Healthier Creamy White Sauce Pasta with Veggies
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 396kcal
Hello healthier Alfredo! All the creamy white sauce goodness without the butter, heavy cream or roux (flour). This pasta dish is so satisfying and deliciously creamy
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Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen veggies we like a broccoli, cauliflower & carrot blend
- 8 to 12 oz gluten-free pasta
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped or sliced
- 1 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cup coconut or other dairy free milk or low-fat dairy milk
- 2 tbsp dairy-free or regular cream cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- garlic powder
- salt
Instructions
Pasta & Veggies
- Thaw your veggies in a colander in the sink for a few hours prior to cooking; you can skip this step and add in the frozen veggies if you prefer
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Use anywhere from 8 - 12 oz dry pasta -- If you use a brand like Banza, the package will be 8 oz; if Barilla gluten-free it will be 12. The only difference will be the sauce will be slightly lighter with more pasta
- During your last 3 minutes of cooking (or last 5 minutes if your veggies are frozen), drop your veggies into your water with the pasta and bring back up to a boil. Drain -- your pasta should be done right around the same time as your sauce
White Sauce
- Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add your garlic and cook 2-3 minutes or until fragrant
- Add your gluten-free flour and whisk in, 1 minute. Begin adding your milk in small additions of about 1/4 - 1/3 cup at a time; this does not need to be exact; you simply want to bring the milk up to just below or at a simmer each time. Whisk frequently to break down the flour
- With or before your last addition of milk, add your 2 tbsp cream cheese and stir or whisk to combine and melt into the sauce
- Add your grated cheese, stirring well to combine. Let your mixture heat up thoroughly - it will thicken slightly. Season with salt and garlic powder as desired
- Combine your pasta and veggies into your sauce and stir to coat. Let warm and serve; this will thicken up slightly as it cools and sometimes we think it's almost better that way! This is also great reheated and leftover
Notes
- Keep whisking or stirring your sauce very frequently, leaving it in between to warm, simmer and thicken
- You can cut back on the parmesan or make this dairy free by using nutritional yeast; you will simply have a sauce that is slightly less thick but still delicious
- Be creative and substitute in your favorite protein (chicken, tofu and garbanzo beans work great) for some of the veggies or pasta
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g