Fettuccine Alfredo

This lightened-up fettuccine Alfredo recipe is simple, elegant, and comforting. The sauce is a creamy, rich blend of Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, butter, and a secret ingredient - cauliflower!

INGREDIENTS:

▢ 12 ounces cauliflower florets, (1 small cauliflower)

▢ ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving

▢ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

▢ 2 garlic cloves

▢ ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

▢ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

▢ 1 teaspoon sea salt

▢ Freshly ground black pepper

▢ 16 ounces fettuccine pasta

▢ 1 to 1½ cups reserved pasta cooking water

▢ Chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and boil until the cauliflower is fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place the cauliflower in a blender. Add the Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, mustard, butter, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions or until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1½ cups of the starchy pasta water. Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the blender and blend the sauce until creamy.
3. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl or skillet. Add the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining ½ cup pasta water and toss again to loosen the sauce and make it a bit creamier.
4. Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste. Serve with grated cheese on the side.