Yes, yes, we know that this cauliflower fettuccine alfredo looks like yet another one of those dubious “healthy swap“ dishes – like we were extra thirsty to ‘hide’ a vegetable into a toddler pasta recipe. You’ll be relieved to know, then, that its inspiration was, in fact, Italian in origin: pasta bianco, AKA the buttered noodles of the Boot. The ingredients, the technique, the straw-into-gold use of pantry ingredients are pure Italian; making a blender do the heavy lifting, nodding toward an Alfredo sauce, and incorporating a vegetable, though–well, that’s just pure late-capitalist American parent. A true marriage of convenience.
But this one has its charms–many, in fact. Think of the cauliflower as more silent partner than screamer: it subs in texture-wise for the usual heavy cream but has no impact on the taste. Mix that cauliflower with just enough stock, butter, milk, and cheese and it’ll do a reasonably good facsimile of an alfredo sauce; your child will have no idea as a whole head of a brassica in there. That’s the root of its magic, really: it’s somehow healthy and indulgent at the same time, somehow what it’s supposed to be and its own thing altogether. And while you’re contemplating that, your kid is probably digging it, too.
Check out our other great pasta recipes!
Healthy Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo For Kids
Description
This cauliflower fettuccine Alfredo is a lightened-up twist on the classic, blending tender cauliflower into a creamy sauce that feels indulgent but family-friendly. It’s simple to make, packed with comforting flavor, and just right for busy weeknights or when you want a healthier pasta dish everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep, Cook, and Assemble
-
If using a whole head of cauliflower, separate florets from stalk; remove as much of the stem as you can.
-
Boil a pot filled halfway with water; once boiling, generously salt water. Add cauliflower and cook until soft, roughly 10-12 minutes. Remove cauliflower pieces from water.
-
Return water to a boil; add a bit of salt to water. Add in pasta and cook roughly one minute less than the listed time on the box (most likely ~8-9 minutes). Drain.
-
While pasta cooks, place cooked cauliflower into your blender along with broth, milk, two pinches of black pepper, and one of salt; blend until smooth. (For a thinner sauce, add an additional ¼ cup of milk.)
-
Heat a large pan to Medium; when hot, add one tablespoon of butter, followed by the garlic. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds.
-
Add the cauliflower sauce to the pan, along with another tablespoon of butter; mix to incorporate. Once the pat of butter has melted, add the noodles to the pan and coat with sauce. Add in the last tablespoon of butter and continue cooking and stirring for another minute. Remove pan from heat.
-
Grate cheese all over the top of the noodles and sauce; give it 20-30 seconds to blend into the sauce. Sprinkle parsley or chives over the top.
Serve
-
Chop the noodles so they’re shorter – it’s good scissor practice for your kid – and place on the side of a plate or a bowl. Chicken, broccoli, and peas make great plate-mates with the pasta, as they are natural mix-ins and/or can be dunked in the extra sauce.
Adapt
-
If your children are ride-or-dies for marinara sauce, meet them halfway: halve the chicken broth and add a half a cup of tomato sauce to the blender, which will turn it pink–close enough right? Or, if this all sounds intriguing but is unlikely to fly with your buttered noodles-only child, you can make this the Italian way by 86’ng the cauliflower and instead heating a cup of chicken broth in the pan, adding four tablespoons of butter one at a time as the broth reduces and thickens; add in the noodles, swirl together for a minute or two, then lace with cheese and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
Serving Size 1 oz of pasta + sauce
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 150kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 6g10%
- Cholesterol 15mg5%
- Sodium 80mg4%
- Potassium 150mg5%
- Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
- Dietary Fiber 1.5g6%
- Protein 6g12%
- Vitamin A 75 IU
- Vitamin C 10 mg
- Calcium 75 mg
- Iron 0.5 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
User Reviews
Went easy on the garlic when making this cauliflower fettucine alfredo because I thought my daughter wouldn’t like it; recipe turned out great, but next time I’m going to amp up the black pepper and garlic and see what happens.