Description
A creamy and comforting Fettuccine Alfredo recipe made with a smooth cauliflower-based sauce blended with Parmesan cheese, garlic, and lemon juice, served over perfectly cooked fettuccine pasta. This healthier twist on a classic Italian favorite brings rich flavors and a velvety texture while incorporating cauliflower for added nutrients.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets (1 small cauliflower)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta
- 16 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta cooking water
Garnish
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Boil Cauliflower: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the cauliflower well and transfer it to a blender.
- Prepare Sauce: Add the grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice, sea salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper to the blender with the cauliflower.
- Cook Pasta: In the same large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fettuccine pasta according to the package directions or until al dente. Reserve 1½ cups of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Blend Sauce: Pour 1 cup of the reserved pasta water into the blender with the cauliflower mixture and blend until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Toss Pasta and Sauce: Transfer the cooked pasta to a large bowl or skillet. Add the blended sauce and toss well to coat all the noodles evenly. If the sauce feels too thick, add the remaining ½ cup of reserved pasta water and toss again to loosen the sauce and achieve a creamier consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the pasta, season with additional salt and pepper if needed, and serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Notes
- For a vegan Alfredo sauce version, refer to the fettuccine recipe on page 65 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook which omits dairy ingredients.
- Adjust pasta water quantity as needed to control sauce thickness and creaminess.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for best flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/5 of recipe)
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
