Pasta is a simple meal, but it isn’t always the healthiest option. The most popular sauces, such as alfredo sauce, contain a lot of cream and butter. If you’re looking for a lite alfredo dish with classic fall flavors, you’re going to love this pumpkin alfredo dish.
The Health Benefits of Pumpkins
Adding pumpkin to your alfredo sauce adds additional nutrients to your meal. Pumpkins are packed with fiber, potassium, vitamins A, vitamins B, vitamin C, and vitamin E. It’s also an excellent source of the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop cervical and breast cancers. The other nutrients in pumpkins can help prevent lung cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and type-two diabetes.
For your next dinner, give this pumpkin alfredo recipe a try. It calls for far less cream and butter than the typical alfredo recipe—thus healthier than the typical recipe. The instructions are listed below.
Pumpkin Alfredo
(Recipe from Kristin at Yellow Bliss Road)
Ingredients
- 1 pound of fettuccine pasta (reserve 1 cup of pasta water)
- 6 tablespoons of butter
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 2/3 cup of half & half
- 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Toasted pecans
Directions
- Bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a teaspoon of salt to the boiling water and then add the pasta. Cook until al dente.
- Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic and cook for about a minute. Stir in half & half, Parmesan, pumpkin, and nutmeg. Stir until sauce is heated through and cheese is melted. Stir in pasta water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until sauce is desired consistency.
- Add pasta and cook over medium-high heat until sauce is smooth and pasta is well coated.
- Divide into bowls and garnish with toasted pecans and fresh grated Parmesan, if desired.
Bonus. Concerned about carbs? Consider having a smaller portion of the pasta and eating a vegetable-based side dish. You can make your own hot mushroom salad with mushrooms, parmesan, salad greens, garlic, and olive oil. Or you can have broccoli and soy bacon salad made with broccoli slaw, red peppers, soy bacon, red onion, and almonds.