This lightened-up Alfredo sauce tastes just as creamy and decadent as the real deal, but is much lower in fat! Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo is a twist on a classic comfort food without all of the guilt!
You really can’t beat a large bowl of creamy pasta. It is the ultimate comfort food, in my opinion. Nothing even comes close for me. Not a slice of chocolate cake, not a bowl of chicken soup, nothing. Nothing comes close to that cozy feeling and pure joy of enjoying a lovely bowl of Fettuccine Alfredo.
While there is nothing wrong with indulging in this dish from time to time, I felt the need to look for ways to lighten it up so we could enjoy it more often. No need to wait for a special occasion to whip this dish up, we can eat it on a regular Wednesday or whenever.
How to make a Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo
Lightening this dish up wasn’t all too difficult. As we very rarely buy cream for home cooking (only occasionally for a nice dessert like homemade ice cream), I am no stranger to thickening up creamy dishes with milk.
While milk is much lower in fat that cream and, therefore, much thinner, it can easily be thickened up by starting with a roux. A roux is made with butter and flour. I start by melting the butter in a saucepan and then whisking in flour to create the roux. Once it begins to lightly brown, I whisk in the milk slowly to ensure I get rid of any clumps from the roux. Once its incorporated it, I season it with nutmeg, salt and pepper and add the Parmesan cheese. It all begins to thicken up together and that’s when you know it is done.
Toss it all with pasta and you have yourself a decadent dish without using any heavy cream!
Other healthier options
In addition to a lightened up sauce, there are a few other ways to make this pasta dish healthier.
Adding veggies is an easy one! I love to add spinach to this dish for some added vitamins. Mushrooms and asparagus are other lovely option but you could add your favourites here. My only suggestion is to steer clear of veggies that will blend or “bleed” into your sauce or are very strong in flavour as they will change the flavour of this dish. I steer clear of tomatoes, for example because of this. But that’s just me.
Protein is a great way to bulk up this dish and add some much needed, well, protein. Grilled chicken, shrimp, and salmon are all great options that go nicely with this skinny fettuccine alfredo.
Whether you are enjoying this dish on its own or adding in veggies and protein, this dish is ready and on the table in under 30 minutes! Definetely a winning dish in our home and I hope you enjoy it too!
Bon appetit!
-Cathy
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Skinny Fettuccine Alfredo
Ingredients
- 200 g fettuccine pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
- pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute or until it lightly browns. Slowly add in the milk, whisking continuously. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue to whisk for another minute. Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk until the cheese melts and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Combine pasta and sauce together, stirring to ensure it is all evenly coated. Transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
