Easy Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce (Vegan Option)
Fettuccine Alfredo is not just for those who are gluten and dairy tolerant. This gluten free alfredo sauce is elegant and delicious. Perfect for any meal and can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Pair it with your choice of protein or serve it as an appetizer at your next delicious dinner party.
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The Real Thing? Nope!
Neither of these recipes is considered to be a traditional fettuccine alfredo. Traditionally, to make the sauce you use these simple ingredients: starchy pasta water, butter, cheese, and black pepper. It is all emulsified to make a delicious white sauce. The challenge with making the traditional version is the starchy pasta water. Not all gluten free pasta release the same amount of starch in the water and some discolor the water. So to get a thickened sauce like the Italian restaurants we opted for the reduced cream method and thickening with arrowroot powder for the vegan alfredo sauce.
Parmesan cheese and Nutritional Yeast
These are by far the stars of these sauces. Nutritional Yeast and parmesan cheese bring the sauce to another flavor level and are considered umami bombs. Umami is also referred to as the fifth taste, this savory taste is hard to describe but you definitely notice it and is found in multiple foods. Needless to say, it plays an important part in your alfredo sauce. If your budget allows, please buy Parmigiano-Reggiano. The great flavor is so much better than cheese labeled as parmesan.
Reducing Cream
To make a reduced cream sauce can seem daunting but it really isn’t as long as you follow some basic guidelines.
To keep from scorching your cream sauce make sure you use a heavy bottom pan. Heavy bottom pans distribute the heat evenly to help prevent the milk solids from burning on the bottom of the pan.
Don’t reduce cream past 50%. Once you reduce the cream by more than 50% it will curdle. Just make sure you pay attention.
Never put the lid on the pan. The water droplets from the lid will make your sauce separate.
If you didn’t follow the above guidelines and your sauce breaks, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and whisk into your sauce to bring it all back together.
Serving Options
Low carb – skip the gluten free pasta and make zoodles instead. Both alfredo sauces are low in carbs so for those watching the carbs, this is a good alternative.
Protein pairing – this would be delicious with drained cannellini beans, tofu, or add chicken to make it chicken alfredo.
Sides – pair with a simple salad or steamed vegetables.
Special Equipment/Ingredients
- My favorite fettuccine pasta – Cappello’s Almond Flour pasta
- Thickener for vegan alfredo sauce – arrowroot powder
- Delicious nutritional yeast
- Cheese Grater – Cuisinart Boxed Grater
Gluten Free Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces gluten free fettuccine pasta Cappello’s Almond Flour pasta is my favorite pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter or Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 or 2 smashed garlic cloves peeled
- 1 cup heavy cream or non-dairy milk almond milk or coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder vegan version
- 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast vegan version
- 2/3 ounce 38 grams Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- Black pepper garnish
- Fresh Parsley optional garnish
Instructions
Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. For best results, cook the gluten free pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Heat up the olive oil over medium low heat in a medium skillet. Add the minced garlic or smashed garlic clove and cook until fragrant around 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic.
- Add the non-dairy milk. Increase to medium heat stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom does not burn. It’s okay to see a layer of butter or oil on top.
- Once the milk has come to a boil, make a slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of milk or water and the arrowroot powder in a small bowl. Add to the milk and whisk to combine. Remove the crushed garlic, if used. Remove from the heat and add the nutritional yeast and combine with a whisk. Taste for salt.
- Combine with the pasta of your choice and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.
Dairy Alfredo Sauce
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. Cook the gluten free pasta according to the instructions on the package.
- Melt the butter or oil over medium low heat in a medium skillet. Once the butter is melted add the minced garlic or smashed garlic clove and cook until fragrant around 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic or the butter.
- Add the heavy cream. Increase to medium heat stirring occasionally to ensure the cream does not break. It’s okay to see a layer of butter or oil on top, it will emulsify.
- Reduce the sauce to 2/3 cup. Once reduced, remove the crushed garlic (if used) and turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner. Add the parmesan and salt. Stir to combine and taste for additional salt. If you want a thinner sauce, add pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Combine with the pasta of your choice and garnish with freshly cracked black pepper.
