White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (2024)

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This white bean Alfredo sauce is wonderfully creamy pasta sauce for those who are dairy free, like me!

If you love creamy pasta sauces, but can’t have the cheese, I sympathize. A while back I did a recipe for a cashew based Alfredo sauce (vegan) that quite a few of you raved about. But some folks can’t do the nuts, so I thought I’d give this popular sauce a whirl with white beans. It worked!

White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (1)

What Is White Bean Alfredo Sauce?

White bean Alfredo sauce is a bean-based pasta sauce that can be enjoyed warm or cold. It’s easily made in a blender in just minutes and has a nice nutritional profile to boot, thanks so all that fiber in the beans.

Does It Taste Like Alfredo Sauce?

There will obviously be a difference in flavor and even texture when you go from dairy-based to non-dairy. That goes without saying. But that aspect aside, this is about as close as you will get with a non-dairy Alfredo sauce.

You can always adjust the seasoning to your liking, but where the base is concerned, it’s pretty creamy and close to being Alfredo sauce, considering it’s all beans.

White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (2)

Alfredo Sauce Alternatives

If you aren’t sure about beans, and don’t have a nut allergy, the next step up is a cashew based Alfredo sauce. You can find the cashew Alfredo sauce recipe here.

How To Store White Bean Alfredo Sauce

This sauce keeps well in a jar with a lid for up to 3 to 4 days. Make sure whatever you store it in is air-tight and food-safe. If you leave it loosely covered, this sauce will take on the aromas of anything else in the fridge, leaving it with not-so-great flavor. So close it up tight.

Can You Freeze White Bean Alfredo Sauce?

Technically, yes. But when you thaw it again, you’ll most likely need to give it a quick whizz in the blender again. And if the texture isn’t right, you may have to blend in a few more beans just to get the consistency back to normal. If you freeze it, it will freeze for up to 2 months.

White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (3)

What You’ll Need

15oz.can Cannellini beans– These beans do the best job of coming out creamy from the blender. But you could potentially use any white bean for this recipe. Make sure there is not sugar added though, and use the water the beans are packed in. Don’t drain the beans or rinse them. Use everything in the can.

1tbsp.garlic powder– Garlic granules work well here too. Use whichever one you have. The only thing I would avoid here is garlic salt. But if that’s all you have, omit the salt listed in the recipe until you can taste the sauce to see how salty it is.

2tsp.onion powder – As with garlic, onion granules work too.

2tsp.nutritional yeast– This adds a bit of actual cheese flavor to the sauce. Not enough to make it taste like cheese, but enough to give the finished flavor some umami-like depth.

1tsp.salt – I used Himalayan pink salt. But use what you have on hand. A full teaspoon might seem like a lot, but it’s needed in this sauce. If you are nervous about it or have to have less salt in your eating plan, start with less and add more as needed for flavor.

¼cupchicken broth– If you want this to be vegan, you can certainly use vegetable broth. Chicken broth is simply what I had handy. But vegetable broth would be delicious here as well. Just make sure that no matter what broth you use, there is no sugar (usually in the form of dextrose) in it. Low sodium is also a good option as well just to keep the sodium in this from going overboard. If you are using fully salted broth, cut back on the salt called for by about half. You can alway add more, but you can’t take any out. So use caution and adjust salt to taste.

How To Re-Warm White Bean Alfredo Sauce

This isn’t the warmest sauce, just out of the blender. You are making this with room temperature ingredients, so room temperature sauce is what you’ll end up with. You’ll either need to chill it in the fridge for a cold dish, or you’ll want to simply warm it over low heat on the stove top. You can also microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave.

How To Make White Bean Alfredo Sauce

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Place all the ingredients in a blender.

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Blend for several minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth.

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Transfer to a storage container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

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White Bean Alfredo Sauce Recipe

White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (10)

White Bean Alfredo Sauce

Delicious, Alfredo sauce without the dairy!

4.47 from 15 votes

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Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 91kcal

CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 15 oz. can Cannellini beans (do not drain. Use the liquid in the can)
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder (or granules)
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. nutritional yeast (or grated parmesan)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup chicken broth (no sugar added, low sodium is best)

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients in a blender.

    White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (11)

  • Blend for several minutes, until the sauce is completely smooth.

    White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (12)

  • Transfer to a storage container and store in the fridge until ready to use.

    White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (13)

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

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White Bean Alfredo Recipe - | Healthy Pasta Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is white Alfredo sauce made of? ›

What's in Alfredo Sauce? Alfredo sauce is made by melting butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese together. Unlike other pasta sauces that use tomatoes as a base, alfredo omits vegetables altogether and uses dairy products to achieve its mouth-watering flavor.

What can I add to Alfredo sauce to make it taste better? ›

Heartier herbs like thyme or oregano can be added in to simmer with the sauce. Add delicate herbs like parsley, basil, or chervil at the end to maintain their delicate, aromatic flavor. Quick tip: Swirl in a bit of leftover pesto to add another herbaceous twist to your Alfredo sauce.

What's the difference between white sauce and Alfredo sauce? ›

White sauce – also known as béchamel – is made with flour, milk, and butter. It's a basic sauce that can be used as a base for other sauces or as a topping for dishes like lasagna. Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, is made with butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, and has a much richer flavour than white sauce.

What is the secret to smooth Alfredo sauce? ›

Add heavy whipping cream, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.

How to make Alfredo sauce thicker? ›

The key ingredient in Alfredo sauce is cheese—generally Parmigiano Reggiano—and lots of it. To thicken Alfredo sauce, simply add more cheese than the amount called for in a recipe until you achieve the consistency you want.

What is the original Alfredo sauce made of? ›

Real alfredo sauce is made with 3 simple ingredients: butter, Parmesan cheese and fresh fettuccine pasta. There is absolutely no cream in this dish (cream is common in most American-style alfredo sauce recipes). Make this dish with my fresh homemade pasta, fresh sourdough pasta or store-bought fresh pasta.

Is it cheaper to make Alfredo sauce or buy it? ›

This recipe for homemade alfredo sauce uses $4.33 worth of ingredients and makes 9.5 ounces, which is also roughly 46 cents per ounce. This means homemade alfredo sauce costs about the same as high quality jarred sauces, but tastes even better.

What seasoning taste good in alfredo? ›

Butter: This Alfredo sauce starts with two sticks of butter. Cream: The rich sauce calls for almost a cup of heavy cream. Seasonings: The fettuccine Alfredo is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cheese: You'll need Romano and Parmesan cheeses.

Why add flour to Alfredo sauce? ›

All-purpose flour: To help form a roux and thicken the sauce. If you are making gluten-free Alfredo sauce, however, you are welcome to omit the flour and have a slightly thinner sauce. Or you can use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it (see details below).

Is Alfredo sauce healthier than spaghetti sauce? ›

Marinara sauce is lower in calories and fat, making it a preferable sauce choice for those that are counting calories or on a low-fat diet. It also has more fiber than Alfredo sauce as it contains mostly vegetables. Conversely, high-fat diets are on the rise, making Alfredo an ideal sauce for many consumers.

What is the fancy name for white sauce pasta? ›

Alfredo sauce is a rich and creamy white sauce that is most often paired with fettuccine noodles. This sauce was created in 1914 by restaurateur Alfredo Di Lelio in Rome.

What spices to add to jar Alfredo sauce? ›

Some of my personal favorites include salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil, oregano, onion powder or seasoned salt. Start with small amounts (1/2 teaspoon at a time) and add as needed, in order to avoid over-spicing.

How to make Alfredo sauce better? ›

Alfredo sauce is quick and easy to make, recipes are on line and several are pretty good. But that's not the question. To make store bought taste better add some fresh grated parm or romano cheese, a shake of white pepper and a pinch of italian seasoning.

How much Alfredo sauce for 1 box of pasta? ›

For tomato-based sauces, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use one jar of 24-ounce pasta sauce for every 16-ounce package of pasta. When calculating how much sauce for pasta per person, generally about 2 to 4 ounces (1/4 to 1/2 cup) of sauce for each 2 ounce (about 1 cup cooked) serving of pasta would be needed.

What is white pasta sauce made of? ›

White Sauce Pasta is simply cooked pasta mixed with a silky smooth & decadent white sauce made of milk, butter and flour. White Sauce also known as Bechamel Sauce has its origin from the Italian & French Cuisines. In classic culinary terms, this is what is known as a mother sauce.

Is white sauce Alfredo or garlic parmesan? ›

No White Sauce and Alfredo Sauce is not the same. White Sauce is butter, flour, salt and pepper. Alfredo Sauce is butter, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.

What is another name for white sauce? ›

Another name for bechamel — or béchamel — is "white sauce." Making a bechamel is a very basic technique in French cooking which begins with a roux, a cooked mixture of flour and butter, and after slowly whisking in milk, ends in a creamy sauce.

What is jarred Alfredo sauce made of? ›

WATER, CREAM, BUTTER (SWEET CREAM, SALT), GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART-SKIM MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, ENZYME MODIFIED EGG YOLK (EGG YOLK, SALT, ENZYME), NONFAT DRY MILK, SALT, AMERICAN SHERRY COOKING WINE (WINE, GRAPE ALCOHOL, SALT, POTASSIUM METABISULFITE [ ...

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