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Home / Recipes / Sauces & Dressings Recipes

Coconut Milk Alfredo Sauce

Updated: Dec 10, 2025 · Published: Oct 12, 2017 by Sujatha Muralidhar · This post may contain affiliate links · 46 Comments

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coconut milk alfredo sauce

Rich, creamy coconut milk Alfredo sauce is simply delicious and comforting. It's a vegan, tropical twist on the regular Alfredo sauce.

Rich creamy coconut milk alfredo sauce is simply delicious and a totally comforting sauce for dinner. This is a kind of healthy, medicinal substitution to your regular alfredo sauce.

How We Came Up With This Recipe?

I'm here with this coconut milk alfredo sauce recipe because one of my readers recently asked me to share a vegan version of my popular sweet potato pasta sauce.

I often make this creamy sauce, especially on busy weeknights, and in under 15 minutes, I can serve a delicious dinner for my family.

Why You'll Love This Coconut Milk Alfredo Sauce Recipe?

  • A delicious dairy-free pasta sauce(check other dairy-free pasta recipes like spicy tofu steak).).
  • Highly customizable and adaptable!
  • Vegan and vegetarian-friendly.

The Ingredients

  • Coconut Milk: You can use canned coconut milk or coconut milk from the dairy section in grocery stores.
  • Herbs: I used dried basil to keep this recipe simple and quick; however, feel free to use fresh basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning.
  • Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent and gives the sauce a creamy texture.
  • Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is best.

How To Make Coconut Milk Alfredo Sauce?

  • Place coconut milk, basil, salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients until well-mixed.
  • Next, place a pan over medium heat and add vegetable oil and minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until fragrant.
  • Then, add the milk mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat until it reaches a medium consistency.
  • The consistency changes quickly, so keep an eye on it until it's done.
vegan coconut milk alfredo sauce recipe-This is such an easy recipe to make in less than 20 minutes. All you have to do is just make sure that you have coconut milk handy or in your pantry.

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Leftover Ideas

  • Turn the leftover coconut milk alfredo sauce into soup with veggies.
  • Use the sauce to create breakfast bowls with grains.
  • Leftover pasta sauce is good to store in the refrigerator for about four days and in the freezer for about three months; place it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
  • The sauce thickens further after being stored, so add a little water or coconut milk to thin it down. Then, reheat over the stovetop or microwave medium-low heat.
Few tips and tricks about the coconut milk pasta sauce:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Mix the cornstarch vigorously: It may settle at the bottom of the bowl, so whisk before adding it to the saucepan.
  • Control the heat: The sauce can quickly transform from thin to thick, so adjust the heat for better control.
  • Adjust the consistency: If the coconut milk alfredo sauce thickens beyond your expectations, you can thin it by adding coconut milk or water and cook it until it bubbles and reaches the desired consistency.

Best to Serve With

  • Pasta: This coconut milk alfredo sauce is fabulous when combined with pasta of any type(check our other favorites like Bruschetta shrimp pasta).
  • Vegetables: Try spicy roasted veggies or steamed broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, spinach, kale, and cherry tomatoes.
  • Bread: Garlic bread is an all-time favorite(jalapeno garlic bread).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same recipe for almond milk?

Yes, absolutely! Almond milk is a good substitute in this coconut milk alfredo sauce recipe, and while it has a different flavor profile, it still works well for this sauce.

Can I add vegetables to this sauce?

Yes, this sauce is versatile! You can add steamed or roasted broccoli, zucchini, squash, or any vegetables of your choice.

📖 Recipe

vegan coconut milk alfredo sauce

Coconut Milk Alfredo Sauce

Creamy coconut milk Alfredo sauce is a simple and quick recipe for a tasty weeknight dinner. Ready in under 20 minutes with few ingredients.
4.18 from 102 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 servings
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Ingredients

For the base sauce

  • 1 cup coconut milk canned
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½  teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

For seasoning

  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced

Instructions

For the base sauce

  1. In a mixing bowl, add coconut milk, basil, salt, and cornstarch.
  2. Whisk it combine them well and set this base sauce aside.

For the sauce

  1. Over medium heat in a pan add vegetable oil and minced garlic.
  2. Saute till garlic becomes golden brown.
  3. Add the base sauce.
  4. Cook till it reaches desired consistency. 
  5. Add pasta and cook for a minute.
  6. Now this tasty pasta is ready to serve.

Notes

  • Store the leftover pasta sauce in the refrigerator for about four days. Or in the freezer for about three months; place it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
  • The sauce thickens further after being stored, so add a little water or coconut milk to thin it down. Then, reheat over the stovetop or microwave medium-low heat.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 1178mg | Potassium: 248mg | Vitamin C: 2.4mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Author Sujatha Muralidhar

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Comments

    4.18 from 102 votes (87 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jazzy says

    January 26, 2025 at 7:58 pm

    Does this recipe produce a really strong coconut taste?

    Reply
    • Sujatha Muralidhar says

      January 27, 2025 at 5:14 pm

      This recipe may have a mild coconut's nutty flavor from the canned coconut milk, but garlic, basil, and seasonings balance it well. For a subtler aroma, use light coconut milk or try adding some sauteed peppers to mask the flavors.

      Reply
  2. Sarah smart says

    March 10, 2024 at 9:13 am

    It is delicious and so easy to make!

    Reply
    • pepperbowl says

      May 24, 2024 at 1:10 pm

      Great to hear! Thank you Sarah!

      Reply
  3. Abbie says

    July 23, 2023 at 8:24 pm

    So very yummy. I have multiple allergies so forwent garlic altogether, and instead of cornstarch used tapioca flour instead. Used fresh basil from the garden. Tasted like a delicious tropical Alfredo!

    Reply
    • Sujatha Muralidhar says

      July 24, 2023 at 3:52 pm

      Thank you Abbie, your versions sounds delicious as well!! Glad your customizations worked!!

      Reply
  4. Ellen Whalley says

    November 28, 2022 at 3:14 pm

    Hi Suja,
    I love this recipe. I wanted to use some left over coconut milk. I followed your directions and also added a little nutritional yeast.
    I made this as a sauce for pasta with leftover salmon and fresh asparagus. This recipe is a keeper because it’s so tasty but also because I am dairy free. My husband, who is not dairy free loved it, too!
    Thank you,
    Ellen W.

    Reply
    • Sujatha Muralidhar says

      December 02, 2022 at 11:43 am

      Amazing, Ellen! So glad you have enjoy this recipe! The add-ons like salmon and asparagus sounds delicious!! Thanks for your valuable review 🙂

      Reply
  5. Alicia says

    May 12, 2022 at 8:42 pm

    The only issue I had with this sauce was that I didn't make a double batch. Loved it with some garlic pepper and threw in just a pinch of oregano. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Sujatha Muralidhar says

      May 13, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Alicia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!

      Reply
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The author image of the food blog pepperbowl.com

Hi, I'm Suja! I'm the person behind PEPPER BOWL, based in Pennsylvania. I focus on easy, simple-to-make recipes inspired by rich flavors with a hint of heat. I enjoy simplifying recipes with minimal ingredients to suit today's busy lifestyle.

More about me →

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