Whether you’re sneaking veggies into your kids’ meals any way you can, or just trying to increase your family’s vegetable intake, this healthy cauliflower alfredo pasta recipe is a weeknight-meal must-try. “Will it taste exactly like the butter, cream, and cheese laden alfredo sauce you are used to? No. Will it be creamy, flavorful, and delicious? Yes,” says The Local Moms Network Food Contributor Kathleen “Kat” Ashmore, whose bestselling new book, Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes That Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun, is on sale now.
Follow Kat on Instagram and TikTok. For another weeknight meal or two to add to your repertoire, go to kathleenashmore.com.
CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO PASTA RECIPE
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 small to medium cauliflower, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
½ cup parmesan, grated, plus additional for serving
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 package of linguine or fettuccine, I use Banza or Jovial Foods chickpea and brown rice pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.
- Add the cauliflower and boil until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, about ten minutes.
- Drain cauliflower in a colander and add to the blender.
- Meanwhile, boil your pasta in a separate large pot of well salted water according to package directions. Drain pasta in the same colander and reserve at least 2 cups of the pasta water.
- Place the cauliflower in a high powered blender or food processor and add the parmesan, butter, olive oil, mustard, garlic, zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Blend to combine for about 20 seconds.
- Add some of the pasta water, ½ cup at a time, and blend until the sauce is very creamy and the consistency is to your liking. I usually use between 1-1 ½ cups of water. Taste and add salt or lemon if needed.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the alfredo sauce and top with extra parmesan, chopped parsley, and cracked pepper.
- Enjoy!
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