Alfredo Sauce
User Reviews
4.8
Alfredo Sauce
Description
The Alfredo Sauce is made by boiling small cauliflower florets until fork-tender and then blending them with Parmesan cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. The addition of pasta cooking water during blending creates a silky, creamy consistency suitable for coating pasta evenly. The mixture's richness comes from the butter and Parmesan, while the lemon juice adds brightness to balance the flavors.
This sauce can be warmed with pasta, adding additional reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce for a perfect coating. Garlic and Dijon mustard add subtle savory depth to the sauce, enhancing its complexity beyond a simple cream base. The cauliflower provides body and a smoother alternative to cream-based Alfredo, suitable for those seeking vegetable-enriched sauces.
The recipe notes suggest that to make a vegan version, one could refer to alternative recipes, as this version relies on cheese and butter. Serving the sauce immediately after preparation preserves its texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cauliflower 1 small cauliflower, florets
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese more for serving, grated
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon salt sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 to 1½ cups pasta cooking water reserved
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and boil until the cauliflower is fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place the cauliflower in a blender. Add the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, mustard, butter, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the blender and blend the sauce until creamy.
- As you toss your alfredo sauce with pasta, you may want to add the additional 1/2 cup pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce.
Notes
- Reserve pasta cooking water to adjust sauce consistency when tossing with pasta.
- For a vegan Alfredo, consult vegan-friendly recipes as this version uses Parmesan and butter.
- Blend until creamy for a smooth sauce texture, adding more water to loosen if necessary.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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