Veggie Alfredo Sauce is the perfect mix of decadent and light. Using cauliflower and milk in place of cream, this hidden
When we were kids, my brother and I had our favorite foods. I was a huge fan of Chinese and pizza but my brother was all about pasta dishes.
Because of that, my mom made them all pretty regularly, and but we all loved the creamy, decadent pasta dish best.
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A family favorite gone healthy: Hidden Veggie Alfredo Sauce
Thankfully, there are ways to combat that, like adding vegetables to bulk it up. And, bonus – it will add extra nutrition that your kids won’t even notice.
If you’ve been following along, you’ve seen me share my veggie spaghetti sauce and a veggie pesto pasta sauce.
To round out my series of hidden veggie sauces, today we’re talking about this veggie Alfredo sauce. The creamy, cheesy, garlicy sauce your family expects, but with the secret benefit of a bag of frozen cauliflower!
RELATED: Find all of the best Hidden Veggie Recipes here!
Tips for making perfect veggie Alfredo sauce
- If you’d like to prep ahead, you can save the cauliflower and milk puree for later use.
- Even better, meal prep the whole meal. Make the sauce earlier in the week and grill up some chicken. Combine sauce and chicken with hot pasta when you’re ready for dinner for a simple weeknight meal.
- This makes a pretty large amount of sauce. Use half for your dinner and save the other half to make this chicken penne pasta bake later in the week.
Whole milk, skim milk, and milk substitutes like unflavored, unsweetened almond or cashew milk all work well. I like to use a mix of cauliflower puree and whole milk.
Related reads: Learn how to make vegetable purees here!
How do you make cauliflower Alfredo sauce?
The key to making this
Once your puree is completed, we’ll move on to finishing the sauce. But, don’t worry – you can easily make the puree ahead of time or even make the entire sauce a day or two ahead.
How to make veggie alfredo sauce:
- Make your cauliflower puree.
Make a cauliflower puree is by cooking it in milk until it’s super soft and then blending it up until nice and smooth
- Make your sauce.
Stir the puree into a creamy white sauce made with milk, flour, and butter before melting in some cheese.
- Add the cheese.
Remove from the heat before stirring in your cheese – this prevents a gritty sauce. When choosing your cheese, make sure you grab a good quality Parmesan and grate it yourself.
It’s going to taste incredibly decadent, but it won’t pack on the pounds, and you’ll feel good about eating vegetables. Winning, guys.
Need more picky eater help? Try this: Over 100 Hidden Veggie Recipes Your Kids Will Love!
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A decent blender is going to make making the cauliflower puree much easier – I’ve made this with a cheap blender, but we love this Ninja Blender as well!
Want to get the kids involved?
Have them pick out a veggie to add to the meal or let them hit the button on the blender! Getting kids in the kitchen doesn’t have to be a ton of work – little ways of encouraging them really add up.
Veggie Alfredo Sauce – creamy cauliflower sauce for picky eaters
This sauce is a simple way to make an easy, weeknight meal healthier and sneak in an extra veggie into a picky eater’s diet. Serve with grilled chicken and peas or blanched broccoli to round out the meal. The whole family will love this creamy cauliflower sauce that can be served with zero guilt.
If you enjoy this recipe, remember to rate it 5 stars!
Veggie Alfredo Sauce
Veggie Alfredo Sauce is the perfect mix of decadent and wholesome. Using cauliflower and milk instead of cream, this sauce is perfect for picky eaters.
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1 20 oz bag frozen cauliflower
- 1.5 cups milk
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 TBS flour
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- .5 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
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In a saucepan, simmer 2 cups of milk and the cauliflower over medium low for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through.
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Add the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
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In the pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the garlic, cooking about 30 seconds to 1 minute before adding the flour, stirring to cook the flour for about 2 minutes or until a light golden color. (this is a roux and will be what thickens your sauce!)
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Whisk the remaining milk in. Make sure to incorporate the roux well and then cook until it begins to thicken. Add the cauliflower puree and cook down until the desired thickness.
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Remove from the heat and stir in cheese and pepper. Taste and add more cheese, salt, or pepper as needed. Toss your desired amount with pasta and serve.
Recipe Notes
-Use a potato masher on the cauliflower about halfway through cooking – it will help it cook down even more and blend easier.
-If the puree is too thick, add a bit more milk, broth or water when blending.
-Use as much or as little garlic as makes sense for your family – we like garlic so I tend to use 2-4 cloves!
-Make sure you use good, freshly grated parmesan cheese! This is vital for this to be super flavorful.
Okay, so tell me – would your kids eat this hidden veggie cauliflower sauce? What was your favorite as a kid?
Need more hidden veggie recipes? Try these!
Hidden Veggie Breakfast Cookie Recipe
KENNETH HOLLINGSWORTH says
This looks amazing !!
Michelle says
Is this sauce able to into the freezer?
Morgan says
Yup! just allow it to thaw before heating it up to avoid separation.