Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable. With just a few simple steps, cauliflower can be turned into a mashed potato alternative. The mashed cauliflower is silky, velvety, creamy, just like regular mashed potatoes! However, it’s much lighter, so you’re less likely to feel bloated or weighed down after a large helping of mashed cauliflower.
Even better, this recipe goes with pretty much anything and everything. Some of my favorite recipes to serve it with are my Vegan Mac and Cheese, Carne Asada, and Air Fryer Salmon. You’ll have dinner ready in a flash with this easy side.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Cauliflower — When picking a head of cauliflower, you want one that’s dense and feels heavy for its size. Avoid any that have yellow or brown spots on them. The head should be compact and firm as well. You can also purchase pre-cut florets to save prep time.
- Garlic — Since cauliflower is neutral in flavor, sautéeing the garlic and combining it with the pureed cauliflower will give it a nice aromatic flavor.
- Sour cream — The sour cream is for added moisture and to make the mashed cauliflower creamy. It also provides a tangy flavor to the mash. Yogurt can be substituted, but I recommend using full-fat sour cream for the best flavor.
How to Make Mashed Cauliflower
Step 1: Cut the cauliflower into florets.
Step 2: Bring water to boil in a large pot over medium heat and add in the florets. Cook until tender.
Step 3: Drain the florets and set it aside.
Step 4: Heat the pot over medium-high heat and melt the butter before adding in garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Step 5: Add cooked florets and sautéed garlic into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Step 6: In the same pot or bowl, mix together blended cauliflower, sour cream, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
Tips For This Recipe
- If you do not have a food processor or blender, you can use a potato masher.
- You can add fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, or parsley for added flavor.
- Make sure to drain the florets fully before transferring them to the blender. If you use a lid to drain the pot, sometimes there’s still water leftover which will make for a watery mash. I always use a colander to make sure there’s no water left.
- When cutting the cauliflower, try to cut the florets as evenly as possible to avoid some small overcooked florets. They’ll be mushy in texture and won’t make for a silky mash.
- Avoid over blending the cooked florets as that can lead to a gummy mash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to make this cauliflower mash up to 3 days ahead of time. Store the leftovers in an airtight container. When ready to enjoy, you can reheat this on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If you’ve made too much, you can freeze cauliflower mash for up to a month. Freeze it in an airtight freezer-friendly container or bag. When ready to eat, you can thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
You can add whatever you’d like to this! Similar to mashed potatoes, some cheddar or pepper jack cheese, and bacon bits pair together really well. Caramelized onions make for a delicious addition to the mash as well. Feel free to play around with the toppings!
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Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 3 tbsp butter
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- ¼ cups grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring water to boil in a large pot over medium heat and add in cauliflower florets. Cook until tender (approx 10 minutes) and drain and set aside.
- Heat pot over medium high heat (you can use the same pot you boiled the cauliflower in) and add in butter. Once butter is melted, add in garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add cooked cauliflower and sautéed garlic into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed between blending or blend in batches.
- In the same pot or bowl, mix together blended cauliflower, sour cream, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- If you do not have a food processor or blender, you can use a potato masher.
- You can add fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, chives, or parsley for added flavor.
- Make sure to drain the florets fully before transferring them to the blender. If you use a lid to drain the pot, sometimes there’s still water leftover which will make for a watery mash. I always use a colander to make sure there’s no water left.
- When cutting the cauliflower, try to cut the florets as evenly as possible to avoid some small overcooked florets. They’ll be mushy in texture and won’t make for a silky mash.
- Avoid over blending the cooked florets as that can lead to a gummy mash.
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