In a process for preparing an alkoxylated amide of the formula (I)R.sup.1 --CO--NR.sup.2 --CHR.sup.3 --CHR.sup.4 --O--(CHR.sup.5 --CHR.sup.6 --O).sub.n --H (I)(1) glycerides of the fatty acids, specified later on, of the formula (II):R.sup.1 --COOH (II)are reached with amines of the formula (III)HNR.sup.2 R.sup.7 (III)to give amides of the formula (IV)R.sup.1 --CO--NR.sup.2 --R.sup.7 (IV)and glycerol,(2) then the glycerol which has been formed is separated off by adding of aqueous acid solution to the reaction mixture until it has a pH in the range 1-7, in order to bring about phase separation into a glycerol-containing aqueous phase and an organic phase containing amides of the formula (IV), and separating off the aqueous phase, and(3) subsequently the amide of the formula (IV) is reacted with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide to give alkoxylated amides of the formula (I).