- Food: Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Writer: Lizzie Green
- Content-Type: Food Blog
This recipe for creamy mashed cauliflower is a simple, scrumptious side dish! A little butter and roasted garlic give it a rich, nutty flavor.
I told Jack it was mashed potatoes when I urged him to try this recipe for mashed cauliflower. Call me cruel, but I needed his frank assessment.
He is the person I know who likes mashed potatoes the most! Though he was somewhat duped (“I was next to you when you bought the cauliflower,” he said), he cheerfully ate piece after bite.
He has already had numerous bowls of this mashed cauliflower and repeatedly mispronounced it as “mashed potatoes.”
That I’ll take! I’ve previously combined potatoes and cauliflower to make cauliflower mashed potatoes. But this year, I made the decision to completely exclude the potatoes.
I knew cauliflower could produce a nice mash because I frequently use it to make creamy sauces and soups. Even while the sour cream-filled potatoes Jack used to like as a child aren’t quite the same, this dish is nonetheless quite tasty.
With roasted garlic and a touch of butter, the mashed cauliflower has a deep, nutty taste and a light, fluffy texture.
Even though Jack and I have been enjoying it at normal dinners as well, it would be ideal for Thanksgiving. It is an excellent nutritious side dish for any night of the week because it just takes around 20 minutes to put together.
Ingredients for mashed cauliflower recipe
The ingredients for this recipe for mashed cauliflower are only six:
- Of course, cauliflower! For this recipe, the entire head—cores and all—will be used! Find one that is about 2 pounds in size.
- Butter: For luscious richness and mouthwatering butter flavor. Use your preferred vegan butter if you’re vegan.
- Roasted garlic: It adds a deep, nutty flavor to this creamy purée.
- Dijon mustard: I add a tiny touch of mustard to dishes to give them a savory, acidic depth of flavor. Don’t worry if mustard isn’t your thing. There is no mustard flavor in the mashed cauliflower at all.
- To make all the flavors pop, season with salt and pepper.
- I also enjoy adding chopped chives as a garnish to my cauliflower mashed with garlic. They give the finished meal a bright, oniony flavor. Yum!
Making Mashed Cauliflower
In full transparency, hardly much mashing is required for this mashed cauliflower dish. I mix it up in the food processor instead. You won’t miss the potato mashing at all, I assure you. Smooth, creamy, and light describe this puree. This is how I do it:
Cook the cauliflower first. It should be roughly chopped and boiled for 10 minutes in a big saucepan of salted water to reach knife-tenderness. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor after it has been drained.
Blend next! Puree the remaining ingredients with the addition of salt and pepper, then taste. Enjoy! If desired, top the mash with additional butter, fresh chives, salt, and pepper.
Serving ideas for mashed cauliflower
This mashed cauliflower would make a wonderful complement to a Thanksgiving or holiday feast, much like traditional mashed potatoes. Make it up to two days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator since it reheats wonderfully. When you eat, place it next to classic sides like stuffing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole. Pumpkin pie for dessert is a must!
Recently, I’ve been eating these cauliflower mashed potatoes by myself as a meal. mushroom gravy was drizzled over top (watch for the recipe later this week!).
They are the ideal fall comfort food since they contain cooked white beans for protein. A roasted vegetable, such as butternut squash or broccoli, and some crusty bread or homemade focaccia complete the meal for me.
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower.
| Serves: 3 to 4 |
A wonderful substitute for mashed potatoes is this dish. It serves three to four people, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving.
Scale up the recipe appropriately if you’re feeding a large group. You might need to work in batches, depending on the size of your food processor.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, 2 pounds, chopped
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or vegan butter
- 7 cloves roasted garlic
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chives, for garnish, optional
Instructions
Food: Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (Source: Evolving Table)- A large saucepan of salted water should be brought to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Transfer the drained liquid to a food processor.
- Combine the butter, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper with the cauliflower in a blender. If desired, add chives as a garnish after seasoning to taste.