Roasted Garlic Butter Pasta | Gluten-Free
This dish is all about the sauce bursting with flavor and tastes fabulous on almost anything–pasta, potatoes, grilled vegetables, or even spread on bread. Amazingly, this Vegan Roasted Garlic Butter Pasta is gluten-free and similar to an alfredo.
The secret to the creamy sauce is caramelized roasted garlic cloves. Roasting garlic cloves requires long, slow cooking that mellows the garlic’s strong taste and leaves a rich, deep flavor in its place.
We have other delicious pasta recipes on this website like my creamy cashew alfredo, this veggie pasta primavera, and our vegan pasta salad with veggies.
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Rich, buttery flavor without any dairy, thanks to a creamy vegan butter sauce that perfectly complements the roasted garlic.
- Quick and easy to prepare, making it an ideal weeknight dinner that’s ready in under 45 minutes.
- Perfectly balanced with roasted garlic, giving the pasta a deep, savory taste that feels indulgent yet wholesome.
- Plant-based and dairy-free, making it a healthier alternative for those looking for a delicious, vegan comfort meal.
Ingredients you will need
- Garlic- Roasting or sautéing the garlic brings out its sweetness and depth, making the pasta both aromatic and delicious, while complementing the smooth texture of the pasta.
- Plant milk- Adds creaminess and a smooth texture without dairy. It helps blend the roasted garlic into a rich, velvety sauce while keeping the dish vegan and healthier
- Seasonings- Nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika create a delicious cheesy flavor for this dish.
- Pasta- I used gluten-free pasta, but any type of preferred pasta will work well.
Tips & Suggestions
- Pasta- For this recipe, I used Pad Thai rice noodles, but any pasta can be substituted. For those with gluten sensitivities, stick to rice noodles or other gluten-free products.
- Add-ons- Spritz with the juice of fresh lime wedges and add cilantro to really knock this vegan, gluten-free dish out of the park.
How to make roasted garlic butter pasta
STEP #1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel off the loose skin of each garlic head.
Cut off the head of the garlic. You want to make sure that all of the cloves are exposed. If your knife misses a couple of cloves, just use a paring knife to cut the tips off.
STEP #2: Place heads in a baking dish, add about 4 tablespoons of water to keep moist, and place lid on top.
Another option is to simply wrap the garlic heads in parchment paper and then an outer layer of foil instead of using a baking dish. This method keeps them quite moist.
STEP #3: While the garlic heads are cooking, go ahead and put the water on to begin cooking the pasta according to package directions. Once it has finished cooking, drain it and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking.
STEP #4: Bake in the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, until cloves begin to pull away from the garlic skin. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Once the garlic is finished cooking and cooled, you can easily squeeze out the cloves by pressing upwards from the root.
STEP #5: This is just squeezing the individual cloves out of the head. They will be soft and mushy and ready to add to other recipes.
Freshly roasted garlic cloves are soft and tender and can be used as a Garlic Butter Spread for bread right out of the clove.
STEP #6: To make the garlic butter sauce, add all ingredients in a saucepan, whisk together, and allow to come to a boil until thickened to the desired consistency.
STEP #7: Add cooked pasta to the creamy garlic sauce and mix well. Squeeze the lime wedge over top and add fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Roasted garlic butter is perfect for spreading on bread, tossing with pasta, sautéing vegetables, or using as a flavorful base for sauces.
Yes, you can roast garlic in a small covered dish or oven-safe pot. The key is to ensure it’s covered to trap moisture and prevent burning.
Traditional options like fettuccine and linguine work perfectly to hold the creamy sauce. For gluten-free choices, brown rice pasta and chickpea pasta are excellent alternatives, offering great texture and added nutrition while staying gluten-free. Quinoa pasta is another light and nutty option that pairs well.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
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Roasted Garlic Butter Pasta | Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 3 heads fresh garlic
- 1.5 cup plant milk
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- 1.5-2 tablespoons potato starch or another thickener
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt to taste
- 8-10 oz pasta of your choice
- lime wedges for topping
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for topping
Instructions
Roasting the Garlic Heads
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and begin to prep garlic heads. Start by peeling off the loose skin of each garlic head.
- Next, cut off the head of the garlic. You want to make sure that all of the cloves are exposed. If your knife misses a couple cloves, just use a paring knife to cut the tips off.
- Place heads in a baking dish, add about 4 tablespoons of water to keep it moist, place lid on top. Another option is to simply wrap the garlic heads in parchment paper then an outer layer of foil instead of using a baking dish. This method keeps them quite moist.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, until cloves begin to pull away from the garlic skin. While these are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool. This is what we call 'garlic butter' because it is so creamy and can be spread on bread.
Making the Garlic Sauce
- While the garlic heads are cooking, go ahead and put the water on to begin cooking the pasta according to package directions.
- Once the garlic is finished cooking and cooled, you can easily squeeze out the cloves by pressing upwards from the root. Place them in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Place all other sauce ingredients (except lime wedges and cilantro) in a saucepan and turn to medium heat.
- Whisk together, and continue to stir frequently as it begins to thicken. When desired consistency is reached, remove from heat.
- When pasta has finished cooking, drain and rinse under cool water.
- Add cooked pasta to the creamy garlic sauce and mix well. Squeeze the lime wedge over top and add fresh chopped cilantro. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Pasta- For this recipe, I used Pad Thai rice noodles, but any pasta can be substituted. For those with gluten sensitivities, stick to rice noodles or other gluten-free products.
- Add-ons- Spritz with the juice of fresh lime wedges and add cilantro to really knock this vegan, gluten-free dish out of the park.
- Storage- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I just made this today, it is VERY garlicky! I love garlic but 3 heads of garlic seems a little much for the amount of sauce. I also ended up blending it before I heated it, I didn’t want all the chunks of garlic in there. I froze individual portions of this (part of my meal planning for the school year) so hope it’s going to be ok.
It could also depend on the size of the garlic heads being used, as they come in varying sizes. I’ve edited the recipe card to recommend medium-sized heads to narrow that down a bit.
Can you use minced garlic instead? If so how much? Thank you!
The sauce for this is made by first roasting whole garlic cloves. They are a lot different than the minced garlic. Though I like to use the garlic from a jar in other recipes at times, it really wouldn’t work for this recipe. Sorry about that, but I’m betting you will love the roasted garlic.
Do you think this sauce could be frozen?
That’s a good question, and I really don’t see any reason it couldn’t be frozen. If you try it, please let me know and I’ll add that information to the article. Thanks!
If I don’t have the yeast or potato starch, can I substitute anything?
Any thickener can be substituted for the potato starch. Some good ones might be cornstarch, arrowroot powder, etc.Nutritional yeast gives it the nutty cheese flavor. You might blending all the garlic sauce ingredients in blender with some cashews to get a bit of the flavor.
SOOOO GOOOOODDD!!!! Just made this and next time around I will be doubling the recipe …I’m sad it’s all gone already!!!! WOWWWW!!!
YAY! So glad you loved it too! 😀