One-Pot White Bean Alfredo Sauce

One of my favorite hobbies is taking traditionally unhealthy recipes and making them healthy or healthier.

Traditional Alfredo sauces usually have butter, flour, heavy cream, milk, and cheese, making it a dish loaded with empty calories, allergens, and cholesterol.

This recipe has all of the traditional Alfredo flavor, with a fraction of the calories and added nutrient density. A 1-cup serving of cooked white beans provides 1:

Protein: 17 grams
Fat: 0.6 grams
Fiber: 11 grams
Copper: 55% of the Daily Value (DV)
Folate: 36% of the DV
Iron: 36% of the DV
Potassium: 21% of the DV
Thiamine: 17% of the DV
Phosphorus: 28% of the DV
Magnesium: 26% of the DV
Zinc: 22% of the DV
Calcium: 16% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 12% of the DV
Riboflavin: 6% of the DV
Selenium: 4% of the DV

Even with all of the added nutrition, be sure to pair your pasta plate with 1/2 a plate or more of vegetables.

There are two ways to prepare this dish; in a pressure cooker or on the stovetop.

Ingredients

1 cup soaked white cannellini beans
2 cups water
1/4 cup plant-based butter or extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Plant-based milk as needed
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons or more nutritional yeast
high-quality sea salt
Pepper to taste

Directions: Pressure Cooker

Put plant-based butter or oil and garlic in your Instapot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. If you don’t have an Instapot sauté on the stovetop.
Add the drained beans and add 2 cups of water.
Lock the lid and bring to high pressure or use the bean setting, for 8 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
Pour everything into a high-speed blender and blend until thick and creamy, add some plant-based milk if need be to reach the consistency you desire.
Add the lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, and pepper to the blender. Blend until well incorporated.
Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with herbs and vegetables!

Directions: Stove Top

Cook the beans in 6 cups of water until the beans are tender, about 40-60 minutes.
Drain the beans, reserving the cooking water, and set them aside.
Clean out the pot and add the plant-based butter or oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add the drained beans, plant-based butter or oil and garlic mixture, lemon juice, salt, nutritional yeast, and pepper to the blender. Blend until well incorporated.
Use plant-based milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Toss with your favorite pasta and serve with herbs and vegetables.

Give this dish a try and let me know what you think in the comments.

Don’t forget to chew each bite at least 30 times!

You can find organic ingredients for this recipe on Thrive Market, one of my favorite resources for ethically sourced, sustainable, low-cost, organic groceries that are delivered to your home.