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5.0 from 1,230 votes

Cauliflower Alfredo

This gluten-free and nut-free homemade Alfredo sauce is a lighter alternative to traditional Alfredo, but it's still rich, creamy, and full of flavor!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
18 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 190 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 pound cooked fettuccine

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic with crushed red pepper until the garlic is soft and fragrant, but not browned, about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked cauliflower to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
  4. Transfer the cauliflower mixture to a blender along with the reserved cooking liquid and milk. Cover the vent in your blender lid with a thin kitchen towel to allow venting and puree until the sauce is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. If the sauce starts to look dry, add a few drops of water, milk, or olive oil.
  5. Toss the alfredo sauce with cooked fettucine and serve immediately.

Notes

  • This recipe has been updated from a vegan recipe using plant milk to using regular milk or milk of choice, plus added seasoning and shallot. Simply swap for plant milk to match the previous recipe.
  • Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge. 
  • Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However here are some common substitutes that would work well in this recipe.
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  • Original vegan recipe
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  • To make it gluten-free, you can use any gluten-free pasta of your choice.
  • To make the sauce more creamy, you can use more milk and olive oil instead of the cauliflower cooking water.
  • Bring a large pot of boiling water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Reserve 1 cup of the boiling water.
  • Heat the olive oil a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the minced garlic until soft and fragrant, but not browned, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked cauliflower to a blender. Add the sautéed garlic, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, milk, salt and pepper. Cover the vent in your blender lid with a thin kitchen towel to allow venting and puree until the sauce is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. If the sauce starts to look dry, add a few drops of water, milk, or olive oil.
  • Serve with cooked fettuccine

Nutrition Information

Calories 190kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 0.02g Cholesterol 24mg (8%) Sodium 430mg (18%) Potassium 374mg (11%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 74IU (1%) Vitamin C 47mg (52%) Calcium 63mg (6%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 190

% Daily Value*

Calories 190kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.02g 1%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 430mg 18%
Potassium 374mg 8%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 74IU 1%
Vitamin C 47mg 52%
Calcium 63mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.