Substitute For Heavy Cream In Pasta 

Have you ever wondered what the substitute for heavy cream in pasta is and how restaurants make their pasta dishes creamy and delicious?nThen continue reading this guide to find out. 

Heavy cream is a tack and an essential ingredient if you often make white sauce for your pasta. This tasty ingredient fills your pasta with flavor and thickens your sauce. 

So, What should you do if you run out of heavy cream or can’t find any available while making your favorite recipe?

In this article, you will learn the perfect substitute for heavy cream in pasta. 

What is Heavy Cream in Pasta? 

Heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, doubles in volume and holds its shape when whipped, making it the perfect topper for desserts. 

Heavy cream in pasta is the milk fat that collects on top of fresh milk if it hasn’t been homogenized.

It is also considered a staple ingredient, and for a good reason, it is used in various recipes, including soups, sauces, homemade butter, ice cream, and sour cream.

It’s also the best choice for recipes that call for piping cream from a pastry bag.

The Role Of Heavy Cream in Pasta 

The heavy cream in pasta dishes adds a creamy texture to the plate and thickens the pasta sauce, whether mac and cheese, Alfredo sauce, vodka sauce, or cheese sauce.

You can use heavy cream or a vegan heavy cream to substitute as an ad in to thick in your pasta sauces and fill them with flavor. 

Best Substitute for Heavy Cream In Pasta

For your heavy cream substitute, you will need: 

  • Soya milk and olive oil 
  • Evaporated milk 
  • Cottage cheese and milk 
  • Silken tofu and soya milk 
  • Butter and milk 
  • Whole milk
  • Cream cheese
  • Crème Fraiche
  • Greek yogurt
  • Evaporated milk
  • Coconut milk
  • Half-and-half
  • Cottage cheese
  • Non-Dairy milk
  • Non-Dairy milk + cornstarch
  • Vegan sour cream
  • Vegan heavy cream
  • Cashew cream
  • White bean cream

How to Substitute for Heavy Cream In Pasta 

There are so many delicious pasta dishes that include heavy cream!

So, what can you substitute, and how do you do that? Let’s find out in this section. 

  • Half and Half (+ optional butter and flour)

Half and half is an excellent option for heavy pasta because it’s made from half cream and half milk (whole milk). 

Moreover, it still has decent fat content, so it will thicken when heated slowly. 

For this substitution, you’ll need to combine ¾ cup of half-and-half with ¼ cup of melted unsalted butter. 

This will replace 1 cup of heavy cream. 

This substitute works well in cooking and baking, but it’s not the best option for whipping. 

So, If you’re willing to forgo a little richness, you could use all half-and-half as a 1 on 1 substitution and skip the butter entirely.

  • Mascarpone

Mascarpone is a good substitute for heavy cream in pasta as the combination of thickness, nuttiness, and sweetness makes it a delicious substitute for heavy cream in any white pasta sauce.

  • Greek Yogurt and Milk

If you want a heavy cream alternative to pasta without all the calories and fat, you should consider plain greek yogurt. 

Greek yogurt is best used with milk for the best results. 

Substitute 1 cup of heavy cream with ½ cup of greek yogurt and ½ cup of milk.

For a higher-protein option to heavy cream, combine equal parts Greek yogurt and whole milk and use the mixture in place of the same amount of heavy cream. 

This mixture is great for thickening soups or sauces but cannot be used for whipping.

  • Cashew cream

You can make cashew cream as a vegan substitute for heavy cream in pasta. 

Cashew cream is effortless, so you’ll only need to blend three soaked cashews and 1 part water.

  • Milk + Corn Starch 

If you have ever made a cream sauce, know it can be a delicate balance.

Moreover, too much cream and the sauce is cloyingly rich; and too little, and it can be bland and watery.

To get a perfect sauce cream, simply combine these two humble ingredients (Milk + corn starch).

With these, you can create a smooth, creamy sauce that is every bit as good as its heavy cream counterpart.

To replace 1 cup of heavy cream, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 1 cup of milk and whisk thoroughly. 

This lower-fat, lower-calorie substitute is best used in cooking. 

However, it may alter the texture of baked goods and will not whip as well as heavy cream.

  • Cottage cheese and milk

Cottage cheese is made from the curds of cow’s milk, and it’s packed with protein and other nutrients that make it an excellent good-for-you swap.

  • Coconut Cream 

A vegan dietitian Taylor Wolfram, RDN, says Coconut cream mostly resembles dairy-based cream in terms of fat content,” 

It’s also a convenient substitute for heavy cream in pasta because you can pull it out of a can.

You can substitute an equal amount of heavy cream with coconut cream and use it as a dairy-free option in recipes that call for heavy cream. 

It can be baked, cooked, and whipped.

But it does have a coconut flavor. As such, choose your recipes accordingly.

  • Soy Milk And Silken Tofu

Silken tofu is just like regular tofu, made from condensed soy milk and comes in solid white blocks. 

However, It has a softer consistency than regular tofu, making it a non-dairy substitute for heavy cream. 

It also has a high protein content.

To use as a substitute, mix equal parts silken tofu and soy milk and blend thoroughly to make a high protein, vegan substitute for heavy cream. 

When you blend in soy milk, silken tofu will have a smooth texture free of lumps.

Additionally, this mixture works well to thicken soups and sauces and can also be whipped like heavy cream.

  • Milk and butter

To substitute for 1 cup of heavy cream in pasta, mix 1/4 cup of melted butter with 3/4 cup of milk. 

This stand-in is best for cooking and baking, not whipping.

What percentage is heavy cream in pasta?

Heavy cream contains between 36 and 40 percent milk fast and is thicker than light cream, whipping cream, half and half, whole milk, and evaporated milk. 

Heavy cream does not curdle when heated and is the best whipping into stiff because of its high-fat content.

Nutrition Information Heavy Cream In Pasta (Per 1 Tablespoon)

  • Calories: 340 kcal                 
  • Total Fat: 36 g                  
  • Saturated Fat: 23 g
  • Trans Fat: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 113 mg               
  • Sodium: 27 mg               
  • Potassium: 0 mg                          
  • Total Carbohydrate: 3 g              
  • Dietary Fiber: 0 g                         
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Protein: 3 g                            

Conclusion 

Heavy cream in pasta is the milk fat that collects on top of fresh milk if it hasn’t been homogenized.

It is also considered a staple ingredient, and for a good reason it is used in various recipes, including soups, sauces, homemade butter, ice cream, and sour cream.

The heavy cream in pasta dishes adds a creamy texture to the plate and thickens the pasta sauce, and You can use heavy cream or a vegan heavy cream to substitute as an ad in to thicken your pasta sauces and fill them with flavor. 

To substitute for it in pasta, there are several other options to consider, some of which are using greek yogurt and milk, half and half. 

Also, you can use milk and butter, milk and cornstarch, coconut cream, soy milk, and softened tofu, among other substitute for heavy cream in pasta. 

However,  there are a few things to consider when choosing the best heavy cream for a pasta dish, one of which is to consider the type of pasta you’ll be making. 

If you’re making a lighter pasta dish, like an Alfredo, you may want to use a lighter cream substitute. 

Did you find the article helpful? Kindly share with your friends and Check back for more interesting reads. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?

To use milk as a substitute for heavy milk in pasta, you will need ⅔ cup of milk and ½  cup of oil for each cup of heavy cream.

You can use the substitute also for both cooking and baking recipes.

What can be used as substitute for heavy cream in a sauce?

If you’re looking to replace heavy cream with a lower-fat or dairy-free sauce, there are plenty of substitute options available. 

You should try the mixture of a soy milk-olive oil combo, evaporated milk, and coconut cream.

How do you recreate heavy cream?

If you have butter and milk, you can make your own heavy cream substitute.  

For 1 cup of heavy cream, melt ¼ cup of butter and slowly whisk in ¾ cup of milk.  

You can also use this when baking or cooking recipes that require heavy cream, but it will not whisk into stiff peaks.

Does heavy cream make pasta sauce thicker?

Heavy cream, sour cream, or yogurt are all for thickening soups and sauces. 
However, you have to be careful about boiling them, or they may break and curdle.

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