Outrageously creamy guilt-free Alfredo sauce – it does exist! The secret is cauliflower. Wait! Hear us out! Steamed and blended cauliflower is smooth, mild and velvety, making it the perfect heavy cream replacement. Garlic, lemon, and parmesan cheese add flavor and oven-roasted mushrooms take this luxurious sauce over the top. By roasting both the squash and the mushrooms, most of the cooking time is hands-off. Using frozen cauliflower florets cuts down on the prep-time – no defrosting necessary. While the sauce is served over spaghetti squash for an even lighter meal, it would be equally delicious over whole wheat pasta.
For a vegan alternative, replace milk with unsweetened and unflavored dairy milk alternative. Parmesan cheese can be omitted or replaced with nutritional yeast.
Ingredients
| 1 medium spaghetti squash |
| 1 ½ pounds mushrooms, crimini or white button |
| 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 cup vegetable stock, no salt added |
| 1 cup 2% milk or plain dairy alternative |
| 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed |
| 1-16ounce bag of frozen cauliflower florets |
| ½ lemon, zested and juiced |
| ¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated |
| Optional: fresh thyme and fresh Italian parsley |
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400° and place oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and remove and discard all seeds. Spray squash with non-stick spray or lightly brush with olive oil, season with pepper and place cut-side down on a prepared baking sheet. Bake squash on the lower oven rack for 30 minutes.
- While squash is baking, clean mushrooms by brushing off any visible dirt. Quarter the mushrooms and toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Add mushrooms to second prepared baking sheet. If desired, scatter with sprigs of fresh thyme. Once the squash has cooked for 30 minutes, move it to the top rack of the oven. Add the mushrooms to the bottom rack and bake both for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan of mushrooms and drain any accumulated liquid. Return mushrooms to the oven and continue to baking until squash is tender and mushrooms are browned about 5 to 10 additional minutes. Remove squash and mushrooms and keep warm until ready to use.
- While squash and mushrooms are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat vegetable stock, milk and smashed cloves of garlic in a pot or high-sided sauté pan with lid over medium heat until just simmering. Add frozen cauliflower (no need to defrost), cover with the lid and gently simmer until cauliflower is completely tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and puree the cauliflower (with cooking liquid and garlic) with a blender, stick blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add puree back to the pan and add grated parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Stir over low heat until cheese has completely melted and sauce is hot.
- To serve: Use a fork to scrape the strands of squash away from the outer shell and add to the sauce. Stir in the roasted mushrooms and mix well to combine. If desired, garnish with freshly chopped Italian parsley. Serve hot.
Serves 4.
Nutrition
| Calories | 182 | Total Fat | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat | 3 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1 g | Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 10 mg | Sodium | 222 mg |
| Potassium | 1218 mg | Total Carbohydrate | 25 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g | Sugars | 12 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
