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This Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce is creamy and delicious, while being deceptively simple! In lieu of the heavy cream, butter and cheese found in traditional Alfredo sauce, this particular version gets its creamy texture from pureed cauliflower— but when you serve it, most people can’t even tell.
This sauce is naturally Vegan and Paleo-friendly, but make sure to choose a pasta that also fits your dietary needs by looking at the label. Zucchini noodles make a great grain-free option!
Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is the ultimate “chameleon” of vegetables, if you ask me. It can easily transform into Cauliflower Fried Rice, Cauliflower Pizza Crust, or a creamy sauce, like this one. Cauliflower also hides well in a Low-Sugar Smoothie, if you’re trying to use a little less fruit.
Here are some of the nutritional benefits of cauliflower:
- There are 3 grams of fiber in just 1 cup of cauliflower. (That’s 10% of your daily needs!)
- Cauliflower is high in antioxidants and flavonoids, which may help to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. (source)
- 92% of cauliflower is water, and eating water-rich foods have been shown to aid in weight loss.
- Cauliflower is high in choline, which is involved in brain development and a healthy metabolism.
How to Make Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
Making this Cauliflower Alfredo is as easy as steaming fresh or frozen cauliflower until tender, and then blending it until smooth with the rest of the ingredients. The key to this sauce is slightly over-cooking the cauliflower, so that it’s very soft and easily blended.
In situations like this, I’m not concerned with losing a few nutrients by over-cooking, because the true benefit of eating this sauce is that it’s replacing the heavier version.Â
By avoiding the whipping cream, butter and cheese found in traditional Fettuccine Alfredo, you’ll be doing your body a favor every time you choose this sauce, instead! Your taste buds will be pretty happy, too.
This low-fat creamy sauce is dairy-free and nut-free, making it the perfect topping for your favorite pasta or vegetables. I could see it being delicious in a homemade lasagna, or even over a white pizza, too! The options are endless. If you follow food combining principles, this sauce is “neutral” and can be served with any other foods you like for streamlined digestion.
How to Make Cauliflower Alfredo (1-Minute Video):
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine Himalayan salt , or more to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Saute the minced garlic in the oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Allow to cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is tender and fragrant, but not browned.
- Add the 1 cup of water to the saucepan, along with the cauliflower, and bring the water to a boil. (The water will not cover the cauliflower, and that's okay.) Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot to cook until the cauliflower is fork-tender and very soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the entire contents of the saucepan into a blender or food processor, and season with salt and pepper. Process until very smooth and creamy, with a texture similar to traditional cream sauce. (Always be careful when blending hot liquids-- the steam pressure can blow the lid off your blender. Cover the vent in your blender lid with a thin kitchen towel to allow venting.)
- Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, and serve hot over your favorite pasta.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 64, Fat: 2g, Carbohydrates: 9g, Fiber: 3g, Protein: 3g
This sauce is delicious on its own, but it can be extra-tasty with a few add-ins. A few ideas are listed below, but feel free to get creative!
Optional Add-Ins:
- A generous topping of freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, for an authentic-tasting Alfredo sauce. (If you’re not vegan & dairy-free.)
- Sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach.
- Sauteed mushrooms and roasted broccoli.
- Nutritional yeast, for a dairy-free “cheesy” flavor.
As always, if you try something different with this recipe, please leave a comment below letting us know what you tried. We can all benefit from YOUR experience!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite pasta sauce?
I absolutely loved this! I served it only over a mountain of steamed veggies and it was so Delicious! I cant wait to have the leftovers tomorrow!
So this will help you lose weight
I’ve made this and could eat it with a spoon! It’s very easy to make and only takes a few minutes.
I’m thinking about adding some chickpea miso (I don’t do soy or nutritional yeast) for a cheesier flavor. How much should I add? 1/4 cup maybe?
WOWWWWW! This is delicious! As a new mom I am in need of food that I can prepare fast and is also healthy. My one year old throws any veggies off his plate so this is perfect way to get his veggies in. Do you think this sauce would freeze well?
I have frozen it and it tasted great when I thawed it out. I made double so I could freeze some and save on washing pots!
i made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! it got a solid “a” among young and old. I love the fact it only has a teaspoon of oil, adding very little fat to the dish. i added a pinch of nutmeg as well as a couple TABLESPOON of nutritional yeast flakes, garnished with fresh basil and served over gluten free penne. definitely a keeper.
Hi! I tried this recipe, but couldn’t get the mixture past a cauliflo mashed potato-y texture. i tired adding more water but it didnt help, do you have any suggestions?
I made this sauce tonight, inspired by your Instagram suggestion, and was SO IN LOVE with the way it turned out! Thank you Megan!!! I haven’t been able to eat Alfredo sauce for YEARS because of Acid Reflux and have been missing it… I thought this sauce would be watery and flavorless, and I am so glad I was all wrong. The texture was perfect, I poured a little over steamed asparagus, but I’m looking forward to making this easy and delicious sauce over and over again… 10/10!!! I never knew cauliflower could be so versatile. I’ve also made your cauliflower pizza, so I’m a big fan. Thank you again.
This is a wonderful recipe!!
I recently bought a lot of cauliflower (it was 4# for $1 – I went kinda crazy and got 20#.)
This helped me use up the rest of the cauliflower that I didn’t freeze – plus from now on it will be our go to dairy free white sauce.
Thank you for sharing!
What the??? This actually tastes and has the texture of alfredo! What can’t cauliflower do?
And I have to say, my vitamix blender was one of the best buys I’ve made. made everything so smooth and creamy!!
I made this yesterday and I loved it. I had it over some spaghetti squash and a turkey, onions and tomatoes crumble. The ultimate test was my boyfriend, who enjoys healthy eating, but he had it with whole-wheat pasta…HE ALSO LOVED IT! He had it today for lunch again. I am eating it today as a “soup” with some of the turkey in there. Great recipe. I will surely make it a few times a month.