Roasted Cauliflower Fettucine Alfredo

Published October 8, 2013. Updated March 11, 2020

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My latest craving is roasted cauliflower, so I’ve been adding it to everything. I even topped my white pizza with it a few days ago (it was so good!). It actually makes cauliflower worth eating. To me, it’s always just been one of those veggies that doesn’t seem to have much to offer, especially when it comes to flavor. But, when you drizzle it with olive oil and roast it, incredible things happen. It slightly caramelizes and even sweetens a bit. It tastes almost entirely different than it did before going into the oven. So if you don’t like cauliflower, roasting it might just change your opinion on that.

Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo {a healthier and lighter alternative} | Cooking Classy

This fettucine alfredo is loaded with roasted cauliflower. It takes the place of cream, and most of the butter, in a traditional fettuccine alfredo recipe. With that said, this is much healthier than it’s full fat alternative and in my opinion it tastes just as good. I actually like it even more because I don’t feel like I gained five pounds from eating it. Those full fat versions are good but they don’t leave me feeling so great after I eat them. Besides, I always have to save room and calories for dessert :).

If you are going to make an alfredo and leave out all of the cream, then you are seriously going to have to find ways to make up for it (cream is one of my favorite foods after all), which is why I chose to roast the cauliflower and garlic and brown the only two tablespoons of butter it contains. The roasting and browning makes this sauce worthy of competing with the flavor of a full fat alfredo. I have the feeling you’re going to love it! I know I do. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo {a healthier and lighter alternative} | Cooking Classy

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Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

A healthier alternative to the classic fat and calorie heavy alfredo sauce. This is still deliciously flavorful and perfectly creamy.
Servings: 6
Prep20 minutes
Cook25 minutes
Ready in: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 lb) heat cauliflower , cored and diced into florets
  • 4 - 6 cloves garlic , skins left on
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 3/4 cup low-fat milk
  • 2 oz Neufchatel cheese , softened (aka low fat cream cheese)
  • 1 oz finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup slightly packed), plus more for topping if desired
  • 14 oz fettuccine or linguine
  • fresh parsley , for serving (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, then toss to evenly coat and spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 25 - 30 minutes until golden.
  • Meanwhile, boil pasta according to directions listed on package and reserve and set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining pasta.
  • Remove skins from roasted garlic then add to a blender along with roasted cauliflower and milk. Process mixture until well pureed (remove insert of lid and cover with a folded kitchen cloth).
  • Brown butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then carefully add pureed cauliflower mixture to browned butter in saucepan and stir to combined.
  • Reduce heat slightly, add in Neufchatel cheese, Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Heat mixture until warmed through, adding in reserved pasta water 1 Tbsp at a time to thin sauce to desired consistency.
  • Return pasta to pot (without water) and toss with sauce (again adding in additional water to thin as desired). Serve warm, garnished with additional Parmesan and fresh parsley if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo
Amount Per Serving
Calories 435 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 82mg27%
Sodium 221mg10%
Potassium 660mg19%
Carbohydrates 59g20%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 350IU7%
Vitamin C 60mg73%
Calcium 205mg21%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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23 Comments

  • Shayla B.

    After making your Grilled Ginger Sesame Chopped Salad yesterday and this tonight I decided I better subscribe to receive your posts in my inbox because we loved BOTH recipes! Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing.

  • Trish

    This sauce is great! I made extra so that the next night I could use it as pizza sauce. I topped it with roasted broccolini and left over rosemary chicken and mozzarella. It was RIDICULOUSLY good.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I’ve been wanting to make a roasted broccoli or cauliflower pizza forever! I love your idea to add rosemary chicken too. Sounds amazing!!

  • Melinda

    This looks like terrific, and healthy. Just what I am looking for!
    I was wondering if I could make the sauce one day, and keep it inthe frig, and just make the pasta the next day and reheat with the sauce? I really don’t have the time to roast for 30 min when I get home from work.
    Please keep making lots of healthy recipes! Thanks for your awesome website!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I think that should work fine. It reheats better than a traditional alfredo sauce since it isn’t so fatty. I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my site :)!

  • Meagan

    This is really amazing. We loved it. Too bad my kiddo still doesn’t like pasta! :)

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I’m so happy to hear you loved this fettucine Meagan! I know the feeling of having a picky eater, that’s how my 2 year old is starting to be, it’s rough :).

  • Elizabeth

    Really Tasty! My oldest son isn’t a big fan of cauliflower but he had two servings of this! Great way to incorporate it into a meal :)

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      So glad you were able to get your son to eat his veggies :). Thanks for your comment!

  • Janet

    This sounds really good! Could you please post the nutritional information? I’m also wondering why you brown the butter? Thanks!

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Sorry I don’t have the nutritional info but you can find it on sites like myfitnesspal.com. And I browned the butter to add more flavor. Browned butter is like my favorite food ever :).

  • Rebecca @ Dorm Room Baker

    Aside from dessert recipes, pasta recipes are my second favorite. Especially when they look as good as this one. I’d love to try and make it, but I feel like a lot of my nitpicky taste testers will be hesitant if I tell them about the cauliflower haha.