add the reserved pasta water if using, and heat over medium low until the sauce starts to bubble. Once the sauce boils, lower the heat and cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes to eliminate the flavour of the starch and to thicken the sauce. *If your sauce thickens too much, feel free to splash in a bit more milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Add cooked pasta and stir to fully coat the noodles. Remove from the heat and serve topped with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh chives, and vegan parmesan. *Alternatively, add in any additions you like (I often add olives or capers for salty additions along with spinach). If adding other vegetables, you can saute them separately and add them at the end of the cooking time. You can, of course, do all the work in one pan if that suits you best! I find the flavour of whatever vegetable you use can change the flavour of the sauce if they are cooked together.
- When reheating leftovers, splash in some additional milk if you want to get more of a creamy texture back. We often enjoy these leftovers like a cold pasta salad.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $4.23 CAD for the sauce ($5.23 with fresh lemon) and $5.74 with the noodles. A traditional alfredo sauce would cost us at least $9.50 using ½ cup butter, 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup parmesan (most recipes call for up to 2 cups parmesan and many add cream cheese as well!). A store-bought non-dairy alfredo sauce can cost us approx: $13.99!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Italian
Gabriel
Delicious! I was eager to try this recipe but only had firm tofu. Gave it a try and it was great. My blender is powerful so perhaps that’s why it worked out? Will definitely try it with silken/soft tofu next time.
I added sun-dried tomatoes, olives and mushrooms! Perfection
Kathryn Alexandre
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed it even with the firm tofu. Thank you so much for letting me know! Enjoy any leftovers if you have some and I hope you enjoy it even more next time with the soft tofu!
Ayaka
Hi from Japan! My boyfriend and I tried this out a few weeks ago and we absolutely loved it!
Kathryn Alexandre
Hello! Thank you so much for letting me know you loved it! That means so much to me. Thank you for the star rating as well!
John
This was delicious and is so crave worthy. I made it for dinner last night and just heated up leftovers for lunch and it is so good. Hard to believe there is no butter or cream in this. It tastes so luscious and indulgent. I made exactly as written with the addition of some frozen mushroom medley from Trader Joe’s that I microwaved and added to the finished pasta. I will definitely be making this again!
Kathryn Alexandre
This is awesome to hear John! We’re so glad you like it as much as we do and it reheated well for you too. I love the addition of mushrooms and I’m so glad this will be a repeat one for you!
Brianne
OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS SO GOOD! Made a double batch for my whole family and everyone loved it! Even MY KIDS!! 🙏
Kathryn Alexandre
👏👏 woohoo so glad you all loved it. Thank you so much for giving it a try and for letting me know it was a hit. I love this recipe too and still make it all the time! Thank you for taking the time to leave a lovely star review, that means a lot to us!
Lena Witzel
This is the best fettuccine alfredo I have ever had!!!
The sauce stayed nice and creamy and it was so easy to make. Topped with sun-dried tomatoes... yummm
Papa and granddaughter Mackenzie loved it too.
Thank you Kathryn, for introducing me to silken!
Kathryn Alexandre
Fantastic! I'm so glad you loved this one Lena and that it was a hit with Papa and Mackenzie too! I'm glad to have introduced you to the wonders of silken tofu 😆
Yvonne Bethe
Thoughti would never eat fettuccine Alfredo again. I am obsessed with this recipe!
Kathryn Alexandre
Oh yay! I was the same way so I'm glad you have it back in your life now too! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Lydia
Hi Kathryn, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, it looks amazing! I was wondering if I don’t use all the Alfredo sauce, can I freeze it?
Kathryn Alexandre
hmm I actually haven't tried freezing this sauce but I would suggest using tapioca starch to thicken it instead of cornstarch if the sauce will be frozen. Tapioca starch shouldn't break down in the freezer. Cornstarch however might make the sauce gummy when it is defrosted. Another option, if you don't have tapioca starch, is to blend the sauce without the starch. Freeze what you won't use and add the starch when you heat the sauce up on the stove (just be sure to make a starch slurry with a bit of water and add that to the sauce so the starch doesn't clump). Let me know if you have any more questions about this and I'm glad you're looking forward to making it!
M
Lovely recipe , will definitely be trying this. Am genuinely shocked at how expensive a shop bought non-dairy Alfredo sauces are even here in the U.K.
Thanks for this detailed reply .I usually batch-cook and was about to ask if this sauce can be frozen.
Kathryn Alexandre
You're welcome! I hope you like it when you try it and let me know if you do freeze it!
Susan
Made this for dinner tonight using whole wheat spaghetti. The sauce is delicious and so creamy. I did not have sun dried tomatoes, instead steamed broccoli to have on the side. I used a bit of the salted water from the pasta which did add the right amount of salt to sauce. Love this recipe and will make it often.
Kathryn Alexandre
I'm so glad this will be a repeat recipe for you Susan. Thank you for letting me know it was a hit and for taking the time to leave a 5 star review. This really means a lot!
Nancy
Hi Kathryn, I found another recipe to try since I had all of the ingredients in my cupboard. I made the Fettuccine Alfredo. I avoid salt and oil, but I wanted to try to give the recipe an honest review based on your instructions, no additions, no substitutions. I found out today that I had Tapioca starch, what a surprise! I'm having a difficult time writing since I have to put the fork down to type. It is absolutely the creamiest, most delicious sauce. I would use the Tapioca starch over anything else, it really makes a difference. I'm sorry I never thought to try it before. You are a genius in the kitchen and I mean that in a very sincere way. Your videos are entertaining, yet instructional. Very refreshing. Your recipes are well thought out and easy to follow. I am very appreciative of your hard work, you have a gift and I am thankful that you would share it with all of us. On to the next recipe!!!
Kathryn Alexandre
This means so much to me Nancy. Thank you so much for trying this recipe and for your very kind words. I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it and you've unlocked the power of tapioca starch! It's definitely the strongest starch I've worked with and I use it for my "cashew mozzarella" because it creates a pretty impressive "cheese pull" effect. I hope if you make this one again and try to adapt it to avoid the oil and salt you'll still enjoy the creamy texture and can boost up the flavour in other ways (I think tossing in some roasted garlic and/or adding in more lemon could unlock a bit more flavour).
Nancy
Dear Kathryn,
I am definitely going to make the Fettucine Alfredo recipe again and you are correct, I am going to make it without the oil and without the salt. I have been eating without it for so long that my taste buds are sensitive enough to pull out the subtlest of flavors. I know for sure that I will love it even more because the base flavors are strong enough to stand on their own. The oil and salt do add that something, something that recipes often need, but I have learned to enjoy food without it. Your are wonderful with or without oil and salt.
Kathryn Alexandre
I know what you mean about how your taste buds change. Ours have definitely become much more sensitive to sugar since we've been using less refined sugar and less sugars in general. With just a little bit of time to allow your body to change it's pretty surprising how easily we can adapt. This is why it's great for me to get feedback from people like yourself who are trying these recipes. Sometimes I wonder if I have become too used to less sugar, less oil, less salt etc and if others will enjoy these recipes. It's reassuring to know that you do and that you find them helpful! Thank you Nancy!
Lada
Just made it, absolutely delicious! Thank you🙂
Kathryn Alexandre
You're welcome!! I'm so glad you love it! Thank you for taking the time to leave another 5 star review Lada. We really appreciate it!
JM
I have tried a few different vegan alfredo sauce recipes and this is, by far, the best! So easy and creamy. Thank you for sharing this!
*on a side note, my husband and I binged Cardinal recently and you were great!
Kathryn Alexandre
Oh haha! That was a fun show to work on (even though the subject matter was a little grisly)! I'm glad you enjoyed "Cardinal" AND this alfredo! Thank you so much for letting me know that it was easy to blend together and you really enjoyed it. I appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave a 5 star review. That really helps! Thank you JM.
Tamara M Pottle
My husband made this for me. Absolutely delicious! He did mix in the sundried tomatoes into the sauce instead of just as a topping. Love, love, love!
Kathryn Alexandre
I'm so glad you loved it! Thank you so much for letting me know he made it and it was a hit. We really appreciate you taking the time to leave a 5 star review!