Classic garlic filled creaminess and everyone’s favorite pasta sauce! Velvety homemade Alfredo is real food at its best!
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Winter comfort…
January seems to be flying by! That is definitely not something I am used to saying as this beach bum really {really!} enjoys her barefoot summer days.
It’s been a mild winter so far however (in Michigan standards!), and we are finding ourselves enjoying the winter fun that surrounds us, especially now that I don’t have really small babies in tow anymore. My kids are true winter lovers!
And I have to admit, winter comfort food definitely makes the cold more tolerable!
Creamy Alfredo meals are a cold weather favorite in our house. I used to think that Alfredo had to mean really heavy, unhealthy food. As it turns out, when you make it yourself it can truly be a nutrient dense, nourishing meal that tastes so good!
The simplest of ingredients seriously make the most amazing food!
Amazingly enough, you really don’t need that mile long list of ingredients that the store bought Alfredo sauce has! Next time you are at the store, take a look! You will be floored! A little butter and garlic, something to thicken up the milk a bit and you are in Alfredo heaven.
Traditional Alfredo sauce is made with milk or cream, butter, and garlic. We tolerate raw dairy in our house well, however I find myself making Alfredo sauce with coconut milk more than our raw milk. Our raw milk share is lower during the winter months when the cows don’t make as much milk. We don’t have as much on hand, and I like to save the raw milk for drinking instead of cooking off all of the raw properties. If you have access to a lot of quality milk and cream in the winter, or it is spring and summer for you and the milk is abundantly flowing, definitely give the milk a try! It is simply amazing!
A note for hesitant coconut flavor friends
I am not a huge fan of the taste of coconut. {I know it. Send in the real food police, right!?} I am just not. I didn’t grow up with a lot of coconut flavored anything, and no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get used to it. I can’t drink it on it’s own, and I rarely cook with coconut oil other than baking because I don’t like the finished taste!
I promise the coconut flavor is completely masked by *all* that butter and garlic. When you get that garlic super fragrant and use amazing butter, the alfredo sauce simply tastes like…creamy, garlicy, amazing alfredo sauce!
Coconut milk options
I do tend to use homemade coconut milk more than buy it to save money. Especially in the winter when our raw milk share is low, I am in the habit of making it every weekend anyway, so I just double it if I know we’ll be having alfredo. It is so easy to make, and you can avoid the cans and fillers from the canned coconut milk.
If making it isn’t an option, you are in a pinch, or you are just in a season of life where you just can’t make one more thing (yes, I have been there dear momma with that newborn on your hip!),ย there are a couple of brand options for you. You may find these in your health food store to price compare here!
- Aroy-D Coconut Milk: This is a gum free coconut milk – just 100% coconut milk for those who can’t tolerate the guar gum added to many coconut milks.
- Native Forest Coconut Milk: This is a good, inexpensive coconut milk. It does have guar gum added for thickening which does not bother us, but for those with sensitive tummies it might be something to avoid.
Noodle options
We definitely enjoy a good rice pasta on occasion! (We like this brand of rice noodles) There is nothing wrong with that if you tolerate it ok! Sometimes I don’t have it on hand, or we have already had pasta that week, so changing it up is always a great idea. If you have hesitant veggie noodle eaters, mix in some veggie noodles with regular noodles for a while to get them used to the idea ๐
Veggie “Noodle” Ideas:
- Spaghetti squash “pasta” {which is what is pictured in this post!}
- Sweet potato “noodles”
- “Zoodles” (spirilized zucchini)
- Butternut Squash “noodles” (peel, scoop out the seeds, and use a spirilizer)
Healthier Pasta Ideas:
- Tinkyadaย Gluten Free Rice Pasta
- BioNaturae Organic Rice Pastaย
- Jovial Gluten Free Rice Pasta
- Jovial Gluten Free Egg Pasta
- Jovial Einkorn Wheat Pasta (if you tolerate gluten)
Meal ideas for your alfredo sauce! {Psst! It can be more than just pasta!}
Alfredo sauce makes a kid friendly vehicle to get a load of veggies in. Steam a mix of vegetables to pile up on your pasta and drown it all in alfredo! The meal pictured in this post literally took about 20 minutes to make. I pressure cooked frozen organic broccoli in 2 minutes in my Instant Pot while I made the alfredo, and the chicken was leftover from our roasted chicken the night before. It doesn’t get much faster than that! (If you don’t have an Instant Pot, simply steam that broccoli – it doesn’t take long at all!)
We also like alfredo poured over baked potatoes. It feels a lot like drippy cheese for loaded baked potatoes! You can do veggie sides or salads in that case to get the veggies in and even crumble bacon over your loaded baked potato.
This alfredo sauce is also great with just a simple stir fry. If you have to be grain free while you are healing your gut, this is a great option for you to dress up your daily healing veggies!
10 Minute Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 TB flour of choice to thicken I like to use white rice flour. Tapioca or Cassava works if you are grain free
- 1 quart coconut milk Or raw milk. For safe store bought coconut milk options, see the notes in the post above.
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan optional - I don't have access to quality parm all the time, so it is left out frequently and it is still very good - a little extra sea salt takes care of adding the salty bite.
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan and add the minced garlic. Saute the garlic on medium heat for few minutes until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour well, and then add the coconut milk.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer whisking occasionally, until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Whisk in the Parmesan if you are using it and then sea salt and pepper to taste.
I believe this sauce is everyone’s love language. That top photo is SO wooing! I love how easy the recipe is too, and all.that.garlic! ๐
I totally agree, comfort food makes the cold more tolerable for sure. I almost feel guilty saying that though since I’m in CA and we don’t get snow where I live. This Alfredo sauce sounds so good!
Ha! I need to vacation by you!
Made this tonight w/ the coconut milk. So good!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes. โค๏ธ also made the banana muffins yesterday – big hit with the 2 year old even though I over-baked them (whoops!)
Awesome Laura! It is so nice to have recipes that work for your family in the back pocket to make over and over!
My daughter who hates ALL things coconut, and who begged me not to make this recipe because it sounded “disgusting”, just gobbled up a big bowlful of this sauce. I might have also had a little. Maybe a lot. You can’t prove anything. ๐
Ah! I love this Alison! Awesome! Thank you for sharing!
This was so good!!! I used nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. I was wondering how long does the sauce keep in the frig and is this freezable?? Thanks!
Hi Jillian! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I would use it up within 4 days in the fridge, and I have frozen it before and it does well!
I want to make this soon and I’m wondering if corn starch can be used in place of flour to thicken and if almond milk can be used in place of coconut milk? Thank you! ๐
Hi Tami! Yes both of those replacements should work fine!
1 quart to much milk, sauce wouldn’t thicken. Had to add about 4 tbs of rice flour. I also used vegan butter not sure if that changed the thickness
Vegan butter will definitely change things. We make this sauce as is very often and have never had a problem.
Just tried this last night. My only issue was that there wasn’t enough sauce for seconds! I will have to make more soon. Absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Love that Aleeza! Thanks for sharing!
Is there a specific type of “butter” that you use? If not, wouldn’t that negate the dairy freeness of this dish. Please know, I am not trying to argue, just trying to figure out what you use that might taste best.
Hi Paulette! I use Kerrygold butter which is not dairy free, but you can use a well sourced palm oil or ghee if you tolerate that – I use ghee a lot.
Awesome! I added So Delicious Vegan cheese and it was terrific! I have been dying to find a dairy free sauce. Thanks!
how many can’s of coconut milk do you need ? 1 quart is what you noted.
1 quart is about 4 cups, so you will need about 2 cans.
I want to use this as a basis for mushroom soup. Any changes needed?
Hi Nancy! It is pretty thick, so you may need to thin it out some.
Turned out good. Entire family approved :).
Used Tapioca Starch and only 27 oz. of Coconut Milk. Plus added a dash of Homemade Seasoned Salt & Red Pepper Flakes (along with Sea Salt and Course Black Pepper). Left it on a low simmer for bit longer than called for and the sauce thickened up perfectly. Served over Gluten-Free Gnocchi Pasta with Peas, Carrots and Broccoli. We’ve already made future plans to try it over other pastas and on our Alfredo Pizza. Thanks a lot for the recipe! ๐
I’m glad you enjoyed it Kristi!
My fiancรฉe decided to change our diet from meat to a plant based diet. Im afraid I can’t let go of my alfreado sauce. it goes well with almost every recipe I have. I absolutely love this recipe, however what would you recommend on butter? Can I use other substitutions other than butter?
Hi Althena! I would imagine olive oil would do the trick – the flavor will be a bit different but should still taste good.
I made this last night. delicious. Everyone in my family likes it. Thanks!
So glad your family enjoyed it Michael!
I am a teenager and can still make this recipe! Thanks for this great recipe I am going to make it tonight
Hi Lilly! That seriously makes my day! Thank you for commenting! So glad you enjoyed it!
Velvety homemade Alfredo is real food at its best!
This recipe has such great flavors, I would definitely make this again!
So glad you enjoyed it Brendon!
Great recipe! I used 1 can of coconut milk and 1 cup broth in place of the 1 qt of coconut milk. It turned out great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Maeve! Thank you for sharing!
Can oatmilk be used instead of coconut, just trying not to go to the store.
Hi Wendy! Yes oatmilk would be fine!