Easy Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo (Printable)

Light, velvety pasta with creamy cauliflower sauce. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets (approximately 1.5 pounds)
02 - 3 cloves garlic, peeled
03 - 1 small yellow onion, chopped

→ Dairy & Alternatives

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
06 - 1/2 cup milk, dairy or unsweetened plant-based

→ Pasta

07 - 12.3 ounces fettuccine or linguine

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 - Pinch of ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnishes

11 - Fresh parsley, chopped, optional
12 - Extra Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add cauliflower florets, garlic cloves, and chopped onion. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until cauliflower is fork-tender.
02 - Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked vegetables to a blender, reserving cooking liquid in the pot.
03 - Add butter, Parmesan cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, adding a splash of reserved cooking water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
04 - In the same pot with remaining cooking liquid, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining in colander.
05 - Return drained pasta to pot. Pour cauliflower Alfredo sauce over pasta and toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water incrementally to achieve desired coating consistency.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is genuinely creamy and rich, fooling everyone who expects to taste cauliflower.
  • It's ready in under 45 minutes, making weeknight dinners feel effortless and elegant.
  • You can make it vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free without sacrificing a single drop of that velvety texture.
02 -
  • Never skip blending until completely smooth; any visible cauliflower bits will disrupt the illusion and the mouthfeel entirely.
  • Reserve that pasta water before draining—it's what transforms a thick sauce into something that flows and coats rather than clumps.
03 -
  • The secret to restaurant-quality texture is blending longer than you think necessary—silken sauce takes time, not shortcuts.
  • Reserve at least a cup of pasta water; it's thinner and starchier than regular water, creating flow rather than thickness when added back in.
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