Creamy Basil & Prawn Alfredo Noodles 

Basil_and_Prawn_Alfredo_Noodles_Landscape_by_Jordan_Pie_Nutritionist_Photographer-1.jpg

I can’t remember the last time I had real alfredo sauce, I just know that it probably tasted divine but made my stomach hurt. What’s not to love about a super creamy cheesy sauce with garlic? It sure tastes good, but all that dairy - cream, butter, and cheese is just a little too heavy for me to enjoy. So I’ve been on a mission to re-create a Paleo variation with hidden veggies. Something to feel comfort food-ish, but without the heaviness!

I think it’s important to let you all know that this doesn’t taste like an exact replica of a dairy based alfredo sauce. That is pretty difficult to do without dairy products. However, you still get the same “I want to lick my plate clean” comforting feeling from this creamy basil and garlic flavoured sauce. It’s about as close as you can get! It was perfect noodles. I actually mixed zoodles (zucchini noodles) into the rice noodles while they were cooking to bulk it out with some extra hidden veggies and my partner didn’t even notice. He actually asked me if there were any veggies in the dish at all! I’ll take that as a win!

Serves 2 hungry people
Cooking time; 30 minutes from start to finish
Low Carb, Paleo, can be Dairy Free (just use ghee or coconut oil), Nut Free, Egg Free and Keto

Basil Alfredo Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 small organic cauliflower, roughly chopped

  • 1 small zucchini, roughly chopped

  • 1 large clove garlic

  • 3 Tbsp butter or ghee

  • Salt to taste

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves

  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup chicken bone broth (or water)

  • Optional; add in a handful of spinach if you would like to make the sauce ‘greener’

Ingredients

  • Roughly 550g large green prawns, peeled (this is enough for 2 people)

  • 4-6 cloves garlic, finely diced

  • 2-3 Tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil for cooking

  • 2x zucchinis, spiralised

  • ½ packet organic white rice noodles (pad thai style) - I get them from Coles in the Health Food Isle

  • For serving, fresh lemon to drizzle on top, fresh herbs, salt and pepper to season, optional; roasted tomatoes and/ or fried bacon pieces

Instructions

  1. Steam the cauliflower, zucchini and garlic until soft and cooked through. When it’s ready, drain away the water.

  2. Add the strained zucchini/ cauliflower to a food processor or thermomix and blend with 3 Tbsp butter/ ghee until smooth and creamy. Now add in the basil and 1/3 cup bone broth and re-blend until completely smooth and lump free.

  3. Taste the mixture and add salt if needed. If the sauce is too thick add in a little more bone broth and re-blend until you reach your desired consistency. If you want the sauce to be ‘greener’ in colour, blend through some spinach leaves now until super smooth and creamy (this is optional).

  4. Now add water to a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for 4 minutes in the boiling water. Then add in the zucchini noodles (zoodles) and cook for a further 2 minutes. Taste the rice noodles to see if they’re al dente. If they’re ready, pour them into a strainer and leave them to sit while you cook the prawns.

  5. Heat a large frying pan with butter or ghee. Quickly pat the prawns dry before adding them prawns into the frying pan (this prevents splatter and allows them to brown and go crispier). Cook the prawns on both sides until golden brown. When they’re almost ready, add the garlic into the pan and stir it through.

  6. Add the rice noodles and zoodles to 2x plates. Top with as much or as little of the basil alfredo sauce as you like and then place the cooked prawns and garlic on top. Garnish with some fresh basil, salt and pepper and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.