Best 6 Lighter Fettuccini Alfredo Recipes

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Indulge in a lighter version of the classic Fettuccini Alfredo without compromising on its creamy, cheesy goodness. This recipe uses wholesome ingredients like cauliflower, almond milk, and Parmesan cheese to create a luscious sauce that's both healthy and flavorful. The addition of tender cooked chicken or shrimp adds a protein-packed twist, making this dish a complete and satisfying meal. With easy-to-follow instructions and variations for vegetarians and those with dietary restrictions, this recipe caters to a wide range of preferences. Discover a delightful balance of richness and lightness in this reimagined Fettuccine Alfredo that's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special occasion.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

LOW-CAL FETTUCCINE ALFREDO



Low-Cal Fettuccine Alfredo image

This lighter version of alfredo gives you all the creaminess of the original without loads of heavy cream and butter.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat (2%) milk
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons Neufchâtel or low-fat cream cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
12 ounces fresh fettuccine
Freshly ground pepper

Steps:

  • Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute. Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the Neufchâtel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 490 calorie, Fat 15 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Cholesterol 48 milligrams, Sodium 734 milligrams, Carbohydrate 66 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 20 grams

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO (LIGHTER VERSION)



Fettuccine Alfredo (Lighter Version) image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 pound fresh linguine
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 3 minutes. In a saucepan melt butter, add milk and then whisk in cornstarch over medium heat until lightly thickened. Add pasta to the saucepan and toss. Add light cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, nutmeg to taste. Toss and thicken more. Serve immediately.

LIGHTER FETTUCCINE ALFREDO RECIPE BY TASTY



Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: broccoli, olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper, fettuccine, hummus, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, grated parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes

Provided by Tasty

Categories     Lunch

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 lb fettuccine
1 cup hummus
1 lemon lemon zest
1 lemon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup basil, chopped, plus more for serving
¼ cup parsley, chopped, plus more for serving
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450ºF (230˚C).
  • Place the broccoli florets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, and stir to combine.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until lightly charred.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Before draining through a colander, reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water.
  • Return the pasta to the pot.
  • Add the hummus, ½ cup (120 ml) of the pasta cooking water, lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, and Parmesan and toss until a creamy sauce forms. Thin the sauce with more pasta cooking water, a little at a time, as needed.
  • Add the basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and remaining reserved water.
  • Add the broccoli to the pasta, and toss gently with salt, and pepper. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, basil and parsley on top.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 584 calories, Carbohydrate 78 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 11 grams, Protein 21 grams, Sugar 5 grams

LIGHTER FETTUCCINI ALFREDO



Lighter Fettuccini Alfredo image

A low-fat pasta for garlic lovers. For variety, try shell or penne pasta.

Provided by Linda Lou

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Pasta

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 cup nonfat milk
½ cup reduced fat margarine
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cubed
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon onion salt
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water cook fettuccini until al dente. Drain.
  • Combine milk, cubed Neufchatel cheese, butter or margarine, garlic powder, onion powder, minced garlic, and salt. Stir until smooth. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until blended.
  • Toss pasta with Alfredo sauce and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 437.8 calories, Carbohydrate 44.6 g, Cholesterol 41.3 mg, Fat 20.7 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 17.8 g, SaturatedFat 9.5 g, Sodium 623.6 mg, Sugar 4.4 g

LIGHTER CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO



Lighter Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo image

This version of chicken fettuccine alfredo is lightened by substituting some of the heavy cream with chicken broth.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Sauce Recipes     Pasta Sauce Recipes     Creamy     Alfredo Pasta Sauce Recipes

Time 1h10m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups heavy cream
2 egg yolks
salt to taste
1 pound fettuccine
1 sprig chopped fresh parsley
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Steps:

  • Combine chicken breasts and chicken broth in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low; simmer for 5 minutes. Turn breasts, cover, and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit with the cover on for 15 minutes.
  • Remove chicken breasts from the broth and set aside to cool, reserving the broth in the saucepan. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size slices.
  • Return the chicken broth to medium heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup.
  • Stir garlic, black pepper, and heavy cream into the reduced broth; bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
  • Whisk egg yolks in a bowl until smooth. Beat 1 tablespoon of the warm cream mixture into the eggs until thoroughly incorporated; repeat until about 1/2 cup of the warm cream mixture is used.
  • Whisk the warm cream and egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture almost comes to a simmer and thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fettuccine in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until nearly cooked through, about 7 minutes. Drain.
  • Stir parsley, 1 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and cream mixture into the pasta. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for a few minutes until thick.
  • Fold chicken and 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano into the pasta mixture to serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 758.9 calories, Carbohydrate 59.6 g, Cholesterol 239.4 mg, Fat 41.8 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 37.8 g, SaturatedFat 24.2 g, Sodium 505.2 mg, Sugar 2.9 g

LIGHTER FETTUCCINE ALFREDO WITH GREEK YOGURT



Lighter Fettuccine Alfredo with Greek Yogurt image

This fettuccine Alfredo with Greek yogurt, chicken, and spinach is similar to a version served years ago at the Olive Garden®. It was awesome.

Provided by Teresa

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

½ (16 ounce) package whole wheat fettucine
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon salted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
¾ cup Greek yogurt
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook fettuccine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 11 minutes.
  • While the fettuccine is cooking, combine cornstarch and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Add chicken broth and whisk until smooth.
  • Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture into the pan, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; whisk until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in yogurt until sauce is smooth.
  • Drain fettuccine and place in a large bowl. Add Alfredo sauce and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 355.7 calories, Carbohydrate 45.7 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Fat 12.4 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 16.4 g, SaturatedFat 6.7 g, Sodium 337.5 mg, Sugar 3.8 g

Tips:

  • Use quality ingredients: Fresh, high-quality ingredients will make a big difference in the final dish. Look for good quality cheese, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs.
  • Don't overcook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Overcooked pasta will be mushy and unpleasant to eat.
  • Make a creamy sauce: For a creamy Alfredo sauce, use a combination of heavy cream, milk, and grated Parmesan cheese. You can also add other ingredients, such as garlic, herbs, or vegetables, to taste.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan: When cooking the chicken or vegetables, don't overcrowd the pan. This will prevent them from cooking evenly.
  • Season to taste: Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add other spices or herbs, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning.

Conclusion:

Creamy and rich but lighter than traditional Alfredo sauce, this lightened-up version is a great way to enjoy a classic dish without all the guilt. And with the addition of chicken or vegetables, it's a complete meal in one. Whether you're looking for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion dish, this easy fettuccine Alfredo is sure to please everyone at the table.

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