I love a bowl of pasta draped in a delicious velvet sauce. You know the one I mean the one made up of loads of cream butter and cheese. I decided to make a healthy version of this luxurious sauce and created Healthy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Crispy Pancetta. I started with puree cauliflower, and since it's fall and I added some pumpkin, cause 'tis the season, a little cheese, and seasonings. And since it's so good for you, I figured it would be okay if I topped it with crisp pancetta. This pasta was creamy, delicious, and filled my craving for this sauce without all of the guilt. And the best part is that it tasted like fall in a bowl.
Ingredients for Healthy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Crispy Pancetta:
1- 12-16 ounces egg tagliatelle
1 cup reserved pasta water
1-12 ounce frozen cauliflower, cooked according to package directions
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 pound pancetta, diced
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, more for serving
1 shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
kosher salt
black pepper
* Note: The pasta quickly absorbs the sauce and should be served immediately. The sauce just covers 1 pound of pasta. If you prefer more sauce decrease the amount of pasta.
Time-Saving Tip: Cut the pancetta a day in advance.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
Dice the pancetta. Transfer the meat to a non-stick pan and saute until golden. Drain these yummy morsels and discard the liquid; set aside.
Add the cauliflower to a food processor along with water. Combine 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of cauliflower puree with the chicken broth. Reserve the rest of the cauliflower puree to add to soups or sauces.
Saute the butter and chopped shallot; add the pumpkin, nutmeg, and season with; cook for a minute. Combine the pureed cauliflower mixture with the pumpkin. Toss with the pasta and cheese, adding some reserved pasta water as needed to loosen up the sauce. Top with the pancetta and additional cheese.
It's ready! Healthy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Crispy Pancetta is so delicious and is easy to prepare. The pumpkin and nutmeg make a great combination, and the saltiness of the pancetta is the perfect addition. Thanks to the frozen cauliflower and canned pumpkin, it speeds up the process. This dish is so delicious you'll be making this all fall season.
Enjoy!
Healthy Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce with Crispy Pancetta:
1- 12-16 ounces egg tagliatelle
1 cup reserved pasta water
1-12 ounce frozen cauliflower, cooked according to package directions
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 pound pancetta, diced
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, more for serving
1 shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
kosher salt
black pepper
* Note: The pasta quickly absorbs the sauce and should be served immediately. The sauce just covers 1 pound of pasta. If you prefer more sauce decrease the amount of pasta.
Dice the pancetta. Transfer the meat to a non-stick pan and saute until golden. Drain these yummy morsels and discard the liquid; set aside.
Add the cauliflower to a food processor along with water. Combine 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of the cauliflower puree with the chicken broth. Reserve the rest of the cauliflower puree to add to soups or sauces.
Saute the butter and chopped shallot; add the pumpkin, nutmeg, and season with; cook for a minute. Combine the pureed cauliflower mixture with the pumpkin. Toss with the pasta and cheese, adding some reserved pasta water as needed to loosen up the sauce. Top with the pancetta and additional cheese.
Time-Saving Tip: Cut the pancetta a day in advance.