This recipe is more than an Alfredo, I should call this shrimp and broccoli Mac and Cheese with how thick and creamy this sauce is, with almost no cheese added! The secret creamy ingredient is pumpkin, flavored and spiced to perfection, the end result is this velvety sauce that melts into the shrimp, pasta and veggies.
To see us make it step by step check out our video here.
The trick here is to undercook the pasta and veggies just barely and let everything bubble around in the sauce until it reduces and sticks to everything.
Just be patient, give it a minute and let it get thick, creamy and absolutely delicious.
I kept things simple with basic broccoli and zucchini but any vegetables of your choosing would be delicious.
The pumpkin adds the creamy velvety texture we all know and love in our Alfredo sauce but instead of getting it from a melted cheddar or other cheese it's from a vegetable!
I opted for shrimp in this because it cooks in minutes and I could add it directly to the sauce but any protein would work here. I included the slight modification to the directions if you are using a protein that takes more time to cook, like chicken, in the notes section of the recipe!
Shrimp and Broccoli Pumpkin Alfredo
4 servings | 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups unsweetened original almond milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp cayenne (or more depending on spice preference)
Salt and Pepper
4 cups broccoli (I also added 2 cups chopped zucchini for bulk and extra veggies)
8 oz whole grain rotini or other pasta of choice
1 lb raw shrimp (can sub for chicken or protein of preference)
Directions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Salt the boiling water, stir in pasta and lower the heat to medium. Cover the pot with a steamer basket with the broccoli to steam while the pasta cooks. Stir the pasta 1-2 times during cooking. Note: Undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add diced onion, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Whisk in pumpkin and almond milk and bring to a boil.
Stir the parmesan in and return to a boil. Lower it to a simmer and add in the shrimp. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until just pink.
Remove the pasta and veggies from the boiling water (2 minutes early), strain the pasta and rinse it with water. Stir the pasta and veggies into the shrimp and sauce and allow the sauce to continue cooking until it thickens and reduces, tossing occasionally. Another 5-6 minutes.
Serve warm topped with extra fresh cracked pepper and fresh parmesan.
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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.
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