Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo Recipe
Creamy, garlicky, and delicious, this Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo is a healthier twist on a classic! Made with blended white beans and packed with veggies, it’s a cozy and flavorful dish perfect for pasta lovers.
We don’t take ourselves too seriously in the kitchen (or anywhere, really)! We’ll happily wear a pink chef’s hat while whipping up dinner. We usually stick to my go-to easy dinner recipes. But every now and then we like to experiment with something new, like this Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo. And honestly? It’s one of our favorite healthy pasta recipes to date.
That said, we’re not someone who spends hours cooking. Between busy work schedules, frequent travel, and constantly changing cravings, making elaborate meals just isn’t realistic. We’re all about quick, healthy dinners that are still comforting and full of flavor.
Lean Cuisine sent us a box of fresh ingredients so that we could recreate the Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo pasta that inspired their new limited-edition dish. It’s a creamy, lighter Alfredo sauce made with wholesome ingredients. And it’s just as delicious as it sounds.
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Alfredo Sauce
- Creamy without heavy cream: White beans create a silky texture.
- High in protein and fiber: Thanks to cannellini beans.
- Can easily made dairy-free or vegan with simple swaps
- Budget-friendly ingredients
- Perfect for meal prep
If you love lighter comfort food, you may also enjoy our easy weeknight pasta recipes or this healthy vegetable side dish guide.
Ingredients Needed
- Whole milk: Creates a rich, creamy base for the Alfredo sauce. For a dairy-free or vegan Alfredo, use almond milk or your favorite plant-based milk.
- Cannellini beans: Drained and rinsed. The key ingredient for this healthy white bean Alfredo sauce, adding creaminess, protein, and fiber.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Adds that classic Alfredo flavor. For a vegan version, substitute with dairy-free Parmesan.
- Corn starch: Helps thicken the sauce for a smooth, velvety texture.
- Minced garlic: Essential for flavor.
- Olive oil: Use high-quality olive oil for better flavor.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Baby spinach: Brings freshness and a boost of nutrients.
- Yellow carrot ribbons: Adds color, texture, and natural sweetness.
- Fettuccine pasta: Classic for Alfredo. For a gluten-free pasta option, use chickpea, lentil, or brown rice pasta.
- Chopped parsley: For garnishing
How to Make Healthy White Bean Alfredo
To Make the Alfredo Sauce:
1 — Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat.
2 — Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes.
3 — Blend the white beans in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
4 — Add the pureed beans and milk to the saucepan, stirring until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
5 — Whisk in the cornstarch (you can mix it with a little milk or water first to avoid clumps). Continue stirring as the sauce heats. This will help thicken the Alfredo sauce to a creamy consistency.
6 — Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and thickened.
7 — Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper, and cook for another minute until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Then, remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the Pasta and Vegetables:
1 — Bring a large pot of water to a boil (about 4 quarts). Season with salt, if desired.
2 — Cook the fettuccine pasta according to package instructions, about 8–10 minutes, until al dente.
3 — Add the yellow carrot ribbons during the last 3 minutes of cooking to soften slightly while maintaining texture.
4 — Stir in the remaining white beans with about 1–2 minutes left to heat through.
5 — Add the baby spinach in the final 15–20 seconds, just until wilted, then immediately drain the pasta and vegetables.
Assemble and Serve the White Bean Alfredo
1 — Toss the drained pasta and vegetables with the roasted garlic white bean Alfredo sauce until everything is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.
2 — Serve warm, topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley for garnish. Enjoy your healthy white bean Alfredo pasta!
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Roasting the garlic: For an even deeper flavor, you can roast whole garlic cloves in the oven before mincing. Simply wrap them in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30–40 minutes until soft and caramelized.
- Blending the sauce: For an ultra-smooth Alfredo sauce, blend the white bean mixture thoroughly until creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of milk to adjust the consistency.
- Make it vegan: Swap the milk and cheese for a dairy-free option.
- Extra creaminess: If you want an even richer texture, stir in a small pat of butter or a splash of heavy cream before serving.
Variations
Make this healthy Alfredo pasta your own:
- Add grilled chicken, shrimp or crispy tofu for extra protein and a heartier meal.
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
- Stir in sautéed mushrooms for an earthy flavor and extra nutrition.
- Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, add a splash of water or broth and warm gently on the stovetop, stirring until smooth to loosen the sauce.
More Healthy Recipes to Try
This White Bean Alfredo is great when served alongside a side salad, veggies, or fresh fruit. So I served my pasta dish with a side spinach salad with fresh parmesan and a light vinaigrette dressing. For more quick and easy healthy recipes, check out some of my favorites below —
- 44 Whole 30 Approved Recipes for the Whole Family
- Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken
- Healthy Low Carb Keto Breakfast Casserole
- Beetroot Salad with Goat Cheese
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
For the Alfredo sauce:
- 2 ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 ½ tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the pasta:
- 8 oz fettuccine pasta noodles
- 2 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup yellow carrot ribbons
- 1 cup cannellini beans drained and rinsed
For garnishing:
- 2 oz shaved parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
To make the Alfredo sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes.
- Blend the white beans in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.
- Add the pureed beans and milk to the saucepan, stirring until fully combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Whisk in the cornstarch (you can mix it with a little milk or water first to avoid clumps). Continue stirring as the sauce heats. This will help thicken the Alfredo sauce to a creamy consistency.
- Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth, creamy, and thickened.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper, and cook for another minute until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Then, remove from heat and set aside.
To prepare the pasta & vegetables:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil (about 4 quarts). Season with salt, if desired.
- Cook the fettuccine pasta according to package instructions, about 8–10 minutes, until al dente.
- Add the yellow carrot ribbons during the last 3 minutes of cooking to soften slightly while maintaining texture.
- Stir in the remaining white beans with about 1–2 minutes left to heat through.
- Add the baby spinach in the final 15–20 seconds, just until wilted, then immediately drain the pasta and vegetables.
To assemble & serve:
- Toss the drained pasta and vegetables with the white bean Alfredo sauce until everything is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.
- Serve warm, topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley for garnish.
Nutrition
A big thanks to our friends at Lean Cuisine for partnering with us on this post! Sugar & Cloth is donating 5% of all sponsored campaigns to charity, which you can read about right here!
Don’t forget to share your White Bean Alfredo with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? Find them all right here!
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It was very tasty! My only question is the 4.5 Tbsp of corn starch in the ingredients. I don’t see it anywhere in the instructions! I added it to the milk/beans and it was so clumpy I had to strain it before I added the cheese. When are you supposed to add that?
I’ll definitely make this recipe again. Thank you!
Hi Holly! Great catch. The cornstarch is simply to thicken the sauce (if you prefer a creamier sauce). We added this step: “Whisk in the cornstarch (you can mix it with a little milk or water first to avoid clumps). Continue stirring as the sauce heats. This will help thicken the Alfredo sauce to a creamy consistency.” You do add it to the milk and bean mixture. Sometimes you can add cornstarch in directly to thicken a sauce but it really helps to make a slurry so that it’s not too clumpy. So you can add a bit of milk or water with the cornstarch to make a “slurry”. Hope this helps! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Healthy recipe love it quick and easy
Thank you, Mavis!
I am looking for the nutrition information for the Roasted Garlic White Bean Alfredo receipe. Is it the same as the frozen one? Thank you
A quick and yummy meal !
totally!
I’m sorry, but this post is really odd. Why would they send you fresh ingredients to make the recipe? You never talked about what the LC meal tasted like or showed what it looks like after it’s cooked. The only thing this post did was make me want to make this recipe, not buy Lean Cuisine.
Hi Hailey! That’s exactly the point actually! The whole idea is to share how this particular Lean Cuisine meal actually IS this recipe that you’re now wanting to make! In order for it to become the packaged meal you’d buy in store, they use fresh, non-GMO ingredients and well-loved recipes, and I loved the idea of showcasing that fact by creating the recipe as people are used to seeing them online to tie the two together ;)
I love the black box Lean Cuisine Meals! A quick healthy meal, plus they are tasty!
Totally! We basically live off of them for an easy lunch at the studio!
I love these Lean Cuisine meals! I bought a few of them when we had just moved to our new place and were in the middle of unpacking – it was so nice to have something quick, ready, and healthier than pizza.
Yes, that’s the perfect scenario! I love their flatbread pizza’s too though, speaking of pizza haha! xo