Roasted Cauliflower Alfredo (Print Version)

A creamy, lighter Alfredo sauce made with roasted cauliflower, garlic, and Parmesan served over tender pasta.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
02 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup whole milk
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Pasta

06 - 12 oz fettuccine or pasta of choice

→ Seasonings

07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh parsley, chopped
11 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss cauliflower florets and garlic cloves with 1 tablespoon butter, spread evenly on the sheet, and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.
02 - Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
03 - In a blender, combine roasted cauliflower, garlic, remaining butter, milk, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
04 - Pour sauce into a large skillet over medium heat and warm until just simmering. Add cooked pasta and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with sauce.
05 - Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers all the richness of Alfredo without leaving you feeling weighed down afterward.
  • Roasting the cauliflower brings out a natural sweetness that makes the sauce taste more complex than it actually is.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, and it feels fancy enough for company.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to life.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water because it's the magic ingredient that brings the sauce to the perfect consistency when you toss everything together.
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to, at least a full minute, because any bits left unblended will make the texture feel grainy instead of velvety.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it to the pasta and adjust the salt, because the Parmesan can vary in saltiness depending on the brand.
03 -
  • If your blender struggles with thick mixtures, blend the cauliflower in two batches and use a little more pasta water to help it along.
  • Roast extra cauliflower and garlic whenever you make this, then freeze the roasted vegetables in a bag so you can whip up the sauce even faster next time.
  • A microplane grater is the best tool for nutmeg because it releases more of the oil and fragrance than pre-ground ever could.
Go Back