ThisDairy Free Fettucine Alfredo is an simple dinner recipe that's rich, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying! Enjoy this vegetarian and vegan version as is, or add your favorite proteins and veggies.
When We was younger, We thought fettuccine alfredo was IT. Thick fettuccine noodles swimming in a sea of cheesy, creamy alfredo sauce…YUM!
So when We started going dairy-free almost a decade ago, We was worried We'd have to give up the beloved favorite pasta dish. But then, We created this dairy-free fettuccine alfredo recipe that puts the classic creamy pasta back into the life again.
We first shared this recipe back in 2018. Since then, We've updated it to add more helpful details and photos.
And over the past several years, so many of you have come to love this recipe as well, which makes the heart so happy!
✨ Looking for more popular dairy-free recipes? Check out this reader favorite dairy-free mac and cheese recipe.
❤️ Why you'll love this family favorite (and reader favorite!) recipe
We love this dish, friends. It has a permanent spot in the family's dinner rotation. And it's become a reader favorite over the years as well, for so many reasons!
- The sauce is rich and creamy, so you won't miss the dairy.
- It's versatile: see the ingredient notes for alternative dairy-free options.
- It's a tasty vegetarian and vegan recipe.
- You can enjoy it as is or add your favorite protein and veggies.
- It's a beloved recipe by kids and adults alike.
Ingredient notes
This vegan alfredo sauce is simply as rich and creamy as the original.
- Coconut milk – gives it a bit of a nutty flavor, which you would normally get with traditional parmesan cheese anyway, but it's simply a different kind of nuttiness to it. If you prefer, you can also use almond milk or soy milk.
- Dijon mustard adds simply a hint of a tanginess to the sauce.
And of course, this dish requires lots of minced garlic, freshly cracked black pepper, and freshly chopped parsley.
A note about nutritional yeast
What gives the dairy-free, vegan cream sauce the "cheesy" flavor is a quarter cup of nutritional yeast.
If you've never had Nutritional Yeast before, you should know it's different than the quick rise yeast you use in baking. It is a deactivated yeast that is usually sold in flake or powder form in the bulk aisle or baking aisle of grocery stores. Luckily it has become more popular in the past few years and easier to find nationwide.
We use the Bragg brand of nutritional yeast flakes; it's a popular one that you can purchase online and in many grocery stores around the United States.
It has a nutty flavor that (loosely) resembles parmesan cheese, which makes it an excellent cheese substitute in this fettuccine alfredo recipe and in so many other "cheesy" vegan dishes.
Serving suggestions
This dairy free fettuccine alfredo is tasty served with a side of homemade bread. Try our air fryer garlic bread, pesto bread, or homemade French bread.
Boost the nutritional value of your meal by serving it with a cucumber mint salad, arugula and pear salad, or cucumber shrimp salad.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
What's the best pasta shape to use for this recipe?We find that wider, thicker pastas like fettuccine, tagliatelle, papperdelle, and linguine go best with this dairy-free alfredo sauce. The thick sauce needs a long, thick pasta that it can cling to.
You can also use pasta shapes that help hold the rich, creamy vegan alfredo sauce in. Pastas such as fusilli and rotini could work.
We've enjoyed this dairy-free pasta with chicken, shrimp, and even Italian sausage.
What are some good vegetables We can add to this pasta?Broccoli is the favorite veggie addition for this dairy free pasta. You can also add spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, or tomatoes.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
This creamy vegan fettuccine alfredo, like other creamy pasta dishes, pairs well with white wine. Try one of these three wines the next time you make this dish:
- Sauvignon Blanc – This crisp white wine provides a lively contrast to the right sauce.
- Pinot Grigio – This is another refreshing white wine that has the acidity to help cut through the creaminess of the sauce.
- Chardonnay – go for a lightly oaked Chardonnay. The subtle buttery notes will complement the creamy sauce.
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you truly loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo
By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 4 people This Dairy-Free Fettuccine Alfredo is rich, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying!Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced, use less or more, depending on how much you like garlic!
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 14.5-ounce can coconut milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable stock or broth
- 2 tablespoons reserve hot pasta water, use more if your sauce needs it
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
- In a large saucepan, add vegan butter and garlic over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 1-2 minutes, until butter is simply melted.
- Sprinkle flour into the pan and stir simply until the flour is incorporated into the butter. Slowly add in the coconut milk and vegetable stock; use a whisk to stir away clumps and combine ingredients.
- Whisk until the mixture comes to a low boil then starts to thicken a bit. Add two tablespoons of hot starchy pasta water (the water from the pot in which you cooked the pasta) and continue to stir continuously for another minute. The sauce will continue to thicken, so it shouldn't be super thick yet at this point, but it should be thicker than when you started stirring the liquid.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and nutritional yeast flakes. Stir until the flakes have melted. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and gently toss together with the sauce, coating all of the pasta evenly.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
Notes
Makes approximately 4 servings. Storage: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. To reheat: the best way to reheat is to add the pasta to a pan over medium heat on the stove along with 1 tablespoon of water, stock, or dairy-free cream. Stir to incorporate the liquid and heat until heated all the way through, which usually simply takes a couple of minutes. recipe inspired by The Food NetworkNutrition
Calories: 331 kcal, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Protein: 10 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 48 mg, Sodium: 196 mg, Potassium: 225 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 700 IU, Vitamin C: 2 mg, Calcium: 29 mg, Iron: 2 mgNutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post contains affiliate links. This post was first published February 8, 2018, and has been updated with additional content throughout the years, most recently on November 8, 2025