Lightened-Up Alfredo
Every bit as creamy as your favorite jarred (or restaurant) Alfredo sauce, my sneakily healthier version gets its body and fresh flavor from light cream cheese and chicken stock instead of heavy cream and butter. Toss in a few steamed shrimp, broccoli florets, or chunks of grilled chicken for variety.
Lightened-Up Alfredo
Serves:
6
Cooking Level:
Prep Time
Cook Time
18 minutes
Inactive Time
10 minutes
Total Time
28 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound linguini
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 3 1/2 ounces light cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguini and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, and salt to the preheated pan and cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and soft. Add the flour and whisk to a smooth paste. Slowly add the chicken broth, whisking constantly until well combined and smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and no longer tastes like flour.
- Whisk in the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together, thinning the sauce with a bit of the pasta water as needed. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two until the pasta is creamy and just al dente. Season with black pepper and top with more Parmesan if desired.
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Article by Giada De Laurentiis