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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 ½ cups of cooked and sliced cauliflower pieces. Do reserve some cooking water.
Dissolve ½ of a chicken bouillon cube in ½ cup of very hot reserved cooking water. In a food processor, combine drained cooked cauliflower and ½ cup of hot reserved cooking water you just made with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and ¼ 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 ¼ measuring cup) to thin the sauce if it is too thick. This will make 2 and ¼ 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
Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower head
- ½ cup hot cooking water
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese , shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- nutmeg to taste (optional)
Instructions
- 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 ½ cups of cooked and sliced cauliflower pieces. Do reserve some cooking water.
- Dissolve ½ of a chicken bullion cube in ½ cup of very hot reserved cooking water.
- In a food processor, combine drained cooked cauliflower (from step 1) and ½ cup of hot reserved cooking water you just made (from step 2) with ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and ¼ teaspoon of salt, and process really well, until a very creamy sauce forms:
- 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.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
If you cook the cauliflower that long you will kill the nutritional value.
I did it today. I added powdered garlic and a LITTLE bit of butter... delicious! also added sliced mushrooms.. YUM
I just made this to have for dinner tomorrow (as I am anticipating a busy day) and it is awesome! I used vegetable broth to boil my cauliflower in instead of water and a chicken bouillon cube. (to make it vegetarian). I tasted it after it was pureed...so good! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
This looks incredible! Can't wait to try it.
Made this tonight! After reading about the mild flavor, I added sautéed 1/2 onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic along to the food processor. It was incredible!
Love this recipe, made it last week and it's so good! Just curious, have you tried freezing leftover sauce? If so does it reheat well?
I just made this tonite. I liked it, but no one else in my family liked it. To me, it was very flavorful, but also very bland, if that makes sense. It did have a nice flavor, I seasoned it with the bullion and some Flavor God Garlic Lover's seasoning. But the lack of fat was very apparent in the taste. It was creamy, but not rich at all, which I guess is the point. If you are used to eating a clean, healthy diet (I am), then you will like this recipe. If not, then you'll probably not care for it. Adding some butter, cream or half-and-half will probably make it go over better with ppl who prefer traditional alfredo sauce.
I was wondering this exactly.
Do you know if it freezes well?
Did u try freezing it?
I absolutely love cauliflower alfredo sauce! I make it with chicken stock and add a little almond milk at the end for creaminess. I mix it with Shirataki noodles which are low cal and gf!
Beautiful healthified Alfredo Sauce, Julia! We made a sauce very similar back when I was doing Atkins low carbing and enjoyed it with zucchini noodles. Thank you for sharing, my friend. Will be pinning this one, for sure!
Looks delicious!
Julia - this cauliflower and Parmesan "alfredao sauce" is simply so BRILLIANT! I am so loving the sound of this healthier version!
Anyone tried this? I don't like cauliflower but wondering if this masks the taste for people who may not be a fan. I love alfredo but a healthier version is always a great idea.
I have made this several times and love it. I also love cauliflower, however, it does not have a sting cauliflower taste. I do add a splash of milk and a couple tablespoons of butter on it and serve it over whole wheat linguine. If I want extra protein, I add some ricotta or cottage cheese to a single serving when it's done and blend it. Delicious and so healthy! I would recommend it highly.
I absolutely loved it. I may or may not have added a little more parmesan than the recipe calls for. lol 😉
So easy and cheap. Give it a try! I poured my sauce of chicken breasts and baked it in the oven.