This dairy free Alfredo pasta is so dreamy. And it’s a staple in my household. I always keep a few cans of quality coconut milk on hand to whip this dish up for healthy comfort food, but also as a total crowd pleaser dish!

Finding a healthy dairy free sauce

A good sauce can be all you need to make a brilliant dish. A delicious sauce can completely transform a mediocre-tasting meal to a magical meal. The same goes for salad – a tasty dressing & toppings actually makes you crave salad!⁠ This dairy free Alfredo is the star of this dish. And of course, in my food as medicine, real food recipe space, I want sauces that are both tasty AND nourishing!

But are your sauces filled with junk ingredients like highly processed oils or weird additives? Those might be tasty, but they are definitely not nourishing. Many can actually contribute to inflammation.⁠
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Sauces are one of my fave creations in the kitchen. My method involves blending real, whole foods (from avocados to red peppers to chickpeas) with herbs, spices and healthy liquid ingredients (ranging from olive oil to kefir to coconut milk) for a simple sauce. This ends up being cheaper, healthier, and tastier than store-bought sauce.⁠

Choosing a healthy canned coconut milk

Choose a canned coconut milk with minimal ingredients, ideally just water and coconut. Canned coconut milk from Trader Joe’s and the Thrive Market brand are the only brands that I’ve seen that contain just those two ingredients. Thai Kitchen is decent, as it contains only ingredients are coconut, water, and guar gum.

You want to used canned coconut milk rather than coconut milk from a carton in this dish. Canned coconut milk is much richer and contains more fat to make this sauce creamy.

Don’t fear coconut milk or fat from coconut products! At least 50% of the fat in coconut products is medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, which are actually really healthy. MCTs are rapidly absorbed by the body and metabolized efficiently by the liver as fuel for use to power the liver as well as muscles. A unique trait of MCTs is that they cross the mitochondrial membrane very rapidly and do not require the presence of carnitine. So consuming MCTs can result in a desirable production of ketones in the cell and rapid energy production.

You can also check out my deep dive article I wrote for Care/of on coconut oil vs MCT oil.

Choosing a healthy gluten free pasta

Many gluten free pastas are made with refined flours that offer little nutrition. Most contain little fiber and can have an unfavorable impact on blood sugar.

Bean and legume-based pastas, like red lentil pasta and chickpea pasta, are packed with fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals. Red lentils are micronutrient powerhouses– rich in folate, vitamin B6, copper, iron, manganese, and zinc. I personally prefer red lentil pasta, since it seems to cook al dente fairly well and keeps its bite and texture. I have found that chickpea pasta tends to break apart, especially as leftovers. Red lentil pasta contains a whopping 6 g fiber and 11 g protein per serving (2 oz dry)!

If you know my recommendations for protein, fat and fiber (PFF) at meals, you’ll know that those numbers come close to your fiber needs for a meal, and provide a good start for protein. Download my FREE Protein, Fat and Fiber Guide to learn the most fundamental step to nourishing your metabolism that you can start at your very next meal.

How to use dairy free Alfredo sauce

My dairy free coconut milk Alfredo sauce is one of my faves. My favorite combo is with red lentil pasta, served with sauteed chicken & Brussels sprouts for additional protein and fiber to make this pasta dish a balanced meal. I also love it on the side with my Balsamic Blueberry Basil Sheet Pan Salmon.
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