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    Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Recipe

    Published: Jan 20, 2015 / 43 Comments

    262.0K shares
    • Facebook2.6K
    Recipe Print
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.

    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!

    Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (step-by-step photos)

     

    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:

    Cauliflower head (process shot)

    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.

    cooking cauliflower in hot water (step-by-step photos)

    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:

    making cauliflower alfredo sauce in a food processor (process shot)

    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.

    using food processor to make cauliflower alfredo sauce (step-by-step photos)

    Transfer sauce into a large sauce pan and keep it warm on the stove top.

    transferring cauliflower alfredo sauce to a large skillet (process shot)

    Season with salt and pepper, and nutmeg (optional), to taste.

    seasoning cauliflower alfredo sauce with salt and pepper and stirring using spatula (step-by-step photos)

    Finally, mix the cauliflower alfredo sauce with some cooked pasta:

    mixing cauliflower sauce with pasta (process shot)

    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
    4.78 from 9 votes

    Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Recipe

    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. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Author: Julia

    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.

    Keyword cauliflower alfredo, cauliflower sauce, healthy alfredo sauce, low fat alfredo sauce
    Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
    « Quinoa, Spaghetti Squash, and Bacon Fritters
    Chicken Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach in a Creamy Cauliflower Sauce »
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    Please share your comment and Star Rating in the comments section below.

    I appreciate your feedback!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kristina

      April 04, 2018 at 10:09 am

      About how many servings of pasta would this pair with?

      Reply
      • Julia

        April 06, 2018 at 4:43 pm

        Probably about 6 to 8 servings of pasta.

        Reply
    2. Cynthia

      October 01, 2017 at 10:03 am

      Delicious! Added garlic as others mentioned. Used frozen cauliflower florets for convenience since the recipe called for boiling the cauliflower.

      Reply
      • Julia

        October 31, 2017 at 7:25 pm

        Great tips! Thank you, Cynthia!

        Reply
    3. Aranka

      July 15, 2017 at 7:58 am

      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!

      Reply
    4. Jennifer

      May 22, 2017 at 12:49 pm

      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

      Reply
    5. Rayna

      March 15, 2017 at 1:51 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Julia

        March 17, 2017 at 3:06 am

        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

        Reply
    6. M

      February 11, 2017 at 11:43 am

      Wow! How many g of pasta for this Alfredo sauce recipe?

      Reply
    7. Jackie

      January 19, 2017 at 2:30 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 31, 2017 at 2:10 am

        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.

        Reply
    8. Rachel

      September 01, 2016 at 12:43 pm

      Is there a way to make it without the parmesan...aka dairy free???

      Reply
      • Sylvia

        March 23, 2017 at 12:08 pm

        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.

        Reply
    9. Marina Moreno

      August 27, 2016 at 8:15 pm

      This looks amazing! Any suggestions on what I can use instead of the cheese? We are dairy free.

      Reply
      • Sylvia

        March 23, 2017 at 12:05 pm

        I use unflavored soy milk and nutritional yeast (for the cheesy flavor) I also use smart balance dairy free buttery spread

        Reply
    10. Lisa Nye

      August 07, 2016 at 6:13 pm

      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!!!!

      Reply
    11. Sheenam

      March 16, 2016 at 9:08 am

      Cant wait to try this! This looks incredible

      Reply
    12. Sheila

      March 06, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      I made sauteed shrimp alfredo with this sauce and it was so delicious! My husband also loved it, which makes life so much better!!! Thank you so much!

      Reply
    13. Jessie Hansen

      March 01, 2016 at 9:27 pm

      Totally made this tonight, totally loved it. Even my kids, ages 3 6 and 9, ate it up and said it was great. I had seen cauliflower alfredo before but it used the special yeast so i never made it. glad to know this works super well without it. Still waiting for my husband's response on it (he is at work) but I am going to say this is a keeper.

      Reply
    14. Jodi

      January 30, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      I added onion, garlic, about 1/2 cup of almond milk, and a little more Parmesan than the recipe calls for and it was rich as any Alfredo sauce I've ever had.

      Reply
    15. Hannah

      January 30, 2016 at 10:07 am

      Does anyone know how many calories are in a cup of this sauce?

      Reply
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    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I founded this website in 2012. I focus mostly on savory recipes (protein-based main dishes, pasta, salads) and seasonal ingredients (with lots of vegetables and fruits). Many of my recipes are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals. Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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