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You are here: Home / All Recipes / Healthy Alfredo Sauce

October 5, 2020 By Nancylynn 20 Comments

Healthy Alfredo Sauce

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This Healthy Alfredo Sauce is creamy, delicious, and full of flavor without all the extra fat and calories!  This Alfredo  sauce is made with almond milk instead of cream, and it’s the perfect way to enjoy your favorite pasta dinner on the 21 Day Fix.  This Alfredo recipe is also great for all WW plans! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with. 

A white plate of fettuccine topped with Alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese.

Guys…I am so pumped to finally share a Healthy Alfredo Sauce Recipe on the blog.  It’s been on my list for what feels like forever, and it is finally happening!  

Alfredo Sauce is one of the most calorie-laden ways to top your pasta…until now. This sauce passed many tastes tests (thanks, Mom!) despite being a much healthier, lower calorie, 21 Day Fix approved version of Alfredo. I can’t wait for you guys to try it!

Close up photo of a shallow pan of fettuccine tossed with alfredo sauce. There are black tongs grabbing a portion of pasta out of the pan.

Traditional Alfredo Sauce vs Healthy Alfredo Sauce

Traditional Alfredo sauce is made by heating heavy cream, lots of butter, garlic, and cheese together until it thickens into a rich and creamy sauce.  While it’s very delicious, the heaviness of the dairy tends to upset my stomach…and it’s certainly not a dish that fits into the containers for the 21 Day Fix.

My Healthy Alfredo sauce, on the other hand, uses 21 Day Fix Approved ingredients, but is creamy, delicious, and full of garlicky flavor in it’s own right!  I made 5 different versions of this recipe to get this right…and I think you are going to love the results!

A silver pan with a metal whisk mixing a roux to begin making alfredo sauce.

Ingredients for this Healthy Alfredo Sauce Recipe

The best part of this Three Cheese (yes, THREE) Alfredo Sauce is the simple, real food ingredients used to make it!

  • Garlic – fresh garlic is a must for this recipe!  I love to buy the peeled fresh garlic from Costco to save me some time!
  • Olive oil or olive oil spray – just enough to saute the garlic 
  • Butter, vegan butter, or ghee – you can replace this with more olive oil if you wish, but I love the flavor you get from using a little butter in the sauce.  A little goes a long way!
  • Gluten free or whole wheat flour – traditional Alfredo sauce doesn’t use flour, but we are going to make a roux here to help thicken the sauce without using cream.  Because we are gluten free, I use gluten free flour, but feel free to replace with whole wheat if that’s what you have. 
  • Original unsweetened almond or cashew milk –  As I said before, I make this Alfredo sauce with milk instead of cream.  Both almond milk and cashew milk are significantly lower in calories and fat than milk and cream, but they still add creaminess to this Alfredo sauce recipe.  If you have a nut allergy, you can sub 1% milk in this recipe. 
  • Freshly shredded white cheddar cheese, packed in tight – again, this deviates from the traditional Alfredo recipe, but using freshly shredded cheddar cheese helps to thicken this sauce without cream.  Just be sure to pack it in tightly,  
  • Freshly shredded Parmesan Reggiano cheese, packed in tight – Parmesan cheese is the typical cheese in Alfredo sauce – and a little goes a long way.  
  • Pecorino Romano cheese – this is optional, but I love the combination of three cheeses in this Alfredo sauce…and pecorino Romano gives a little extra zip of flavor.  
  • Fresh ground pepper – enhances all the flavors – I add just a little 
  • Himalayan or Sea salt – you might need to increase the amount of salt depending on your cheese and butter selections, but start with a small amount and go from there. 
  • Garnish – pinch of nutmeg and fresh parsley – these are optional, but they add a little extra flavor and a pop of color to your sauce

Black handled metal whisk resting on the side of a shallow pan with a white sauce inside.

How to make Alfredo Sauce with Milk

The first step to this Alfredo recipe is to saute some garlic – I use 5 cloves because I am a garlic freak.  Then, like my other Cheese Sauce recipes, it’s time to make a roux.  While a roux isn’t traditionally part of Alfredo sauce, it works well to add thickness to this healthy Alfredo. 

And FYI – a roux is just equal parts fat and flour – in this case we are using butter and gluten-free flour.  After the roux is heated and begins to brown, add some almond or cashew milk and whisk until it begins to thicken.  This will take a few minutes, so be patient. 

Next it’s time to add the cheese!  For extra creaminess and flavor, I use a three cheese blend:  Parmesan, white cheddar, and pecorino Romano.  I lower the heat and whisk away until the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy perfection. 

Shredded cheese beginning to melt in a thickened Alfredo sauce with milk in a large, shallow metal pan.

Next it’s time to season the sauce.  Salt and pepper are a must, but you could also add a little nutmeg and fresh parsley to add some additional depth of flavor.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. 

And that is it!  A delicious and lower calorie Alfredo sauce ready in less than 20 minutes!  

How to store your sauce

We typically enjoy this yummy sauce when it’s freshly made, but if you wanted to make it ahead of time, you could store it in a mason jar or other air tight container.  You could also freeze this sauce using souper cubes like my Freezable Cheese Sauce!

Overhead photo of a pan full of fettuccine alfredo garnished with flecks of parsley.

Healthy Alfredo Sauce for the 21 Day Fix and WW

This sauce, like my other cheese sauces, is totally ok and approved for the 21 Day Fix!  In fact, 1/2 cup of this sauce will only count as 1/2 blue and 1 tsp.  I purposely made this sauce 1/2 blue in case: 

1.  you want to have two helpings.  

2. you want to top your sauce with extra Parmesan cheese (me!!  this is me!!)

This Alfredo recipe is also a great choice for WW as it’s 5 points for all plans.  

And like many other Alfredo recipes, this is a gluten free Alfredo sauce! 

Close up photo of half of a white plate filled with pasta and white alfredo sauce with milk, topped with shredded cheese.

What to serve with this Healthy Alfredo Sauce

This Alfredo Sauce is delicious with noodles, but it could also be used for so many other foods.  We serve it with:

  • Gluten-free or whole wheat fettuccine or noodle of choice
  • Spaghetti Squash or Zoodles 
  • Over veggies like Cauliflower and Broccoli 
  • With rice or cauliflower rice 
  • Any combination of the above, along with your favorite protein.  We love to make it with Broccoli, Chicken, and Gluten-free Penne 

Close up photo of black kitchen tongs gathering fettuccine alfredo with a black and pink text overlay on a white rectangle.  The text says, Healthy Alfredo Sauce | Gluten Free | 21 DF | WW | Confessions of a Fit Foodie

More Healthy Pasta Recipes: 

How to Measure Pasta for the 21 Day Fix + 21 Day Fix Pasta Recipes

Instant Pot Enchilada Pasta [21 Day Fix | WW | Gluten Free]

21 Day Fix Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage (Gluten Free | Instant Pot Option)

Healthy Instant Pot Chili Mac [21 Day Fix | Gluten-Free | StoveTop Option]

Healthy Penne Vodka Sauce with Chicken [21 Day Fix | Weight Watchers | Gluten-free | Dairy-free Option]

Lasagna Roll Ups

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Healthy Alfredo Sauce

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Nancylynn
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Low Calorie
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Description

This Healthy Alfredo Sauce is creamy, delicious, and full of flavor without all the extra fat and calories!  Made with almond milk, this Alfredo Recipe is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite pasta dinner on the 21 Day Fix.


Ingredients

Scale

4–5 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp of olive oil or olive oil spray

4 tsp butter, vegan butter, or ghee

4 tsp gluten free or whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cup original unsweetened almond or cashew milk

1/4 cup freshly shredded white cheddar cheese, packed in tight

1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan Reggiano cheese, packed in tight

2 T Pecorino Romano cheese (or just sub extra Parmesan cheese)

Fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp salt + more to taste

a dash of nutmeg and fresh parsley for garnish (optional)


Instructions

  1. Heat a ceramic or stainless steel pan over medium low heat.  Add in olive oil and garlic.  Stir until fragrant, then add in butter. 
  2. Slowly whisk in flour until well combined with the butter and garlic.  
  3. While whisking, slowly add in 1 ½ cups of almond milk.  Increase heat to medium and allow milk and flour to thicken for several minutes.  
  4. Once your roux is thickened, reduce heat to low and add in all the cheese, stirring well until the sauce is creamy. 
  5. If your sauce is too thick, stir in the additional milk.  Remove from heat. 
  6. Add in ¼ tsp of salt (or to taste) and a sprinkle of pepper.  Serve with noodles, veggies, and or your favorite protein and top with extra parmesan and garnish with fresh parsley and a pinch of nutmeg. 

Equipment

Nonstick Skillet

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Notes

21 Day Fix Containers:  1/2 Blue, 1 tsp per serving

WW Points:  5 per serving (all plans)


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ~1/3 cup

Keywords: alfredo recipe, alfredo sauce, healthy alfredo sauce, alfredo sauce with milk

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking Method, Courses, Diet, Dinner, Gluten Free, Ingredient, Kid Friendly, Lunch, One Skillet, Pasta, Sides, Stove + Oven, Vegan + Vegetarian

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca says

    October 6, 2020 at 12:55 am

    Do you think oat milk would work instead of almond? We have a nut allergy in my house 😔

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 6, 2020 at 2:13 am

      Hi! Yes – I think it would totally work! You could also use 1% milk!

      Reply
  2. Teresa says

    October 7, 2020 at 2:28 am

    Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it! Will mozzarella work instead of white cheddar?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 7, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  3. Amy Powers says

    October 10, 2020 at 12:59 pm

    Hi there! I’m thinking I might use this in place of the cheese in your broccoli chicken casserole. Do you think one batch of this would be the right amount to substitute for the cheese?

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 17, 2020 at 5:41 am

      I like the way you think! This alfredo sauce is actually less thick than the cheese sauce and will go further than the cheese sauce in that recipe. Give it a try as is, and let us know how it goes but it may be a little thin.

      Reply
  4. Samantha says

    October 11, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    This is so delicious! It tastes like I’m eating Alfredo from a restaurant. Best healthy Alfredo sauce hands down! 😋

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Carrie Dunning says

    October 13, 2020 at 8:58 pm

    This is yummy! I’ll be eating it tonight with whole wheat spaghetti and homemade chicken meatballs.
    Could this sauce be used in place of canned creamed soups to be used in like a tuna casserole? I’m looking for a good replacement for Campbells creamy soups.

    Reply
  6. Cortnee says

    October 15, 2020 at 12:10 am

    This was EXCELLENT!!! I could have eaten it with a spoon (okay, maybe I did).

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      October 15, 2020 at 12:25 pm

      LOL! I may have done the same!! Thank you so much for taking the time to review! ❤️

      Reply
  7. Kirsten says

    January 6, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    Hi! Is the serving size really 1tsp? Or is it 1tbsp? I’m following UPF.

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 7, 2021 at 7:34 pm

      Hi! The serving size is 1/3 cup. The UPF containers are 1/2 BLUE, 1 tsp (per 1/3 cup serving).

      Reply
  8. Jen says

    January 17, 2021 at 11:54 pm

    This is amazing! Doesn’t taste like a “diet” food. Definitely using this all the time!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      January 21, 2021 at 2:05 pm

      Jen, THANK YOU! That’s the goal… Healthy food that tastes delicious!

      Reply
  9. Megan says

    February 25, 2021 at 2:14 am

    Delicious sauce! I am wondering why mine doesn’t thicken up while adding the almond milk. I took my time to slowly add in the 1 and 1/2 cups and it was still very thin. I had to add cornstarch to thicken it. Is there a trick to it? Am I doing something wrong? Thank you 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      March 1, 2021 at 9:33 pm

      You can always turn the temperature up a little bit, and definitely allow some time for the flour/butter mixture to thicken up the almond milk. Keep stirring every so often, but mostly let it sit and simmer. Lastly, make sure it’s your desired thickness before adding in any cheese! Hope this helps!

      Reply
  10. Anns says

    March 10, 2021 at 11:50 am

    What is the calories per serving

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      March 14, 2021 at 3:06 pm

      MyFitnessPal has a great copy and paste tool to find out this information 🙂

      Reply
  11. Deb says

    March 13, 2021 at 1:12 am

    Super easy, yummy and approved by my 11 year old son! I added broccoli and it was a perfect dinner!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Nancylynn says

      March 14, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      That sounds perfect!! Thank you for your comment!

      Reply

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