Creamy Cauliflower Spaghetti Alfredo - Delicious and Not Scary

Those nutrition labels on food do not easily frighten me. But, one label that always takes my breath away is that of heavy whipping cream. The fat and calories are staggering, yet nothing compares to its indescribable effect on a recipe.

Those of you who made the chocolate mousse know what I'm talking about. It's the quintessential special occasion ingredient. So, when the craving struck for a nice spaghetti with Alfredo sauce recently, I decided to try an alternative to the 4,000-calorie all-cream version, and grabbed a head of cauliflower.

If there was a game (called "Oppafoodosites") where someone yells out a food word, and you have to yell back the complete opposite - "cauliflower" would be my response to "heavy cream." But, as you'll see in this video recipe, the creamy cauliflower puree, with just a small splash of cream, makes a beautiful sauce.

I also love the dusting of crispy Parmesan breadcrumbs that top this delicious pasta. I used the very fine, dry breadcrumbs instead of the larger homemade crumbs you've seen me use in other videos, since I wanted a very fine, almost gritty texture to top the creamy sauce.

This cauliflower spaghetti Alfredo is a great "bridge" recipe, helping us transition from rich, decadent Valentine's offerings to much leaner winter fare. This tastes and feels very rich, but is actually quite light. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 head cauliflower, cored, cut in large pieces
1/2 tsp dried Italian herb blend
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 cups water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
for topping:
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/3 grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
2 tbsp any chopped fresh herbs (thyme, parsley, oregano, basil, etc)
14-oz box spaghetti, cooked and drained
1/2 lemon, juiced

For another similar, and equally delicious cauliflower pasta video recipe, check out this oldie, but goody: Cauliflower Spaghetti “Aglio Olio"