This homemade cauliflower alfredo sauce recipe is super easy to make, calls for just 7 ingredients, and can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes! This easy sauce is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It’s perfect for dinner parties, at-home date nights, and weeknight dinners, and is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries!

a close up of noodles cover in a sauce on a white plate

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Before we get into the recipe, I’ll just cut to the chase, this recipe might have cauliflower in the title, and to be fair it’s a bit of a far cry from real Alfredo sauce, this is, however, by no means a ”healthy” recipe.

Sure it’s a great way to sneak some extra vegetables into your diet and a great way to introduce your kids to new veggies! But this recipe still calls for plenty of heavy cream and cheese.

noodles covered in cauliflower Alfredo sauce on a white plate, there is cheese and nutmeg sprinkled on top of them

This rich and creamy Alfredo sauce recipe is flavorful, and savory, and makes the perfect comfort food. I love to make this sauce during the Autumn months, but it’s great any time of the year!

My easy cauliflower alfredo sauce is perfect for weeknight dinners and can be on the table in as little as half an hour. But it’s also perfect for serving at dinner parties and for at-home date nights.

noodles with sauce and cheese on them on a white plate, there is a fork next to them too

This sauce carries all the flavors of traditional Alfredo sauce but with a fun twist! Even if you aren’t a fan of cauliflower, I would highly suggest giving this creamy and flavorful sauce a try.

It’s sure to be a hit with the whole family, I promise even picky eaters love this recipe! It’s quick and easy to make, you can even make this sauce ahead of time. Plus it can be served over any of your favorite pastas!

a fork full of sauce covered noddles being held in front of a plate of noodles

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce Recipe

Equipment

a large pot and colander, for streaming the cauliflower
a large pot for boiling water
an upright blender (you can also use a food processor or an immersion blender)

Ingredients

fresh cauliflower, washed and roughly chopped
butter
garlic cloves, minced
heavy cream or whole milk
Dijon mustard
nutmeg
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
pasta water, to thin
pasta of choice, I like to use Linguini, but you can use any of your favorite pastas!

a plate of sauce covered noodles with cheese and nutmeg on top, you can see part of a pan of noodles behind the plate

How to Make Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Place your cauliflower florets in a metal colander and set it over a large pot of water(the colander shouldn’t be touching the water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stream the cauliflower until fork tender, remove from the heat, and set aside until ready to use.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter until hot and bubbly, add the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add the heavy creamy, salt, pepper, dijon mustard, and nutmeg. Heat, whisking continually just until hot.

Place the steamed cauliflower into your upright blender, followed by the heavy cream mixture. You’ll only want your blender to be half full at most, so you might need to blend your sauce in batches.

Blend at a low speed until smooth and creamy. If you are having trouble getting your sauce to blend, add a splash of milk or heavy cream to help get things moving.

Pour the pureed sauce into a large pot or saucepan, and set aside while you cook your pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, add your pasta of choice, and cook until al dente, according to the package directions.

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and lightly butter your noodles to keep them from sticking together.

Add the pasta water to the cauliflower mixture, and heat over medium heat whisking often until hot. Once the sauce is hot add the parmesan cheese and whisk just until the cheese is melted.

Pour the hot cauliflower sauce over the noodles and toss, making sure all the noodles are coated in the sauce.

Plate, and serve, topped with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a dusting of nutmeg. Enjoy!

a close up of cauliflower alfredo sauce covered noodles on a white plate

Recipe Notes

If you would like, this pasta sauce can be prepared ahead of time. Simply prep the pasta sauce up until the point of adding the pasta water, then transfer the sauce to a jar or an airtight container, and place it in the fridge until ready to use. Cauliflower alfredo sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days!

Any leftover pasta and sauce can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days!

This recipe is also great made with roasted cauliflower and roasted garlic!

If you forget to save pasta water, you can easily use regular water, milk, or even broth to thin out the sauce. Vegetable broth and chicken broth, both work great!

This homemade cauliflower alfredo sauce can be served over any of your favorite noodles. It is also great served over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash. It can also be used as a sauce for serving over chicken and pork chops, and it makes a good base for rice dishes too!

If you are looking to make this pasta sauce a bit healthy, this recipe can easily be made vegan! Simply swap out the butter for vegan butter or your favorite oil. Use your favorite non-dairy milk, coconut milk, soy milk, and unsweetened almond milk all work great! And use your favorite vegan/dairy-free cheese, or even nutritional yeast, in place of the parmesan cheese!