This fettuccine Alfredo recipe is perfect for any and all occasions, from busy weeknights to romantic dinners. It's simple, elegant, and totally delicious.
Traditional fettuccine Alfredo contains 5 basic ingredients: pasta, butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ve probably guessed that this fettuccine Alfredo recipe isn’t totally traditional. You’re right!
See, I love creamy pasta, but when I order it at restaurants, it’s almost always too rich for me to enjoy for more than a few bites. Earlier this winter, I was craving comfort food, and I got the idea to make a fettuccine Alfredo recipe that would let me have my cake and eat it too. It would be every bit as creamy and comforting as the classic pasta, but also light enough for me to savor an entire bowlful and still go back for seconds.
Since that day, we’ve had this fettuccine Alfredo recipe on repeat in our house. The sauce is rich and nutty, and its creamy texture is irresistible over tangles of fresh pasta. Made with just 10 pantry ingredients, it’s quick and easy to make. As a result, we’ve eaten it time and time again – on busy weeknights, snowy Saturdays, and even date nights in. I hope you find a place for it in your regular rotation too!
A Lightened-Up Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe
To make a lightened up fettuccine Alfredo recipe that would taste just as good as the traditional pasta, I used these key ingredients:
- Cauliflower – I’ve turned to cauliflower time and time again to make lighter versions of creamy classics, and it works wonders here. Boiled and blended with the other ingredients, it makes an Alfredo sauce that’s just as delicious as – but so much lighter than – the traditional version.
- Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and garlic – They add bright, tangy depth of flavor to the creamy sauce.
- Parmesan cheese and butter – They’re classic fettuccine Alfredo ingredients for a reason! Parmesan adds nutty umami flavor and thickens the sauce, while the butter makes it silky smooth.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Because I use just a small amount of butter in this recipe, I add olive oil for extra richness. I love its robust flavor here!
- Pasta water – In traditional fettuccine Alfredo, hot, starchy pasta water is what turns the Parmesan and butter into a creamy sauce. It’s a key ingredient in my recipe too, helping the cauliflower blend into a luscious puree.
How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo
Making this recipe is quick and easy! Here’s what you need to do:
- First, cook the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the cauliflower. Cook until it’s tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Then, drain it and transfer it to a blender along with the Parmesan cheese, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, butter, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Next, cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted water. Before you drain it, set aside 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water.
- Then, make the sauce. Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the blender, and blend to form a smooth puree.
- Finally, toss it all together! Add the pasta to a large skillet or bowl and toss it with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water, as needed, to reach your desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Fettuccine Alfredo
Serve this fettuccine Alfredo recipe with minced Italian parsley and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy it as a meal on its own, or pair it with your favorite protein for a heartier dinner. It would also be fantastic with roasted veggies like Brussels sprouts or broccoli or a classic Caesar salad. Mop up any leftover sauce with homemade focaccia or good crusty bread, and don’t forget the wine to drink!
More Favorite Pasta Recipes
If you love this fettuccine Alfredo recipe, try one of these favorite pasta recipes next:
- Homemade Pasta
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- Easy Baked Ziti
- Homemade Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta
- Linguine with Lemon and Tomatoes
Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets, (1 small cauliflower)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces fettuccine pasta
- 1 to 1½ cups reserved pasta cooking water
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and boil until the cauliflower is fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place the cauliflower in a blender. Add the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, mustard, butter, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1½ cups of the starchy pasta water. Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the blender and blend the sauce until creamy.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl or skillet. Add the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining ½ cup pasta water and toss again to loosen the sauce and make it a bit creamier.
- Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste. Serve with grated cheese on the side.
Delicious and extremely easy! My new go to pasta dinner!!
I am usually not a fan of alfredo sauce, but I loved this lightened up version! It was much easier to make than I expected and would not have thought to make cream sause in my vitamix. I enjoyed the garlic flavor and served with roasted broccoli. I had a some extra sauce so I am going to try to freeze to see how it holds up.
Wow — this was actually WAY easier than I expected! Such a great way to incorporate veggies into a yummy pasta dinner! I will 100000% be making this again SOON! Also loved that there was so much leftover. Stuck about half in the freezer for next time!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Yum. Loved the lightened cauliflower sauce. We added some cooked chicken breast. The whole family finished the meal before I told them it was cauliflower.
I really enjoyed this recipe! My boyfriend likes Field Roast’s Italian Sausage, so we added a few links of that into the recipe. We will definitely be making this again!
Creamy and delicious! The kids liked it too!
Love how simple and delicious this was to make!
Just made this tonight. It was delicious, very creamy. My four year old had two plates! Thank you very much!
This recipe is a favorite of mine! Always creamy, the sauce holds up well in the fridge, and makes for an easy weeknight dinner. Had to make it with spaghetti this time because that’s all I had and it came out great!
Made this for dinner the other night, huge hit! Served it with a salad and garlic bread – yum 🙂 I had a ton of cauliflower sauce leftover, so I saved it to try in a baked “mac & caulicheese” later this week.
I made this last night for dinner. It was really easy and rich. I agree with an earlier comment “comfort food with less guilt”. Yum!
I made the Vegan version and it was delicious!! Served with a side of green to round it out it was a quick and easy meal on a busy day.
I didn’t know what to expect from this recipe. We loved it! It reinforced for me what a versatile vegetable cauliflower is. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you.
Comfort food that feels less guilty! This recipe is easy and my husband and I loved it. Really great flavor.
I like how the cooking club has such a variety of recipes. This one was delightful.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The cauliflower added a new dimension and the sauce was lighter than traditional Alfredo as promised. I pretty much use bechamel when I want to go for an Alfredo vibe but this is definitely a great option and has more of the classic Alfredo flavor and texture
This is a delicious recipe! I love a creamy pasta dish, but they are often too rich. This is a perfect balance of the veggies and creaminess. I served roasted butternut squash with it. I saved the extra pasta water to mix with the little bit of leftover pasta.
Literally the best alfredo sauce to top Love & Lemon’s homemade pasta with! So flavorful and rich!
Loved this healthy alternative to one of my favorite meals. Added some shrimp for additional protein/flavor!
Made this as part of the February cooking challenge, my daughter helped. Alfredo is her favorite and this did not disappoint. I really liked the bit of lemon, would do less garlic next time.