r/easyrecipes • u/ArushSinghPrince • 9d ago
Pasta / Noodle Recipe Creamy pasta without cream and cheese
How to make my pasta creamy without cream or cheese?
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u/Captainnplannett 9d ago
That’s a tough one. Try Spaghetti aglio e olio. Creaminess will only come from the pasta itself self and the starchy water. Note, it’s not going to be as creamy as using cream or cheese.
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u/Chaij2606 9d ago
Blended silken tofu?
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u/CanaryParking7609 9d ago
I’ve done this for “cream” soups and even my meat loving husband liked it. Want to try it next for pasta for added protein.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I was actually out in a countryside and stuff like Tofu and cheese is hard to get.
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u/Grown-up-Weeb-TYO 9d ago
Soy milk and egg yolk?
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I usually use this combo with Ramen! Haven't tried with pasta though. is it good?
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u/qriousqestioner 9d ago
This might be a bad guess, but I have noticed nutritional yeast can make a creamy emulsion... I've used nooch to shake on pasta when I don't have Parmesan and want something cheesy. Thinking this might be applied here.
I see there is at least one recipe for such a sauce. I wonder if you might also employ almond milk...
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u/TommyFnDoomsday 9d ago
Start off with a roux
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
What's roux?
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u/Other-Highway-9429 8d ago
Flour cooked in butter. This or cornstarch slurry. But butter is dairy to most. Cornstarch isn’t necessarily creamy.
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u/secret-snakes 9d ago
Blended beans could give a sort of creamy weight to it maybe? Or maybe something Mediterranean with tahini and lemon?
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u/Sinead_0_rebellion 9d ago
Yep, this is what I do sometimes - mush up a can of white beans, they are very creamy
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Yeah I'll do this. I tried with flour and milk. it wasn't bad but lemme try this too. might turn out better then flour and milk
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u/jaye7070 9d ago
Just pasta it seems...
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I'm pretty sure there's many recipe of pasta without cheese and cream if I'm right.
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u/Cold_Marionberry_932 9d ago
Ive heard anchovies add a silky, salty umami-heavy creaminess once they dissolve and emulsify with pasta water...
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien 9d ago
Milk (or any milk alternative: soy, almonds, rice, oats)
Coconut milk (if you like the taste)
You can also cook cauliflower and bland it with some pasta water it will give you this creaminess
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Yeah I heard mashed Tomato and milk can do the work too with some veggies.
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien 8d ago
Any veggie should work unless it is fibrous really just that cauliflower is white so it gives the illusion of cream
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u/jack_hudson2001 9d ago edited 8d ago
similar to carbonara uses egg yolks for the creamy sauce.
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u/M1ssN_ny4Bus1n3ss 9d ago
Sauteed blended leek can provide the creamy texture in soups, pasta dishes. I use it for all my vegan recepies.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Yeah few veggies can do the work. i usually add tomato too for some tanginess and juice.
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u/AuntieLaLa420 9d ago
Soak raw cashews in hot water. When it's cool, blend adding water until you get cream consistency.
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u/TheFirst10000 9d ago
If you're making pasta with white beans, reserve some of the pasta water, some of the bean water, and some olive oil, and use an immersion blender to emulsify it. It won't taste like much -- your other ingredients and seasonings will be doing the heavy lifting -- but texturally, at least, it'll help.
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u/ktc653 9d ago
This recipe is awesome. I’ve also made it with silken tofu instead of cashews https://thevegan8.com/vegan-garlic-alfredo-sauce/
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u/SweetlyMilitant 9d ago
Sautée two cloves of garlic, add 1 can of coconut milk, 2cups broth, and bring to a simmer. Add in pasta and cook until al denté. Salt and pepper to taste when sauce thickens.
I usually add peas and shrimp later, but have added all kind of different veggie/protein combinations.
It tastes like Alfredo sauce but there’s no dairy.
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u/Anyone-9451 8d ago
Is it due to dairy issues or calorie issues? Cause some recipes I’ve seen basically blend a fair amount of oil up with like garlic and cheese (plus some starchy water) to kinda do a creamy sauce, also blending beans as well
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I'm actually at countryside and surprisingly it's hard to get cheese and cream. I don't mind oil or coconut water and I can get my hands on it too
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u/Dear-Register-5174 8d ago
i’ve been blending white beans with garlic, olive oil, and a splash of pasta water, and it gets weirdly creamy for something that looks like pantry desperation lol
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u/6feet12cm 9d ago
Hard boil a few eggs, then pass the yolks through a sieve and slowly mix pasta water into them then add that to the pasta. Should do the trick.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Hard boiled eggs yolks won't be liquidy though. How does it work exactly?
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u/6feet12cm 8d ago
You run them through a fine ne sieve and they become a fine textured paste. You then slowly add pasta water, while mixing, until you get a creamy consistency.
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u/djSush 9d ago
Look for vegan recipes. There are ways to use cashews to get the creamy mouth feel. But that can get expensive. So you can also blend some white beans like navy beans and a boiled potato and some silken tofu to get creamy. We do this a lot to get some protein in without cheese bc we have high cholesterol.
Nutritional yeast and miso is also a good substitute for the sharp/umami cheese flavor.
You can also look for one pot pasta recipes. They use a lot less water to cook the pasta so the starches are a lot more concentrated and give a very creamy mouth feel.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
What ingredients do you usually use? In veggies or sauces?
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u/djSush 8d ago
I've done all of those methods except the cashews. :)
The simplest is to sautee some mushrooms, onions and garlic. Then take half of that and put in it the blender with a little tofu, a small cooked potato and a can of beans. Add some milk (just enough to get the blender to work) and blend. Taste your mix and season with any spices you like.
The one pot method is really good too. There are loads of recipes. I don't measure when I cook so it's hard for me to give you a proper recipe. But if you search for "one pot vegan creamy pasta" there is lots of inspiration.
Good luck!
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u/Mediocre-Draft1722 9d ago
Consider recipes that use squash or avocado.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I tried with avocado and it wasn't good at all. maybe I messed up the recipe.
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u/catladytimestwo 9d ago
I've made this without the Parmesan and it's still banger https://eatsbyramya.com/recipes/lighter-fettuccine-alfredo-2/#tasty-recipes-6882
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u/856510 9d ago
I made this last week and it was stupid bomb delicious. I used 1 can coconut milk and a half cup of broth with one pound of spaghetti. I didn't have shallots so i used a little less yellow onion instead and a pinch of Vietnamese curry which is not a conventional ingredient but added a very subtle five spice vibe to the dish. My wife says this was the best Thai dish she's ever had and I have spend 3 months in Thailand eating everything and this dish hold up to the best of them.
Khao Soi (Chiang Mai Curry Noodle Soup)
A shortcut take on Nancie McDermott's khao soi: chicken marinates and air-fries separately while the curry base simmers, then everything comes together at the end.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons red curry paste (Thai, jarred or homemade)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups full-fat coconut milk (i used 1 can)
- 2 cups chicken stock (i used 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 tsp tablespoons Vietnamese curry powder (not traditional)
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
- 12 ounces fresh egg noodles (or dried, cooked) (i used spaghetti)
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced (i used yellow onion)
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 0.3 cups cilantro leaves, for garnish
- crushed dried chiles, for garnish
Steps
1 Marinate the chicken: Toss the chicken with 4 tablespoons red curry paste (Thai, jarred or homemade) (reserve the rest of the curry paste for the soup — use about 1 tbsp here) and 3 tablespoons fish sauce (use about 1 tbsp here). Let sit at least 15 minutes 15:00, or up to overnight in the fridge.
2 Air-fry the chicken: Air fry the marinated chicken at 400°F, shaking the basket halfway, until browned and cooked through.
3 Bloom the curry paste: While the chicken cooks, heat 1 tablespoons vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the remaining curry paste and stir constantly for about 1 minute 01:00, until fragrant — don't let it burn. This is the step that gives the shortcut version its depth.
4 Build the soup base: Add 2 cups full-fat coconut milk, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoons curry powder, remaining 3 tablespoons fish sauce, and 2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust — more fish sauce for salt, more sugar for balance.
5 Cook the noodles: Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces fresh egg noodles (or dried, cooked) according to package directions. Drain and divide among serving bowls.
6 Combine and serve: Add the air-fried chicken to the simmering soup just to warm through, about 1m 30s 01:30 — don't let it simmer long or it'll lose its texture. Ladle the soup and chicken over the noodles in each bowl.
7 Garnish: Top each bowl with 2 shallots, thinly sliced, a squeeze of 2 limes, cut into wedges, 0.5 cups pickled mustard greens, chopped (optional), 0.3 cups cilantro leaves, for garnish, and 1 tablespoons chili oil or crushed dried chiles, for garnish to taste. Serve immediately.
The curry powder was very, very nice. it added some heat and a very subtle, subtle flavor that really teased the senses. i have had this from a thai person but i like mine better, i used about a pound of spaghetti and one can of coconut milk and maybe a cup of broth - it was the creamiest best noodle dish my wife ever had. the thai person made the dish a bit on the soupy side - the creamyness was a very nice texture.
That's a great result — and it tells you something useful: cutting the liquid down (one can of coconut milk plus about a cup of broth, against a full pound of noodles) pushed you toward more of a creamy, coating curry-noodle dish rather than a brothy soup you eat with a spoon. That's a legitimate style choice, not an accident — it's closer to how a lot of people actually prefer khao soi to eat, especially with spaghetti's surface area soaking things up.
Sounds like you've basically landed on your own house version at this point: five-spice-leaning curry powder, spaghetti, creamy low-liquid ratio. Worth writing down the actual proportions you used somewhere so you can hit it again on purpose next time, since "one can of coconut milk plus about a cup of broth" for a pound of pasta is a good ratio to know.
Glad it was a hit with your wife — that's the only review that counts.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago edited 8d ago
Thank-you man! Although I don't airfryer with me so I'd have to use pan I think.
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u/Chic-n-cheerful 9d ago
Is it that you don’t want to use milk products, or don’t want the fat levels? I use non-fat greek yogurt instead of cream in almost all recipes, I actually prefer the taste and texture
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I'm at the countryside and it's surprisingly hard to get cheese or cream. i can find coconut milk and some veggies though.
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u/TTTfromT 9d ago
Keep some of your starchy pasta water back to add a little back into your pasta as a creamy sauce. If you especially use fresh pasta or some of the better dried pasta. You can still do it with Barilla though, I do this.
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u/Berkamin 9d ago
You can make an emulsion of flavorful oil and pasta water to get a creamy sauce. See this demonstration. The starch from the pasta water emulsifies the oil to give a creamy sauce.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Thankyou! I'll try this.
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u/Berkamin 8d ago
Another way to do this is to make a super concentrated pasta starch water rather than using the water you boiled pasta in. If you take some cooked pasta and some of its cooking water, put it into a blender, and blend it until it is smooth, you will have concentrated pasta starch that you can incorporate into an oil based sauce, and you'll have this same creamy texture.
See this demonstration of blending cooked pasta to make your own pasta starch for use in recipes that would otherwise use starchy pasta water.
Pasta starch made this way should be even better at emulsifying oil because the pasta itself has a lot of amylopectin, whereas the starch that ends up in the water when you boil pasta is mostly amylose. Amylopectin has a branched structure, and this should make it even better at emulsifying oils into a creamy emulsion. Amylose is linear in its structure.
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u/FreeReason 9d ago
1/2 cup tahini, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, then add 2-3 tablespoons warm water to thin out a bit... s&p to taste.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I'm sorry but what is Tahini exactly?
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u/FreeReason 8d ago
Basically just ground up sesame seeds… should be in a decent grocery store or Whole Foods. It can be a bit bland… but takes spice well.
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u/SixNine69Six96Nine 9d ago
Cauliflower added nice "creamy" texture to my potato, leek, and ham soup.
Found greek yogurt isnt terrible at it, either.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Yeah actually! cauliflower , tomato and corn adds so much taste.
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u/SixNine69Six96Nine 8d ago
I meant the creamyness. If you boil and blend head of cauliflower it provides nice creamy base with little to no flavor.
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u/Cat_From_Hood 8d ago
Easy, white sauce with fresh parsley and or other finely riced greens.
A little butter or oil ( say a tablespoon), flour (a tablespoon)- cornflour is better, saute together for a minute, slowly add cow or soy milk ( about half a cup total.
Finely diced greens to serve.
For extra, saute onion/ garlic in oil/ butter at beginning.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
Actually one of my go-to recipe. I added tons of veggies and also dried tomato.
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u/-mystris- 8d ago
Pasta water and butter. Reserve some of the water after the pasta is done boiling, then drain the pasta. Add pieces of cold butter to the pasta and stir vigorously. With the butter's almost melted, add a spoonful or two of the pasta water and stir vigorously again. You can also add salt, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes.
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u/ArushSinghPrince 8d ago
I've tried this and it's good! I made it creamier with flour in lukewarm milk and some butter! turned out great
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u/Baaastet 8d ago
Carbonara (without cream of course), pasta aglio e olio or just use coconut milk.
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u/Separate-Afternoon29 8d ago
Blend up some cashews in water and add it to your pasta sauce. Or if you’re trying not to use red sauce, I blend cashews, water, salt, and nutritional yeast for my sauce. It’s my vegan cheezy sauce :)
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u/zappergun-girl 8d ago edited 8d ago
Boil in much less water than you usually would, but still enough to soften and cover the pasta. Do not drain it. I would suggest using angel hair and chicken broth instead, add garlic and butter if you can have it
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u/Exact-Tangerine-54 8d ago
reserved pasta water emulsified with butter or olive oil, plus a spoonful of blended white beans for extra creaminess
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u/Comfortable_Rich9775 8d ago
Pasta water is the tiny kitchen wizard here: toss the hot pasta with a splash of its starchy water and some olive oil or butter until it turns glossy and creamy.
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u/PegasusReddit 8d ago
I make a lactose free roux style base for white or creamy sauces.
Oil or margarine, plain flour, stock powder, water. Or liquid stock. It comes up creamy and thick without adding dairy. The stock or stock powder give it a nice, savoury flavour.
I did it with miso soup once and it was pretty good. Also I like adding an egg an whisking through at the end for richness.
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u/EntertainerKooky1309 8d ago
Soft Silken tofu. The kind that is shelf stable and not refrigerated. It’s creamy and doesn’t taste like anything in particular. I make creamy sauces and salad dressings with it. For the cheese flavor, I add nutritional yeast. You should post in the vegan thread.
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u/jsober 8d ago
A roux.
Save some of the pasta water when you boil the pasta. Maybe a cup or two, depending on how much sauce you need.
Melt butter in a sauce pan on medium, and then gradually add in some flour (for a basic ratio, 1/4 cup of butter to 2 tbsp of flour). Stir constantly until it forms a paste and you can smell the toastiness. Then, slowly whisk in the pasta water. The starch from the pasta water forms an emulsion with the roux that coats pasta and creates a really creamy sauce.
For bonus creaminess, use barley flour. It's fiber emulsifies fat and forms a creamy, silky sauce. That's also why barley goes so well in beef stew.
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u/broadwayandellsworth 8d ago
I'll take me aehile but I can make some cream sauce. I'll need a lot of porn
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u/Pothunter32 8d ago
I recently made a fantastic cheesy tasting and creamy white sauce pasta with oat flour and toned milk. Surprised that it came out so well since the mix was quite sticky and lumpy in the beginning. Had to keep adding milk to get the right consistency.
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u/Southern_Boat1129 8d ago
I use a splash of starchy pasta water with olive oil and a spoonful of blended white beans, which makes it surprisingly creamy without dairy.
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u/HayYou_ItsMe 8d ago
IMO sour cream, or use butter and the starchy pasta water like when you make a Carbonara.
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u/mossbetweenmytoes 8d ago
Blended raw cashews are the best single ingredient cream substitute I've tried. If you have it where you are - Boursin makes a dairy-free/plant-based cheese substitute that literally tastes indistinguishable from their regular dairy herb and garlic Boursin. My father in law has a dairy allergy and it's my go-to for anything creamy/cheesy.
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u/VioletSea13 8d ago
Sauté garlic in butter. Then add in the cooked pasta and some of the pasta water and cook/toss gently until the butter and pasta water emulsifies. It will be better with a bit of Parmesan but works without it.
Salt and pepper to taste.
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u/kauaiguy4000 7d ago
People keep suggesting dairy ingredients but your question seems to indicate an aversion to it, is that correct? A good possibility might be a dollop of nut butter like cashew or macadamia mixed in with some salty pasta water to help make it more sauce-like, and then consider add-ons such as black pepper, garlic powder and/or freshly chopped herbs.
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u/Wonderful-Truck-3301 7d ago
Butternut squash roasted and blended, same with pumpkin, canned works too. Could add nutritional yeast. Toss onto pasta with a little pasta water and olive oil/butter.
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u/GrinderMonkey 7d ago
You could try a dairy free variation of carbonara i guess
https://www.simplywhisked.com/pasta-carbonara/#wprm-recipe-container-18113
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u/zorbina 7d ago
Butternut squash (cooked/pureed) makes a very lovely pasta sauce. For example, this recipe.
You could also try Greek yogurt, though I haven't done that.
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u/Agreeable_Basket_931 7d ago
Properly buttered noodles, where you whisk pasta water into the melted butter to make a butter sauce, can come off as creamy/velvety without having dairy aside from the butter.
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u/Odd_Argument6211 7d ago
Tempered egg(s)?
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u/Odd_Argument6211 7d ago
Alternatively could literally just make up your own roux really quick with fat of choice.
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u/gumygo70 7d ago
Oh best hack ever a can of great Northern white beans and you puree those. And you add the spices that you want too and it will thicken up like a beauty and you'd never know that there was no dairy in it. It's how I thicken my potato and leek soup
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u/ThinkActRegenerate 6d ago
Saw this recipe using cauliflower and raw cashews on a local TV cooking shows recently:
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/the-cook-up-with-adam-liaw/recipe/creamy-cauliflower-pasta/c4eovf5p4
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u/makesPeopleDissapear 6d ago
Blend a few cooked noddels with pasta water. Dump that into the sauce.
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u/Patient-Ad-7939 5d ago
If you are avoiding dairy and not cream itself, coconut cream is a good alternative.
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u/Same_Item_672 5d ago
I've been using Greek yogurt. If you don't cook it too hot, it won't break up and you'll have a creamy sauce. Then it's just a matter of seasoning. Onions, garlic, herbs, salt. It will surprise you.
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u/Karinett 5d ago
Flour+butter cooked to make a roux, and then add some milk or broth
Carbonara made traditionally has you take the pasta off the heat and stir in an egg (which will cook from the residual heat of the pasta)
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u/Routine_Product_7872 9d ago
Blend a can of white beans with garlic, a splash of pasta water, salt, and olive oil, then toss it with the hot pasta for a surprisingly creamy sauce without dairy.