If you’re looking for a healthier, low-calorie, low fat version of a regular alfredo sauce, this Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce is it! It’s delicious, creamy, very silky, and is made without using any cream!
When I was making this cauliflower sauce, my main objective was simplicity: I wanted to make the process as simple as I could. In this recipe, all you will do is to combine cooked cauliflower, chicken bouillon cube (you can use organic version, too), Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and nutmeg (optional) in a food processor, and you’re done! I used cooking water to thin the sauce, which makes this cauliflower sauce completely cream-free!
How to make cauliflower alfredo sauce
Without further ado, here are step by step photos and instructions. Clean the cauliflower head from green leaves and chop off any dark spots. Your cauliflower head should look nice and clean:
Chop it into reasonably large but manageable pieces. Place chopped cauliflower in the big sauce pan with water, bring to boil and boil for 30-40 minutes until cauliflower is really soft. Remove from heat and drain cauliflower from water. You should have about 3 and 1/2 cups of cooked and sliced cauliflower pieces. Do reserve some cooking water.
Dissolve 1/2 of a chicken bouillon cube in 1/2 cup of very hot reserved cooking water. In a food processor, combine drained cooked cauliflower and 1/2 cup of hot reserved cooking water you just made with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and process really well, until a very creamy sauce forms:
Feel free to add more cooking water (using small amount at a time, such as 1/4 measuring cup) to thin the sauce if it is too thick. This will make 2 and 1/4 cups of cauliflower sauce.
Transfer sauce into a large sauce pan and keep it warm on the stove top.
Season with salt and pepper, and nutmeg (optional), to taste.
Finally, mix the cauliflower alfredo sauce with some cooked pasta:
Pasta recipes with cauliflower alfredo sauce
Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach in a Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
Healthy fettuccine alfredo with cauliflower sauce and peas
This "alfredo" sauce is made with cauliflower and shredded Parmesan cheese, without any cream. It's a healthier, low-calorie, low fat version of a regular alfredo sauce. It's super creamy and silky.
- 1 cauliflower head
- 1/2 cup hot cooking water
- 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- nutmeg to taste (optional)
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Clean the cauliflower head from green leaves, and chop it into reasonably large but manageable pieces. Place it in the big sauce pan with water, bring to boil and boil for 30-40 minutes until cauliflower is really soft. Remove from heat and drain cauliflower from water. You should have about 3 and 1/2 cups of cooked and sliced cauliflower pieces. Do reserve some cooking water.
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Dissolve 1/2 of a chicken bullion cube in 1/2 cup of very hot reserved cooking water.
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In a food processor, combine drained cooked cauliflower (from step 1) and 1/2 cup of hot reserved cooking water you just made (from step 2) with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and process really well, until a very creamy sauce forms:
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Transfer the cauliflower alfredo sauce into a large sauce pan and keep it warm on the stove top. Season with salt and pepper, and nutmeg (optional), to taste.
About how many servings of pasta would this pair with?
Probably about 6 to 8 servings of pasta.
Delicious! Added garlic as others mentioned. Used frozen cauliflower florets for convenience since the recipe called for boiling the cauliflower.
Great tips! Thank you, Cynthia!
Made it today and serving it tonight over zucchini noodles with some baked chicken cubes and crumbled bacon. Used somewhat more parmesan though. Tastes incredible! Thank you for this amazing recipe, Jennifer!
Just finished making your sauce and it’s amazing!!!! Absolutely delicious! So smooth and creamy! I made a big batch of this and froze several Jars in my airtight Infinity Jars. https://infinityjars.com/collections/kitchen
I was Leary to try. But I did it. Very good, put some cayenne and garlic powder in it. Love it. I got to know how many cal.
I am glad you enjoyed it. I don’t have the calorie count capability on my site yet, but there are online tools where you can cut and paste the ingredients to get the nutritional info, such as this tool: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594
Wow! How many g of pasta for this Alfredo sauce recipe?
I am going to have to pick up a head of cauliflower next grocery trip to try this. It looks great. Definitely add the nutmeg to the sauce, that is the little something that you can taste (but aren’t quite sure what it is) in a good alfredo sauce. I would think it should freeze fine becaue there isn’t any cream or milk to separate or curdle. I might try freezing it in an ice cube tray. Pop out one or two cubes to use for a single serving. I will likely add a tiny bit of butter as others have noted.
Thank you, Jackie, for stopping by! Yes, just the right amount of nutmeg tastes great in this cauliflower sauce. I think freezing should work fine, too, because there is not enough cream or cheese to cause separation.
Is there a way to make it without the parmesan…aka dairy free???
I use nutritional yeast for the cheesy flavor. I also use smart balance dairy free buttery spread to make a roux and unflavored soy milk.
This looks amazing! Any suggestions on what I can use instead of the cheese? We are dairy free.
I use unflavored soy milk and nutritional yeast (for the cheesy flavor) I also use smart balance dairy free buttery spread
I made this tonight and we loved it, I added about 1/8 tsp. garlic powder because we love garlic in alfredo. Thanks for the recipe! YUMMY!!!!