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Healthy Alfredo Sauce

This Healthy Alfredo Sauce is luxuriously creamy and tastes decadently rich but without all the extra fat or guilt!  It's made with olive oil, skim milk, chicken broth and a roux for a significantly lightened up version without heavy cream, butter or cream cheese.  The sauce is seasoned to perfection and uses both Parmesan and mozzarella for an dynamic dimension of flavor.  This Healthy Alfredo Sauce is completely customizable - serve it plain over your favorite pasta or zoodles or add chicken or shrimp and any of your favorite veggies.  Healthy never tasted so rich!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fettuccine or pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups lowfat milk
  • 1 tsp EACH onion pwdr, dried basil dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  • Cook pasta al dente according to package directions, in generously salted water.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes, or until raw flour smell is gone, then turn heat to low. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, then milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Turn heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir in spices and continue to simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
  • Reduce heat to low and stir in Parmesan cheese until melted, followed by mozzarella cheese until melted. As soon as cheese is melted, remove from heat.
  • When pasta is al dente, drain and immediately combine with Alfredo sauce, stirring until well combined. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Top with fresh parsley (optional).

Notes

How to reheat 

Alfredo Sauce:  transfer Alfredo sauce to a heavy bottom saucepan and heat over medium-low, stirring frequently until the sauce is warmed through.  You may need to add a splash of milk to thin the sauce as it will have thickened in the refrigerator.

Alfredo Sauce with Pasta:

  • Microwave:   transfer a small portion to a microwave safe dish and add splash of milk or water.  Microwave for one minute, stir, then continue to heat at 30 second intervals until warmed through.
  • Stove:  for larger portions, reheat pasta on the stove over medium-low, stirring frequently until warmed through.  You may need to add a splash of milk to thin the sauce as it will have thickened in the refrigerator.

recipe variations

  • Add chicken. Healthy Alfredo sauce and chicken belong together! You can add leftover chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, simple baked or poached chicken or get gourmet with my lemon basil chicken - SO good!
  • Add sausage: mild or hot ground Italian sausage would be amazing.  You could also use turkey sausage or chicken sausage just make sure to season with Italian seasonings – every element should be independently seasoned.  You can also use Italian seasoned sliced, fully cooked chicken sausage.
  • Add shrimp:  roasted shrimp or butter garlic shrimp would be fabulous.
  • Pasta primavera with bacon:  sizzle up thick-cut bacon and use the drippings to sauté the vegetables in.  Add chopped bacon to the pasta at the very end of cooking.
  • Substitute cheeses.  Parmesan is the signature flavor in Alfredo sauce but you can also combine it with other cheeses for additional flavor. You can also make a a completely different sauce/different flavor profile by swapping the Parmesan for another melting cheese such as  mozzarella, Asiago, Gouda, smoked cheddar, Monterrey, etc. – the possibilities are endless!
  • Add veggies.  This healthy Alfredo sauce is just a a springboard! You can add in any veggies your heart desires such as petite peas, bell peppers, zucchini, asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, etc.  To add veggies, saute them with some olive oil until crisp-tender then add the garlic and continue with the recipe.
  • Add roasted vegetables:  Instead of sautéing the veggies, you can use your favorite roasted veggies such as roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflowerroasted asparagusroasted Brussels sprouts, roasted root vegetables.  
  • Add sun-dried tomatoes: purchase sun-dried tomatoes in oil, not water. They are usually located near the olives or pickles at your grocery store. Use the oil in the jar instead of the olive oil. Rinse the tomatoes, pat dry, chop and sauté for 2 minutes before adding the garlic.
  • Make it gluten-free.  To make this healthy Alfredo sauce gluten free, use your favorite gluten free pasta and gluten free flour.
  • Add fresh herbs. Swap the dried herbs for your favorite fresh herbs, you will need 3X fresh herbs to 1X dried. Fresh basil, parsley, oregano and thyme would all be fantastic.
  • Make it spicy: amp up the heat with additional red pepper flakes. I always add at least 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes but if you really like a kick, add 1/2 teaspoon. You can also add additional red pepper flakes to individual servings to keep the pasta family friendly.