Though the traditional sauce paired with pasta is tomato sauce, alfredo sauce is a strong contender for the best thing to smother your favorite pasta dish.
While there’s not typically any milk in alfredo sauce, there is dairy in the form of heavy cream, parmesan cheese, butter, and sometimes romano cheese or other cheeses.
Luckily if you want to avoid milk and dairy, more products are on the market these days that make it possible to cook up some dairy-free alfredo sauce.
Is There Dairy In Alfredo Sauce?
There are several dairy products in traditional Alfredo sauce. Originally it was made with butter and cheese, with the pasta noodles added to melt the butter and cheese until they emulsified.
The recipe was intended to be very simple but delicious.
Many recipes make it with heavy cream, though you can also make it with cream cheese, milk, or half and half.
You can also include Parmesan cheese, romano cheese, asiago, and even white cheddar or mozzarella in recipes.
Regardless of which options you choose, almost all recipes for alfredo sauce contain some kind of dairy product, especially cheese, butter, and cream of one kind or another.
Are There Dairy-Free Alfredo Sauces?
There are several vegan and dairy-free alfredo sauces available. I recommend the Primal Kitchen No-Dairy alfredo sauce because it has one of the best list of ingredients you'll find.
Not only that, but if you prefer to make your own sauce at home, many recipes can give you that alfredo flavor without dairy products included.
It does require that you purchase dairy-free alternatives, like lactose-free butter.
While parmesan cheese contains lactose, it’s so minimal that most people who suffer from lactose sensitivity can still eat it, which means you can add it to your favorite lactose-free recipe!
However, steer clear of parmesan in alfredo sauce if you're vegan.
Here's a recipe from Detoxnista for delicious vegan alfredo sauce!
Can You Use Non-Dairy Milk In Alfredo Sauce?
One of the great things about milk substitutes like oat milk or almond milk is that you can use them in recipes that usually call for dairy milk without sacrificing flavor.
For instance, oat milk can be used in most recipes to replace milk and can be used to thicken sauces, like Alfredo.
Try it yourself and see if you can tell the difference!
Is There Dairy In Pasta Noodles?
Most pasta noodles are free from milk and dairy products. Pasta noodles are usually made from flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt.
That means that as long as you make a lactose-free recipe for your Alfredo sauce or purchase one of the dairy-free options on the market, you should be able to enjoy a dish like fettuccine Alfredo without worry!
Summary
Although the traditional sauce al’ Alfredo is made with dairy products, many options are available to those with lactose intolerance or vegans.
With a few changes, you can whip up a delicious serving of fettuccine alfredo or use a dairy-free alfredo sauce!
