Now for today’s recipe. I’ve been so excited to share this one with you guys. We have a really popular recipe in our healthy cook book, “400 Calories or Less” for Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup. I wanted to create a cream soup base that was high on flavor but low on calories, yet still had substance and heartiness to it. I nailed it by incorporating pureed cauliflower. The last time I was making that soup for dinner I wondered if I could do the same thing with a cream sauce, and sure enough, it worked. My whole family loves this Cauliflower Cream Sauce and it’s kind of amazing, really.
Let’s be clear though; it is made with a vegetable. So it’s not going to taste just like butter and heavy cream, ya know? I’m not claiming that it does. I am claiming that you will be surprised at how good it is and that there’s a good chance your family will love it too. My true test is always my kids. I have four boys ranging from age 1 to 10 and I always see how they react before sharing recipes here. I didn’t say a word about what was in this sauce to them or my husband and all 5 of them gobbled it right up and asked for seconds. So that was that. If you are trying to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, or just trying to eat a little lighter, this is a great recipe for you!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower – I have only made this using fresh cauliflower. You can try frozen, but I would reduce the amount of broth to make up for the extra liquid frozen veggies release. I feel the best texture is going to be from fresh cauliflower.
- Chicken broth – Or vegetable broth, if preferred. I like to use broth in place of water because it adds flavor. If you’re going to use water for any reason, I would make sure it’s got a hefty spoon of salt in there. All of that liquid is being absorbed into the cauliflower so it’s important to flavor it!
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Parmesan cheese – Freshly grated.
- Neufchatel cheese – This is a light cream cheese. You could always use regular cream cheese, but I would avoid fat-free. Someone in the comments suggest Laughing Cow cheese and that is a GREAT idea! I bet the garlic herb one would taste super yummy and they are light on calories. If you’re not counting calories, I bed Boursin cheese would also be delicious!
Equipment
- Food processor or blender – You’ll need something to wiz this up. A food processor or blender works great.
How to Make Cauliflower Cream Sauce
- Start with a pound of roughly chopped cauliflower and pop it in a pot of simmering chicken broth.
- After the cauliflower is tender (only takes about 5-6 minutes) strain the liquid out into a bowl, pop the cauliflower into your food processor or blender, and then drizzle a little olive oil into your pot with some minced garlic.
- Sautéing the garlic brings out the flavor and mellows the bite just a bit. It only takes a minute or less and then you’ll add all of the garlic, along with the oil from the pan, to the cauliflower. You’ll also toss in some kosher salt and onion powder.
- And can’t forget the cheese. I add in 1 ounce of low-fat cream cheese. I feel like even just that small amount adds a creamy texture and deepens the flavor by just enough.
- And also a little Parmesan cheese. For both cheeses, in order to keep this sauce light, I add the smallest amount you can get away with while still achieving good results. Meaning- if you don’t care about the calories as much, feel free to add more cheese to taste. Obviously the more the better, like- the more cheese you add the less cauliflower you taste, haha. You can also leave out the cream cheese if you don’t have it or want it. I like it best with both cheeses.
- Blend it all up until smooth and creamy and then adjust salt to taste. At our house we love this on pasta in alfredo-type dishes. I’ll toss in some grilled chicken, or serve it over tortellini. And my husband and all 4 of my kids love it! My sauce in these photos has a little texture to it, but you can blend it more and it becomes silky smooth, just like any normal cream sauce.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Fresh basil and crumbled bacon is a favorite combo with this sauce at our house. And if you want to really be healthy and up your veggie count, try it over Zoodles or Roasted Spaghetti Squash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this sauce reheats pretty well, so feel free to make it a day ahead of time. Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop and add a splash of broth or water as needed to help restore texture.
Cauliflower-based sauces actually freeze pretty well, as opposed to traditional cream sauces. Freeze in individual portions and use within 2-3 months. When reheating, do so gently and add a splash of water or broth as needed to help restore texture.
I’ll be honest, it’s best with the cheeses, but it does work without them! You could try replacing them with your favorite diary-free alternatives. Dairy-free options for both cream cheese and Parmesan are not too hard to come by these days!
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
Equipment
- Food Processor Or blender
Ingredients
- 1 pound roughly chopped cauliflower florets about 6 cups
- 2½ cups chicken broth may sub vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese more if desired
- 1 ounce low-fat cream cheese more if desired
Instructions
- Bring broth to a simmer and add cauliflower. Cover pot with lid. Cook until tender, stirring/smashing occasionally, (about 5-6 mins). Drain cauliflower over a bowl to reserve broth and add cauliflower to food processor or blender. Add onion and salt.
- Return pot to stove and heat olive oil. Add garlic and sauté on medium-low heat until fragrant and soft, 30-60 seconds. Add garlic and all oil from pan into cauliflower. Add ¼ cup reserved broth, and cheeses. Process until smooth. Add more salt and liquid to taste.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust cheese and seasonings to your liking. It’s a very flexible sauce; adjust until you find the right mix for you!
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- Fresh basil and crumbled bacon is a favorite combo with this sauce at our house. And if you want to really be healthy and up your veggie count, try it over Zoodles or Roasted Spaghetti Squash.
Questions & Reviews
This was amazing! My four-year-old saw me chopping up the cauliflower and said, “Mom, I’m not going to eat that.” Then I got him to try the sauce after it came out of the blender, and his face lit up and he said, “Why didn’t you tell me it was so good?” Thank you for sharing such an easy, healthy, and delicious recipe!
Wow…I was totally skeptical that you could make a sauce with cauliflower and make it taste good. Boy was I happy to be surprised. This was delicious! Like so good I couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today. My kids ate it with linguini noodles and bacon crumbles on top. I ate it with half linguini and half zucchini noodles. I already am wondering how soon is too soon to make it again. Thank you for this slam dunk healthy recipe! And for those of you in Utah our Cauliflower was about $3.47 per head.
Yay- so glad it was a hit!
I fixed this for dinner tonight and it got 16 very enthusiastic thumbs up at our house. One of my daughters asked if she could lick the serving spoon and I said, “not at the table” so she went in the kitchen and did it there. I couldn’t even fault her for it because I totally licked the spatula after I scraped the last of the sauce out of my blender. My kids & husband ate theirs with rotini noodles and grilled chicken. I had mine on zoodles with the chicken on the side. It was delicious in every combination. We will definitely make it again!
Cauliflower happens to be on sale for .99 cents a pound this week and I would like to buy a bunch while I can. I too would like to know if the sauce can be frozen or if it would be better to just freeze the cauliflower for later use. Thanks ladies for this recipe. I already use your guiltless sauce from your other recipe book because it’s our favorite!!
I thought I remembered a link you had put up about weightlifting that also had videos for strength training, but I have been through all your fitness posts and can’t find it, will you share it again?
Hi Sara – thanks for this interesting dish. Will definitely try making it one day!
Looks so tasty!! Thanks for sharing!
Xoxo
Five thumbs up! This was lunch for me and four out-of-school kids today. I even had some poached chicken to stir in and some left-over bacon to crumble on top.
Can’t wait to try this! I use your guiltless Alfredo sauce all the time and this sounds right up my alley!
I am making your creamy chicken taquitos for a freezer meal exchange group I’m in. I was wondering if I could freeze the sauce? And if I can – What is the best way to unthaw?