Ummmm it’s time. We’re going for it. December is a few days away but I refuse to wait – holiday inspired recipes here we come. Starting it off with this Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta!
This Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta is a lightened up version of a tradtional Alfredo pasta. I used to have the traditional Alfredo on repeat as a child, but my metabolisms isn’t what it was 20 years ago, so I’m all about a healthier alternative every now and then. And this Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta is exactly that. You won’t miss anything because it’s so hearty and creamy without being overly heavy. It’s just some steamed cauliflower that gets pureed in the blender with some milk, brown butter, garlic and red pepper flakes. Top it with some fried sage and parmesan cheese and Voila! It’s the perfect thing to serve this time of year because it feels impressive but it’s actually quite easy!
GET OUTTA HERE. I’m obsessed. I can’t even tell you how much pleasure I get from putting everything in, pressing start and walking away. Voila – done and done. It’s the little things in life guys!
Make this! You’ll be obsessed.
Cauliflower Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 large cloves garlic minced
- 5-6 cups cauliflower florets
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup milk either regular milk, unflavored and unsweetened nut milk
- 1 lb fettuccine
- Parmesan cheese
- Fried sage to garnish
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it starts to get lightly brown, add the red pepper flakes and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant and the butter is browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 8 minutes until fork tender. Once tender, use a slotted spoon and transfer the cauliflower to a Vitamix blender. Add ½ cup of the cooking water and the red pepper and garlic brown butter mixture. Blend until smooth. If it’s still thick, stream in a few tablespoons of milk at a time until smooth and thin. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and transfer back into the pot. Add the cauliflower sauce and toss to combine. Season with salt, pepper and parmesan and serve with fried sage.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Yum! Can’t wait to try this! We LOVE cauliflower at our house!
Hi,
I have made many of your dessert recipes, especially the Slutty Brownies. I decided to make your Slutty Brownie Ice Cream Pie for a family Hanukkah dinner. It looked really good after taking off the springform mold; however, even after letting it defrost for well over 20 minutes, I couldn’t cut it. I tried a variety of knives, and after many attempts, we finally sawed through it. Thank goodness both my brother and nephew are dentists, because the pie was so hard I thought someone might break a tooth. If I remember correctly from your post, you did say it could be hard to cut, but I never expected it would be that hard. Any suggestions if I decide to try it again?
let it thaw for even longer – maybe you have a super awesome freezer!
This sounds like a great alternative to regular alfredo!
Looks delicious! What kind of pasta is in the picture? It looks so yummy
SO amazing! Just made this tonight and it was epic! The fried sage makes the dish! Awesome recipe Gaby thanks!
This was delicious! My husband couldn’t believe there was no cream in it! I do have one question though, the ingredients call for 1/2 cup of milk, but the instructions only say to use a tablespoon or two, is this correct? Should I use the 1/2 cup cooking water and few tablespoons of milk as the ingredients instruct?
you should use the 1/2 cup of cooking water, and only as many tablespoons of the milk as needed. It might be a little bit more or less than what’s listed depending on how much cauliflower you used
Hi Gaby,
Super excited to try this! Do you think it would be good if I added some squash as well? I want to add some more nutrients to the dish? Or would it take away from the flavor too much?
Thank you!!
sure! that would be delish
An easy and delish weeknight meal recipe. I am looking forward to trying this pasta.
Yes, what is that fun pasta you’ve used in your pic? Looks great. Trying this tonight.
We made this last night. Uber yummy and surprisingly creamy. My husband had seconds and that’s unusual for him once he finds out something is hidden (Cauliflower).
Super tasty. I made mine in my brand new cuisinart E8. Merry Christmas to me! It probably wasn’t as creamy as a vita mix would make it but it was delicious!! I’ve never seen linguini like your photo with those lovely curly noodles, I will keep my eye out. The brown butter adds so much more flavor to the recipe. I do weight watchers and this is a much better lighter version of alfredo with out all the heavy cream. How many would you say this recipe serves?
This recipe serves 6-8!
Another great recipe! Rave reviews from my alfredo loving son. The fried sage makes it
special! Going in for seconds now 😉
Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
Made this based on my mom’s reccomendation (commenter Sheri) and my oh my I’m glad I did! I was hesitant because I don’t have a Vitamix, but I used a regular, old blender and the consistency was still smooth and creamy. As a side note, I’ve tried with zucchini pasta and the combination was not my favorite. Overall though, this is a recipie I will come back to again and again.
Oh this will be perfect for this rainy day dinner tonight!
This is pure genius! We’re on a big cauli kick here and the kids are loving it!
This looks delicious! I love the cauliflower! Such a wonderful meal!
I seldom comment on recipes I try, but this one is worth the comment. Thumbs up! Will even use as a base for mac and cheese from now on. Don’t even miss the cream!
Hi Gaby,
Do you think the cauliflower sauce could be made ahead of time, and then reheated on the stove while the pasta is cooking? Thank you!
yes!!
I live alone and this makes a lot. Can it be frozen?
yes!! 100%
i LOVE this recipe – it was the perfect satisfying meal for a pasta craving with a healthy twist!
Loved this dinner!! I blended sauteed mushrooms with the cauliflower, which added a great flavor to the sauce, though it wasn’t the prettiest color. I also added spinach and tomatoes to the pasta. It was a hit! Loved the fried sage leaves especially 🙂
What kind of pasta is in the picture??
Made this for dinner and even the eleven year old sceptic who said “you can’t mess with Alfredo” asked for seconds! This is delicious. I halved the recipe using just one head of cauliflower in case it was a bust. And now I am wishing I had made ALL THE SAUCE. Another winner. Thanks Gaby.
My daughter follows you and sent me this recipe ! Love the lighter version… thank you delicious!
I accidentally read this as 5-6 cauliflower florets so only had a small bag of precut cauliflower on hand and this was still delicious!
Hi Gabby! Can you use coconut milk for this vs the real milk?
I would do almond milk before coconut milk. THat would change the flavor profile too much
Do you think you could make the sauce ahead of time and keep for a few days in fridge or freezer? Going on vacation and looking for easy make-ahead meals that we can just throw together. Any recipes ideas would be appreciated.
YES! would totally work
Hi there, first love your recipes!!!! I don’t have a blender so do you,think I could get the same result from a food processor, I have an 11 cup cuisinart? Thanks
that’s no issue! just pulse until smooth