When you’re living dairy-free, pasta night can feel tricky — but it doesn’t have to! This recipe is proof that you can make a creamy, flavorful, and totally satisfying dish without a drop of dairy. I put this together with some of my favorite staples and a handful of fresh basil from the garden, and it turned out so good that I had to share it here on Udderly Replaced.
This one-pan wonder is loaded with flavor from caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and plenty of garlic (because is there ever too much garlic?). Pair that with tender shrimp, gluten-free chickpea pasta, melty dairy-free parmesan, and a bright pop of basil, and you’ve got a dish that feels like restaurant comfort food right at home.
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🌿 Ingredients I Used
Here’s everything I pulled from my pantry, fridge, and garden (linked for you so you can try them too):
• Banza Rotini Pasta from Chickpeas – protein-packed and gluten-free
• Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
• Violife Dairy-Free Parmesan Wedge – shreds beautifully, melts just right
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil – I used both the tomatoes and some of the oil
• Sweet Yellow Onion – sliced super thin
• Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread + olive oil
• Crushed Garlic Cubes – convenient frozen cubes for fresh flavor
• Herb Salt (Green Container) – my favorite seasoning blend
• Red Pepper Flakes & Black Pepper
• Fresh Basil – torn and tossed in at the end
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👩🍳 How I Made It
1. Caramelize the Onions – I sliced a sweet yellow onion thin and let it slowly caramelize in a skillet using some of the sun-dried tomato oil, a little olive oil, and Earth Balance dairy-free butter.
2. Garlic Goodness – Next, I added three frozen garlic cubes (because I love garlic) and cooked them down with the onions until fragrant.
3. Pasta & Shrimp – While that was cooking, I boiled the chickpea rotini. I saved a bit of pasta water before draining. The shrimp went into the pasta the last couple of minutes and then transferred over to the onion/garlic mix at the end, just long enough to cook through, but not too much so that it wasn’t rubbery.
4. Mix It All Together – I tossed the pasta into the skillet with the onion, garlic, shrimp, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a splash of pasta water, herb salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
5. Finish with Cheese & Basil – Finally, I shaved Violife dairy-free parmesan into the skillet and stirred until it melted. Right before serving, I added fresh basil, tossing it gently so it just wilted and perfumed the whole dish.
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🍽 The Result
A hearty, flavorful pasta that checks all the boxes: dairy-free, gluten-free, protein-packed, and full of bold Italian-inspired flavors. The caramelized onions and sun-dried tomatoes give it depth, the garlic makes it irresistible, the dairy-free parmesan ties everything together in a creamy finish, and the fresh basil brightens every bite.
This dish feels indulgent but is totally weeknight-friendly — and you won’t even miss the dairy.
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🛒 Shop My Dairy-Free Pantry Favorites
Here are the exact items I used, all available on Amazon/Whole Foods:
• Herb Salt – Green Container on Amazon
• Crushed Garlic Cubes – Amazon/Whole Foods
• Violife Dairy-Free Parmesan Wedge – Amazon/Whole Foods
• Banza Rotini Pasta from Chickpeas – Amazon/Whole Foods
• Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread, Dairy Free Butter – Amazon/Whole Foods
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✨ Living dairy-free doesn’t mean giving up comfort food. This pasta proves you can have flavor, indulgence, and simplicity — all without the dairy!
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