Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

This creamy, decadent Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce comes together quickly and is packed full of flavor and nutrients.

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Like me, you may have noticed there’s been an ongoing rebranding when it comes to cauliflower in the last few years.

Growing up, you truly could not pay me to put this food anywhere near my face. At nine years old, I thought just about everything about it was vile. But the truth is, most people just haven’t tried cauliflower when it’s done really well!

This recipe is proof that we are seeing this veggie’s fresh new beginning. It is a wonderfully versatile vegetable, and can be cooked in a variety of ways all over the world – you can roast it, you can rice it, you can mash it, and you can pickle it – and in this recipe, you can whip it up into an absolutely delicious sauce to stir through your favorite pasta!

Thinking of making a chicken Alfredo? Top the chicken with this cauliflower Alfredo sauce. Call it a healthy food hack, or call it just plain yummy. Either way, you won’t regret it.

Is Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Healthy?

Cauliflower is a great source of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folate. It’s also a good source of fiber. This cauliflower Alfredo sauce is fully vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan by swapping the cheese and butter for your favorite dairy-free alternatives. Another option would be to use good olive oil in lieu of dairy butter, just keep in mind that olive oil does tend to have a distinct flavor.

Frozen Cauliflower vs. Fresh Cauliflower

For the sake of convenience, I’m all for utilizing frozen veggies to make certain soups and stir-fry dishes. However, when it comes to this cauliflower Alfredo recipe, I’d recommend using fresh, raw cauliflower. You can either buy the whole cauliflower that you’d be cutting yourself, or you can usually purchase pre-cut cauliflower florets and skip the cutting entirely. Just do what works for you!

Since this dish doesn’t use a lot of ingredients, using fresh cauliflower will pay off in a rich, subtle flavor that would be hard to achieve if you were to use frozen cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower also contains more water, which would result in a less smooth, creamy sauce.

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

This cauliflower Alfredo sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge for the best flavor. You can also freeze portion-sized containers of the sauce, but be aware that freezing may affect the final consistency.

Can you overcook cauliflower?

Yes! When cauliflower is overcooked, it emits an unpleasant odor and changes color. This is due to the sulfur compounds being released. For best results, heed the cooking time indicated in this recipe and boil your cauliflower for around 8 minutes to be on the safe side.

Do you wash cauliflower before or after cutting it?

If you’re working with the whole head of cauliflower, before you wash it, you’ll first want to cut it up into florets. Add your cauliflower florets to a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt and debris.

Serving Suggestions

If you ask me, when pasta is on the menu, you can’t really go wrong with a good Caesar salad. This Salmon Caesar Salad is seriously good and the salmon will add a great deal of protein and healthy omega fatty acids to the meal.

This Roasted Chicken is another solid option and would round out the meal into something really delicious. For dessert, these Flourless Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies give other cookies a real run for their money.