If you’re looking for an easy, last minute Valentine’s Day dinner recipe- this is it! If you’re looking to eat a giant bowl of fettuccine alfredo (without all the guilt/cheese/etc)- this is also it! I was blown away by how delicious and creamy this fake fettuccine alfredo turned out. I don’t really know how to explain it other than it had a ton of flavor (not overwhelmingly cauliflower tasting), the texture of the sauce wasn’t as silky as a regular alfredo sauce but pretty close and it was crazy easy to make. And afterwards… you don’t feel like you just ate a bowl of buttered cream! You actually ate a significant amount of cauliflowers. Nice!

You’ll need:

• 1 lb uncooked fettuccine noodles
• 3 small heads cauliflower (I used 2 enormous ones)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt/pep
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Olive oil
• 0.25 cup whole milk (or whatever you have around- heavy cream, 2%, etc)
• Reserved pasta water

To Make:

1. Bring vegetable broth to a boil over medium high heat. Chop cauliflower and add to broth. Cook until cauliflower is soft, 20 minutes.
2. While that’s going on- melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes until soft and fragrant.
3. Also while that’s going on- cook the fettuccine according to package instructions, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
4. Transfer cauliflower and two cups of the broth to a blender or food processor. Add the sautéed garlic, one teaspoon of salt, nutmeg, and black pepper and puree until very smooth, about five minutes.  While the mixture is running- stream in the olive oil. Add more broth or pasta water if you think the mixture seems too thick (does not easily move through blender).
5. Transfer sauce back to the skillet over low heat. Add the milk and additional pasta water if needed. Add noodles, toss and serve.

Inspired by PinchofYum