Skinny Pasta Alfredo
One of the most well-known and popular Italian pasta dishes in the world, pasta alfredo usually consists of long strips of pasta suspended in a creamy, cheesy sauce, it’s sort of the Italian version of macaroni and cheese.
It’s a dish based on a classic Italian dish called pasta burro, or pasta with butter, a dish consisting of pasta combined with butter and grated cheese to create a creamy sauce. However, these days many restaurants, especially in the US, tend to add heavy cream for an even richer sauce.
The issue with classic Alfredo? Well, since the sauce is usually loaded with butter, cheese, and, at times, cream, it does cost quite a few calories, so today I thought I’d take this Italian classic and give it a lighter, healthier spin, but still deliver on that signature creaminess.
You can also add chicken or shrimp to it for some extra protein.
The base for my sauce will revolve around one key vegetable, cauliflower.
Cauliflower is well known as an incredibly healthy vegetable, loaded with lots of nutrients and vitamins. Plus, once cooked, the white color of cauliflower and its subtle flavor can lend it to breaking down into a smooth puree that looks like Alfredo sauce but is way healthier.
It’s also a good way to trick kids into eating more vegetables, an issue that any parent can relate to.
Let’s get into it!
Skinny Pasta Alfredo
Servings: 4
Salt
1 large head of cauliflower
1 pound of spaghetti (or any other pasta that you like)
1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping*
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon of Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Sliced fresh basil, for garnish
*Note: for a vegan alternative, you can switch the cheese for 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
Step 1: Prepare and cook the cauliflower
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Cut the cauliflower in half, then pull off the leaves. Use a knife or your hands to pick the cauliflower florets from the core, then cut the florets into even pieces.
Carefully drop the cauliflower florets into the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until very soft. Once cooked, remove the cauliflower from the water with a slotted spoon, but don’t throw away the water just yet.
Step 2: Cook the pasta
In the same pot used to boil the cauliflower, add the spaghetti and cook according to the directions on the package for al dente.
Reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the same pot.
Step 3: Puree the cauliflower
While the pasta is cooking, dump the cauliflower into a blender or food processor, then add the cheese, oil, thyme, and nutmeg.
Blend until very smooth, adding some of the cooking water if you need to make it smoother. I suggest making it thicker because you can thin it out later once you toss the sauce with the pasta.
Season your puree with salt and pepper to taste.
(By the way, it won’t hurt to make extras of this puree. It’ll have a thick, spreadable consistency similar to ricotta cheese.)
Step 4: Finish the dish
Add the cauliflower puree to the pasta and cook over medium-low heat, stirring and adding more pasta water if needed, until the puree takes on a sauce-like thickness.
Divide into shallow bowls, then top with more grated parmesan and basil.
(I swear to you, when I was making this my mind almost lead me to believe that this was real Alfredo)
If you’re looking to get into a healthy lifestyle or are currently on the track for one, but can’t turn off that part of your brain that craves these types of classic pasta dishes, then this is for you.
The sauce is creamy, is full of flavor, but is not as heavy as classic Alfredo and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
