Cauliflower Alfredo pasta
Try this Alfredo that’s just as delicious as the real deal, even without the butter, cream, and cheese.
This is one of those recipes you have to make and try yourself to believe that it’s as yummy as the real thing it truly comes out rich and creamy like Alfredo but with no butter, cream, or cheese. This is one of my kids' favorites and is actually very easy, so it’s a win-win for family meals.
I started making a double batch and freezing the sauce in portion sizes (small portions for kids’ lunches and larger portions to feed the family for dinner). Then, lunch or dinner is as easy as boiling pasta and adding the kale and sauce. You also could substitute broccoli or another veggie for the kale.
I’ve found that if I chop the kale very finely, even my picky 5-year-old will happily eat it when smothered in the savory sauce. I also sometimes use a different shape of whole-grain or bean-based pasta based on what my kids prefer (fusilli, penne, and macaroni are all favorites).
You can sprinkle some parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast powder (to keep the recipe entirely plant-based) on top to add some extra cheesy flavor.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs, toasted
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 to 5 cups cauliflower (1 small head)
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 16 ounces whole-wheat or bean-based pasta (fettuccine, fusilli, or your favorite kind)
- 4 cups thinly sliced kale
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
Directions
- Boil a large pot of water.
- Combine breadcrumbs, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add cauliflower and cashews to boiling water. Cook until cauliflower is very soft, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower and cashews to a blender. Leave the water in the pot.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook until pasta is al dente. Add kale last 1 minute of pasta cooking. Drain pasta and kale and return to pot.
- Add lemon juice, miso, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and 1 cup of water to blender and process until smooth.
- Add sauce to pasta and stir until well coated. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Enjoy!
Nutrition information (per serving)
- Calories: 320
- Total fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 380 mg
- Total carbohydrate: 54 g
- Dietary fiber: 2 g
- Total sugars: 4 g
- Protein: 13 g