Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

When you think Alfredo, you probably think: rich. Order fettuccine Alfredo at a restaurant for dinner, and you’re either leaving with a box of leftovers or wishing you could be wheeled to your car afterwards. But this cauliflower Alfredo sauce? Well, that’s a different story.

Cauliflower has an amazing ability to swap in for carbs (see this cauliflower rice recipe), but in this case, it replaces the heavy cream and butter typically found in traditional Alfredo sauce. Using cauliflower cuts down on the calories and fat, while adding extra fiber and nutrients. (If you like this idea, be sure to try my Instant Pot cauliflower potato soup, too!) 

Fake-Out Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo—the queen of pasta sauces! Along with anything marsala, Alfredo is one of everyone’s favorite pasta sauces. Fettuccine, chicken, shrimp, pretty much anything really, are all perfect with Alfredo. This cauliflower fake-out sauce looks, smells, and tastes like Alfredo sauce. You can use cauliflower Alfredo sauce as a topping for pasta, or any other way you like to use traditional Alfredo.

Healthy. Typically Alfredo is all about the CREAM, BUTTER AND PARMESAN. This Alfredo sauce is made with cauliflower and blended until it is super smooth (that’s an important step!). It’s almost a perfect mimic of the Alfredo we all know and love, except with far fewer calories (only 111 per generous ½ cup serving!).

Tons of flavor. Of course, this sauce still has some goodies in it, starting with the garlic sautéed in butter and olive oil (gotta have a little of the good stuff here!). The puréed cauliflower is blended with milk, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg to complement all that creamy goodness.

Reheats beautifully. Unlike classic Alfredo sauces which separate quickly and turn greasy when you reheat them, this sauce holds together even when reheated. It can be refrigerated or even frozen with no ill effects.

Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower: Look for a fresh head of cauliflower that weighs about two pounds. Remove the outer leaves, rinse, and cut the head into florets. If you’re in a time-crunch, buy a bag of florets to cut down on the prep time a bit.
• Milk: You can use any kind you have on hand but whole milk or 2% definitely will give you the richest-tasting sauce. We tested it with skim milk (nonfat) and the texture was still great but the sauce had a more watery flavor.
• Unsalted butter and olive oil: Using both butter and oil creates a richer flavor for the cauliflower Alfredo sauce. If you prefer, you can substitute all butter or all olive oil.
• Garlic: Mince a few cloves of fresh garlic finely with a knife or push them through a garlic press. You can adjust the amount of garlic according to your preferences. I personally like a lot of garlic and this sauce was pretty garlicky, according to a few of my testers who aren’t such garlic fans.
• Grated Parmesan cheese: For the smoothest sauce, buy a wedge and grate the cheese yourself. Store-bought canned grated Parmesan will work but doesn’t melt quite as well.
• Kosher salt and coarse ground pepper: I recommend freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
• Nutmeg: Freshly grated has the best flavor but feel free to use ground nutmeg.
• Parsley: This is an optional garnish but it does add a fresh finishing touch.
• Cooked pasta: Fettuccine is the classic choice; however, feel free to use whatever type of pasta you prefer.

How to Make Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Cook the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower florets and boil for about 15 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well.

Cook the garlic. While the cauliflower is cooking, you can cook the garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a skillet over medium-low. Sauté the garlic until it’s soft and fragrant, or for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the oil and garlic into the blender.

Blend. Transfer the drained cauliflower to the blender with the garlic mixture. Add salt and pepper, nutmeg, and milk. Blend until very smooth. A high-powered blender works best but you can also use a food processor if you don’t have a blender. Scrape the sides as necessary. The mixture should be silky smooth.

Add cheese. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. If the sauce seems too thick for your liking, stir in a small amount of additional milk.

Finish. Toss the cauliflower Alfredo sauce with cooked pasta. Add a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t brown the garlic. Burnt garlic has a sharp, unpleasant flavor. We only want to gently heat the garlic enough to coax out its flavor for the sauce.
• Blend the sauce super well. This is important for achieving that smooth, rich classic Alfredo sauce texture. A high-powered blender works best.
• Make it dairy-free. For a vegan cauliflower Alfredo sauce, replace the Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast, use plant-based butter, and an unflavored, unsweetened plant milk.
• Add sun-dried tomatoes. Purée the sauce with a handful of sun-dried tomatoes for another layer of flavor.

Serving Suggestions

• Chicken. Air fryer chicken breasts are fabulous for slicing and serving on top of pasta.
• Shrimp. Take a cue from this easy shrimp Alfredo and add spicy garlic shrimp to your cauliflower fettuccine Alfredo.
• Vegetables. Pair your pasta with lemon roasted broccoli with Parmesan or sautéed asparagus. Any extra sauce will be perfect with the vegetables.
• Salad. This house salad is a light pairing with pasta, or keep it simple and toss bagged salad greens with balsamic vinaigrette.

Storage & Reheating

• Refrigerator: This sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Unlike traditional Alfredo sauce, the cauliflower version stores and reheats beautifully, without separating.
• Freezer: Cauliflower Alfredo sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months. Transfer it to a freezer bag and press out the excess air; freeze it flat. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating, or place the bag in a large bowl of hot water to thaw it more quickly.
• Reheating: To reheat the sauce, warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through; the microwave also works. If the sauce seems thicker than you’d like after reheating, add a bit more milk, a splash of broth, or (if you have no other options) water, then adjust the seasonings as needed.