Raise your hand if your favorite pasta dish as a child was creamy fettuccine alfredo. Did your house exclusively refer to fettucine alfredo as "Sarah's favorite pasta" like mine? I'd order it every time I found it featured on a dinner menu and I'd throw in some shrimp for good measure. And when I grew up a bit, things got fancier and I'd toss a pre-made jar of alfredo sauce with some boxed fettuccine for a comforting meal. What with that and the boxes of fruit roll ups and otter pops I consumed, if I still ate the way I wanted to eat as a child (and a college student, for that matter), I'd most definitely have all sorts of health problems.
I distinctly remember setting out to make fettuccine alfredo from scratch and realizing it was filled with loads of butter, cream, and parmesan cheese. That's when alfredo and I broke up. We've rekindled our relationship today with this recipe that allows you to indulge in your favorite creamy pasta without all the heavy cream: gluten-free shrimp and veggie fettuccine with cauliflower alfredo.
This alfredo gets its creaminess from puréed cauliflower mixed with garlic, chicken broth, and only a tiny bit of milk and parmesan. And because as an adult I'm no longer afraid of finding vegetables in my pasta, I threw in some spinach and mushrooms alongside the shrimp for a wholesome meal. With half the calories of a traditional fettuccine alfredo, you'll be shocked by how remarkably close to the real deal this cauliflower alfredo recipe tastes. Close enough to make you put that old recipe back on the shelf for good.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 1 large head cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus (optional) more for serving
- ½ pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 cups spinach
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- ¾ pound gluten-free fettuccine
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, steam the cauliflower for about 8 minutes, until soft when pierced with a fork.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until just fragrant.
- Combine the steamed cauliflower, cooked garlic, vegetable broth, milk, and parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- In the same pan you cooked the garlic in, add the shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and spinach and continue cooking until the spinach melts, and the shrimp is cooked completely through.
- Add the sauce to the pan with the shrimp and veggies and cook until heated through, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss the sauce with the cooked fettuccine and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese on the side.
Faustino Crabb -
I love your wp web template, exactly where do you download it through?
Veronica -
I bet Lucas loves this recipe! Fettuccini Alfredo is one of his favorite dishes! I love your recipe!
Jennifer Garcia -
This recipe is AMAZING!!! My sister and I are YouTubers, and last night we did a recipe video for this recipe. It turned out so good!!! Not only was it SUPER tasty, it was soooo easy to make. I would have NEVER tried cauliflower for the Alfredo base. Thank you so much!!
Recipe Video Link: https://youtu.be/6tHnlHDGp4s
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you so much for coming back to tell me and for sharing the link! It was so much fun to watch other people cook my recipe. I'm so glad you loved the recipe and that your mama loved it too;)
Anna -
I am looking for a black bean pasta recipe that is grain/gluten free. Would you have one ? My daughters have gone grain/gluten free to see if it will help their horrible cramps during their monthly cycle. They have done extensive research that says it will help dramatically! We are also organic eaters, which makes grocery shopping expensive already. So, I'm trying to make as much as I can at home. Black bean, garbanzo and red lentil pastas are their favorite. Please help if you can, because I'm hitting a dead end on the web search! Thanks
Sarah Menanix -
Hi Anna! I do have one black bean pasta recipe on my blog - Southwestern Black Bean Spaghetti. That's really interesting! I've not noticed in a difference in my cramps (ugh - I get terrible cramps!), so I'd be really interested to know if it ends up working (my sis-in-law and I were JUST talking about our terrible cramps last night!). What I've noticed is that black bean spaghetti doesn't have tons of flavor on its own, so it'd be a great substitute for other regular spaghetti recipes - or even things like shrimp scampi would be great with black bean pasta I think! I also did a collaboration with The Bojon Gourmet where we made our own homemade chickpea pasta and served it with a mushroom thyme sauce. I hope these ideas help!
Sandy Headtke -
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/151715081172063534/
Pinned
Sandy Headtke -
I follow you on twitter
Sandy Headtke -
I follow you on Facebook
Sandy Headtke -
I receive your emails
Sandy Headtke -
I would make spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and herbs from my garden
Felicia -
aaaaand, signed up for your emails! I look forward to reading and trying your recipes, sad I didn't sign up sooner. Better late than never!
Felicia -
Pinned this recipe!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/572942383817589911/
Felicia -
Followed ya on twitter! :)
Felicia -
I would use the black bean spaghetti noodles with my fave chicken pesto! Or possibly as a side with some lemon pepper salmon and cauliflower mash...yummm!
Jess -
This pasta dish looks so, so good! I love prawns with pasta and that alfredo sauce is amazing!
Chris @ Shared Appetite -
This looks amazing Sarah!! So creative to use cauliflower instead of all that butter and cream. I've never heard of this pasta... thanks for introducing it to us! Going to have to look for it!
Jessica -
Ooh, I need to try out this recipe! I don't have a particular recipe I'd want to make healthier but I am excited to try out the mung bean fettuccine with a simple tomato sauce made with onion and butter.
Melody -
I can't wait to try the cauliflower Alfredo sauce!! I don't have a particular recipe that I would want to make healthier, but I would love to use the mung bean fettuccine in a cold noodle dish, with shredded spicy chicken, julienned cucumber, potato, and carrots.
Melanie @ Carmel Moments -
This is gorgeous! Love that you made alfredo with cauliflower! Genius.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner -
This looks so tasty! I never thought to use cauliflower to make alfredo healthy...brilliant idea. :)
Tyler -
Mung bean fettuccine Alfredo with pancetta. Totally healthy.
Michelle -
And now email too, you're awesome Sarah!
Michelle -
And twitter...
Michelle -
I am also a loyal Facebook follower :)
Michelle -
The cauliflower fettuccine looks amazing, and I would love to try the pasta with scampi!
Jodie -
I love the cauliflower fettuccine recipe, and I am looking forward to trying Explore Asia's pastas with that recipe as well as my grandma's Italian sauce.
Spike -
You are one of three twitter accounts I am following. Consider yourself lucky
Spike -
I already like you on fb
Spike -
I'd make some spicy meatballs with jalapenos and habaneros for black bean spaghetti
Jodi -
YUUUMMMY! Sarah, you are SO talented! I LOVE fettuccine so I would use the noodles in the same dish just to make things a bit healthier! Thanks for sharing!
Danielle -
And also now I don't have to check in every so often for your new posts, because they'll be delivered to my email :) Yay!
Danielle -
I would like you 100X on facebook because you are awesome :)
Maranda Brown -
I would make black bean spaghetti with peppers, onions, and tofu, instead of my usual spaghetti and meatballs.
Brian -
I would supplement the black bean spaghetti for the usual when I make spaghetti with Italian sausage. Keeping it simple.
Charles -
I am writing this line to avoid the spam filter, which seems a bit aggressive:
Pasta Primavera 4Eva
lindsey -
pinned! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/212654413629891755/
lindsey -
followed you on FB =)
Sandy -
Also I like you on facebook.
lindsey -
subscribed to your newsletter
lindsey -
I'd love to try a mac and cheese recipe with the noodies!
Sandy -
I follow you on twitter!
Sheri -
I can't wait to use the black bean spaghetti in my "almost" home-made spaghetti recipe!
Sandy -
I'd combine the black bean spaghetti with a bolognese sauce for a high protein pasta treat.
Anjali @ The Picky Eater -
I follow you on Facebook! :)
Sheri -
I'm a faithful Facebook follower! ;)
Jordan -
I follow you on twitter
@j_mosh
Jordan -
I already like you on facebook :)
Jordan -
I'd love to make a healthier pad thai dish or shrimp scampi. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Ruta -
I would love to make them with a peanut sauce. Always looking for new types of delicious pasta.
Kelly -
I would love to try the black bean pasta!
Kelly -
Like you on Facebook!
Kelly -
Follow you on twitter!
Kelly -
Pinned it:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/34621490860418777/
Diane -
i liked you on fb :) I also like you in general
Diane -
i'm an email subscriber
Diane -
spaghetti with broccoli cream pesto!
Tina -
Boom, recipe is pinned.
Tina -
And I get allllll the SnixyEmails
Tina -
Obvi I follow you on Twitter
Tina -
I <3 <3 <3 you on FB ;)
Tina -
I'd make scampi or maybe carbonara. Mmm!
Madeline -
And I follow you on Twitter!
Madeline -
And I like you on FB :)
Madeline -
I already subscribe to your emails!
Madeline -
I think it'd be fun to make Turkey Tettrazini with the pasta!
Cellabella -
I'd like to make a pasta pomodoro with veggies!
mona -
Like Snixy Kitchen on Facebook @Mona Cpete
mona -
Pinned an image
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/101753272805565308/
mona -
Want to make the shrimp fettucini
Mary Beth Elderton -
Pin:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/39828777929772355/
Mary Beth Elderton -
I follow you on twitter as @mbm218
Mary Beth Elderton -
I like you on FB as MaryBeth Elderton
Mary Beth Elderton -
Im an email subscriber
Mary Beth Elderton -
Id love to try these pastas with a balsamic Alfredo sauce.
Jessica -
Oh man, I've been meaning to try cauliflower alfredo. It's probably gonna happen soon now that I know it was a hit for you!
Angela -
I'd try shrimp scampi! orrrr maybe just with some vodka sauce.