Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo (Printable)

Light, velvety pasta with no-cream cauliflower sauce for guilt-free comfort.

# What Goes In:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (approximately 1.55 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
06 - 1/2 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant-based

→ Pasta

07 - 12.3 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 cheese, optional

# How to Make It:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and velvety while actually being lighter than traditional Alfredo, so you can eat a full bowl without the post-dinner heaviness.
  • The whole dish comes together in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels fancy but isn't fussy.
02 -
  • Don't under-cook the cauliflower; it needs to be almost falling-apart tender so it blends into something silky rather than grainy or chunky.
  • Save that pasta water—it's liquid gold with starch that helps the sauce coat the noodles beautifully instead of just sitting in the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • If your blender struggles or makes weird noises, let the cooked vegetables cool for a minute and blend in smaller batches—a blender full to the brim doesn't blend as smoothly as a half-full one.
  • That pinch of nutmeg is optional on paper but essential in practice; it's barely detectable but somehow makes people taste the sauce and wonder what makes it taste so good.
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