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I just made this tonight and loved it! The flavor is fabulous- definitely a keeper.
Ali
Today we are giving a big huge virtual hug to my favorite whole wheat pasta makers at DeLallo for sponsoring this post. Pasta, pasta, and more pasta!
Once upon a time, I had this idea to make an Alfredo sauce out of cauliflower. Remember that? Throwbaaack.
I loved it, you loved it, we all loved it together. It was 2012 and life was good.
In the years since that recipe came to life, it’s been so nice to have a healthier alternative to traditional cream-and-butter Alfredo sauce in my virtual recipe box all this time, but the fettuccine? Yikes. Over the years, as we’ve tried to cut back on refined grains, I have found it really, really hard to find whole wheat fettuccine. And believe me, as the resident noodle lover in the family, I have been looking.
Today, my fettuccine Alfredo loving self is celebrating big time.
Because this recipe features my favorite cauliflower Alfredo sauce, per the usual, but this time it’s all cozied up with… wait for it… DeLallo’s whole wheat fettuccine.
And sweet peas. And crumbled bacon. And parsley, salt, pepper, Parmesan, and love. Because that feels springy, right? Ahhhhmmm yes.
I mentioned in my Target post last week that DeLallo is by far and away my favorite brand for whole wheat pasta, and I do not mess around when it comes to whole wheat pasta. It’s gotta be good, or else just give me the regular stuff.
Thankfully, DeLallo’s whole wheat pasta is REALLY GOOD. The taste and texture is unbeatable. It’s made with traditional bronze plates for a rough, kind of rustic-looking surface that will literally, er, kind of literally, hug your sauces AND YES I JUST SAID HUG YOUR SAUCES.
Hello? Best thing ever?
After trying out their products (sauces, pastas, and beyond) for the last year or so, I so appreciate that DeLallo is committed to using only the best ingredients, many of them being organic. Thank you, DeLallo! Bonus points for you – and us.
I also love that I can find their products at most of our local grocery stores, and they have 15 other varieties of whole wheat pasta ranging from stuff you’ve never even heard of to your pantry basics like penne and spaghetti. You guys, I am obsessed.
You can think you don’t like whole wheat pasta, but I’m going to have to break it to you: you’re actually wrong about yourself. This whole wheat fettuccine alfredo is going to seduce you into the whole wheat pasta lovers’ spell starting in three, two, one.
Yep. There it is.
Lightened Up Whole Wheat Fettuccine Alfredo
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
Lightened Up Whole Wheat Fettuccine Alfredo – a classic, simple, healthy way to enjoy everyone’s favorite pasta! Yum, yum, and yum.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 6 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Fettuccine
- 6–8 slices bacon
- 1 lb. DeLallo whole wheat fettuccine (reserve cooking water)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh peas
- parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and/or a dash of nutmeg for topping
Instructions
- For the sauce, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 5-6 minutes, until fork tender. Drain the water off and transfer cauliflower to a blender. Meanwhile, saute the minced garlic in the butter over very low heat for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the broth, sautéed garlic, and salt. Puree until very smooth.
- Cook the bacon (I baked mine for about 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees). Crumble and set aside.
- Bring another pot of water to boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente. Drain and reserve the water. Add the sauce, bacon, Parmesan, and peas to the pasta as well as 1/2 cup or more of reserved pasta water (it’s starchy so it helps the texture). Return to low heat and stir very gently – the fettuccine breaks fairly easily. When everything is heated through, remove from the heat and serve topped with parsley, salt, pepper, and if you like, a dash of nutmeg or extra Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: fettuccine alfredo, healthy fettuccine alfredo, whole wheat pasta, healthy pasta recipe
Thanks again to DeLallo for sponsoring this post!
omg Lindsay I am drooling! That crispy bacon, peas and cauliflower sauce?!! I am in for this delicious meal!!
These frozen peas and crispy bacon look so good! I love that it’s a lightened-up recipe too! Definitely making it soon!
OMG YAS. This will be making an appearance in my face SOON.
This looks great and I’m not even a creamy sauce type of person. I think making it w cauliflower may actually change my mind. Thanks Lindsay!
yes! Team cauliflower!
Holy yum!! That looks amazing!
Love that you’re not afraid to tell people they’re wrong about whole wheat pasta. Made me chuckle. But seriously, who could deny the magic of bacon and creamy sauce over carbs? Hallelujah, count me in!
This looks so yummy and healthy! I’ll have to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing
This looks great. I am always looking for a fettuccine recipe that is a little more forgiving than the traditional version. Your photos are absolutely beautiful…It’s early in the morning and I’m already craving pasta! ha! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Chelsea! Appreciate that!
Extra hugs to DeLallo for gluten free pasta options! Can’t wait to try this (because pasta + bacon = why would I eat anything else)
I didn’t know they did GF too! Awesome!
Lindsay that looks so delicious! Your photos just make me want to grab it off the computer screen! Fettuccine alfredo is one of my favorites! It will be great to try a less fattening recipe with summer coming up!!
I have been meaning to try cauliflower alfredo sauce for eons now, and still haven’t! This looks so so good though, and I have cauliflower in the fridge, so it’s happening soon!
Bacon….bacon….ooh – there’s bacon in this?! And cauli sauce is my kind of “alfredo”!
I love this lightened up fettuccine! I didn’t follow your blog in 2012 so I can’t wait to try this cauliflower sauce!!
I once made alfredo sauce. *Once*. It was delicious but oh-so-not-light. Since then I haven’t made it, but I have to try this recipe! Who knew cauliflower could be made into alfredo sauce?! (Or maybe everyone knew but me…ha) 🙂
Oh, GOOD HEAVENS, yes! My husb and I fix homemade whole wheat noodles for dinner every Wednesday (half an hour, start to finish) which I love and look forward to, but I do sometimes wish for some of the other cute pasta shapes. I’ve heard such good things about DeLallo I really must pick some up and try it out one of these days. Orecchiette? Fusilli? Sold! We’ve become so spoiled that we haven’t bought packaged pasta in years, but this is now on my radar. Thanks.
Whole wheat pasta and whole wheat tortillas are the two things I still can’t get on board with, so I’m super interested in trying this stuff to see if you’re right!
I picked up a package of DeLallo’s whole wheat pasta after another blog I read mentioned it. And it lives up to the hype! It has a great texture, and I love the “roughened” surface of the noodles. Even my whole-wheat-pasta-hating husband says it’s pretty good.
I love the rough texture too! 🙂 So great!
Wow, way to kick up Alfredo sauce….peas and bacon.
I usually only use ww pasta with red sauces. But I trust you.
With peas and ww pasta it must be healthy.
Pasta lovers the world over…..CELEBRATE!
Your photos are to die for! Totally love the splash of color and the cauli sauce 🙂
Thanks Medha! This was really hard to photograph (colors and textures are kind of dulled by the sauce) so I appreciate the feedback!
What a creative way to make fettuccine alfredo. To use cauliflower to make a cheese sauce is brilliant.
Thanks Neeli! 🙂
Hey there!
About how many heads of cauliflower are needed for 6 cups of florets?
usually one!
Must try this sauce!!!! I’ve heard everything about it (all good!) and it is time it is made! Thanks for sharing!
I CANNOT BELIEVE that cauliflower sauce is from 2012 – I remember making it right after you posted it! Time flies. I’m def putting this on next week’s menu!
Looooooove DeLallo’s pastas and so glad to be on their team with you! This fettuccine looks amazing, Lindsay!
Agreed! it’s so great to be able to rep brands that we truly love, and DeLallo is my favorite of the favorites!
Oh my goooodness this looks amazing! My husband LOVES alfredo and we don’t make it too often because it’s not the best for you. I’ll definitely try this recipe soon!