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My Healthy Alfredo Sauce is So Good!
Most Alfredo sauces have a lot of cream in them and aren’t the kind of thing I’d want to eat every week. However, my kids love Alfredo sauce, so I set out to make a healthier version. I wanted something lighter but still super creamy—and I didn’t want my kids to be able to tell too much of a difference between this Alfredo and the classic fettuccine Alfredo version!
My recipe has just 4 ingredients and relies on cottage cheese for creaminess (it also adds protein—a bonus in my book). I kept some butter in the sauce, too, because I found it important for the rich texture and flavor I was looking for. My kids love this alfredo sauce with pasta and extra grated parmesan cheese on top! I’ll often add roasted broccoli, peas, or leftover shredded rotisserie or roasted chicken to it, too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cottage cheese: I do like to use a full-fat cottage cheese. Usually, I look for at least 4%. But you can use 2% cottage cheese if that’s all you can find.
- Parmesan cheese: Look for rennet-free Parmesan cheese if you’re vegetarian. Pecorino Romano is a great to substitute!
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter since you’ll be adding salt. If all you have is salted you just really want to make sure you taste it before adding more.
- Garlic: No need to mince the garlic clove since the sauce is blended. You can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Salt and pepper: Add more or less to taste!
Popular Additions
- Add spices. I suggest ¼ teaspoon of grated nutmeg or ½ teaspoon of paprika.
- Stir in fresh herbs. Instead of topping the alfredo sauce with minced fresh parsley, stir in, chopped basil, or minced chives.
- Add some heat. For something spicier, add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne.
- Make it tomatoey. Add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste, then blend!
How to Make Healthy Alfredo Sauce
Tips for the Best Healthy Alfredo Sauce
- Let the butter cool slightly. This is so it doesn’t seize up when added to the rest of the sauce ingredients, making it easier to blend!
- Go for full-fat cottage cheese. This has the best flavor by far, and because the sauce has so few ingredients, it’ll really make a difference.
- Use a high-speed blender. You want a blender powerful enough to blend the ingredients super smoothly. Bits of garlic would be no-good!
- Warm the sauce over low heat. When ready to serve the alfredo sauce, I recommend heating it over low heat and stirring it constantly to prevent it from separating.
What to Serve With Alfredo Sauce
- Healthy Alfredo Pasta
- Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- Shrimp Broccoli Alfredo
Frequently Asked Questions
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this sauce will last about 4 days. To reheat it, I would do so in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat!
I wouldn’t recommend it! A food processor won’t be able to get the sauce as smooth as a high speed blender.
If the sauce has separated, I recommend just putting it back in the blender and blending it again. You can also add a splash of milk or heavy cream to help it smooth out!
More Sauce Recipes:
- Bechamel Sauce
- Pizza Sauce
- Marinara Sauce
- Hollandaise Sauce
- Tomato Cottage Cheese Pasta Sauce
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
If you try this feel good Healthy Alfredo Sauce recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Healthy Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups cottage cheese 4% fat
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons melted butter slightly cooled
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more for cooking pasta
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- Add the cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper to a high speed blender and process until smooth to create an alfredo-like sauce.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
