If you’ve been looking for a healthier Alfredo sauce, here it is! This one’s mild and creamy, but harbors a fraction of the fat and calories of the traditional cream-based sauce. Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook ^[1].

Serves: 6

• 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• One 12.3-ounce container silken tofu
• 1/2 cup rice milk
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 12 ounces pasta (see Note)

Cook the pasta in plenty of steadily boiling water until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the margarine in a small skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat.

Combine the sautéed garlic and margarine with the tofu and rice milk in a food processor. Process until completely smooth and creamy.

Combine the pasta and sauce in a large serving bowl and toss together. Season with pepper and taste to see if you’d like to add more salt. If the mixture needs to be moister, add a small amount of additional rice milk and toss again. Serve at once.

Note: This works well with the traditional fettuccine, and is also nice with spinach ribbons, pappardelle, whole wheat pastas, medium or small seashells, and vegetable-filled tortellini.

• Click here for lots more lighter seasonal vegan pasta recipes. ^[2]