Easy Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo (Printer-Friendly)

Light and velvety pasta with smooth cauliflower sauce for guilt-free comfort food. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 1.5 lbs)
02 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled
03 - 1 small yellow onion, chopped

→ Dairy & Alternatives

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving; use vegetarian Parmesan if needed)
06 - 1/2 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)

→ Pasta

07 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnishes

11 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
12 - Extra Parmesan (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets, garlic, and chopped onion. Cook for 8–10 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
02 - Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender.
03 - Add butter, Parmesan cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if using) to the blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add a splash of cooking water if needed to reach desired consistency.
04 - In the same pot, cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
05 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Pour over the cauliflower Alfredo sauce and toss well to coat, adding reserved pasta water as needed for creaminess.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You get that restaurant quality creamy pasta experience without the post meal heaviness that usually follows traditional Alfredo
  • The sauce comes together in one blender batch making it faster and easier than any cream based version Ive tried
02 -
  • Reserving pasta water is not optional here because the starchy liquid is what helps the sauce cling to every strand of pasta
  • Let your blender run longer than you think necessary because any grainy texture will be noticeable in the finished dish
03 -
  • Warm your milk slightly before adding it to the blender because cold milk can sometimes make hot vegetable mixtures seize up slightly
  • If you dont have a high speed blender let the vegetables cool for a few minutes before blending to avoid hot liquid expanding and creating a mess
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