This post is part of an original TIDBITS recipe, first seen HERE on tidbits-cami.com.
Enjoy all the richness of Fettuccine Alfredo with a fraction of the calories, starring one of the most versatile vegetables . . . cauliflower.
Happy New Year! I am so excited for today’s recipe because I’m pretty sure I’m helping you with 2 of your new year goals.
1) Eat Healthier, and
2) Become the Boss of your Brand New Electric Pressure Cooker that you got for Christmas.
Trust me, this recipe is magical in a veggie loaded, flavor bomb, healthy calories, sort of a way.
I used to go to Olive Garden often to order their Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo pasta dish. I didn’t even need to look at a menu, that’s just what I got, every. single. time. It never left me disappointed and I would eat the WHOLE plate. All 1300 calories and 70 grams of fat – oh yes I did. Then of course I’d go home in a food coma and swear to share half of it next time (nope, not gonna happen).
I haven’t been back to Olive Garden in years because of this very recipe that I’m sharing today. This Alfredo sauce is made with a touch of butter and a whole ton of cauliflower. No cream, no cheese, yet still it tastes oh-so-creamy and cheesy. Then, since I get giddy over adding even more veggies to my veggie sauce, I’ve also added chopped spinach and green onions. I’ve also topped it with leftover grilled chicken, sausage, or bacon before, all completely amazing.
Then to mimic the flavors of the Olive Garden version, I sprinkle it with gorgonzola crumbles, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and a drizzle of Balsamic glaze. I particularly love this one from Trader Joes, but if you’re feeling ambitious, you could also reduce your own balsamic vinegar down on the stove top until it’s nice and thick. I’ve also used just a thicker balsamic vinegar before. All work wonderfully, just don’t nix the balsamic, whatever you do!
Go for a whole grain pasta for this dish too. It marries beautifully with this sauce. My favorite is this Tinkyada brand, but any whole wheat pasta will do.
In case you’re not feeling like pasta (does that ever happen?), this sauce can be used in so many other applications. Stir it into rice for a creamy cheesy rice, use it as a dip for roasted veggies or warm crusty bread, or my favorite, use it as a pizza sauce and then top that with grilled chicken, bacon, gorgonzola, mozzarella, and slices of tomatoes and then finish it off with a drizzle of balsamic after it’s done cooking! It’s heaven, it really is.
And since I love to cross things off my checklist . . .
1) Healthy Eating – DONE!
2) Become an Electric Pressure Cooker Master – DONE-ish
You’ll want to order our Master the Electric Pressure Cooker cookbook to completely knock this one off your list. You will love it!
Now get cooking and enjoy the healthiest Fettuccine Alfredo you’ve ever had in your life!
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 7-8 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 pound fettuccine pasta, preferably whole grain
- Garnish
- Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- Balsamic glaze or thick balsamic vinegar
- Select saute on the pressure cooker and add butter. When melted, add garlic cloves and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. Add cauliflower, broth, and salt. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, heat a pot of water to boiling on the stove top. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of water and then drain the pasta. Return pasta to the empty pot.
- When pressure cooking is complete, use a natural release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
- Blend with an immersion blender right in the pot until very smooth or carefully transfer to a blender and puree, until smooth. By hand, stir in the chopped spinach and green onions and allow the hot sauce to wilt the spinach.
- Pour sauce over the pasta and toss. Add a half cup or so of the reserved pasta water to the pasta if needed. The starchy water will help the sauce to stick to the pasta.
- Serve hot with a garnish of crumbled gorgonzola cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
- The sauce heats back up very nicely so you could also make the sauce in advance and have it ready to pour over pasta for a quick, healthy, delicious meal any night of the week. Also amazing over rice, as a sauce on pizza, or a dip for bread and roasted veggies. It does it all!
Adapted from Pinch of Yum
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