Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
on Oct 01, 2024
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These cauliflower mashed potatoes are out of this world! In less than 30 minutes you will have the perfect side dish to complete any meal. The butter, sour cream, and cheese work together to give these mashed potatoes a creamy texture and irresistible texture.
Mashed potatoes are a classic side dish, and a favorite to many people. However, it can be a long process and a lot of work. These cauliflower mashed potatoes are just as delicious and take much less time! You’ll only need a few ingredients and the help of your blender to create the most creamy, rich, and smooth side dish for your next dinner.
Don’t be skeptical, cauliflower has a mild and soft taste that makes it a wonderful ingredient to use instead of potatoes. The butter, cheese, and salt are the perfect trio to add the savory flavor of mashed potatoes that we all know and love!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cauliflower mashed potatoes have a very similar texture to traditional mashed potatoes.
- You only need a handful of ingredients.
- The dish comes together faster than traditional mashed potatoes.
Equipment You’ll Need
For this recipe, you will want to have either a blender or a food processor on hand. Since cauliflower doesn’t have starch, we cannot mash it the same as we would with potatoes. You will need to blend it up with the other ingredients in order to get a smooth and creamy texture.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cauliflower—Diced
- Butter—For a rich texture and savory flavor. Salted or unsalted will both work.
- Sour cream—To add a creamy texture. You can also use heavy cream or plain Greek yogurt.
- Parmesan cheese—We like to use freshly grated cheese, but bottled will work as well.
- Sea Salt—Season to taste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Step #1. Dice your cauliflower into small pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil then add your cauliflower and cook until soft.
Step #2. Drain your cooked cauliflower and transfer it to a blender or food processor.
Step #3 Add the butter, sour cream, sea salt, and parmesan cheese. Blend the mixture until there are no chunks left.
Step #4 Blend the mixture until there are no chunks left. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
We recommend using fresh cauliflower for the best results. However, if you have some frozen cauliflower you want to use up then feel free to use that! There is no need to thaw the cauliflower first, just throw it right into the boiling water. The cauliflower may need to cook for a little longer, so just keep an eye on it while it’s on the stove. Once everything is blended the texture might be slightly different than using fresh cauliflower, but overall it will be just as delicious!
The best way to ensure your cauliflower mashed potatoes will be thick and creamy is to limit the amount of liquid that goes into the mixture. You can do this by patting the cauliflower pieces dry after you drain them so there is no excess moisture when you combine the ingredients. If you find that it’s still too runny, you can try to thicken it up with a cornstarch slurry. Mix the water and cornstarch together until smooth, then slowly incorporate a little at a time until the cauliflower mashed potatoes reaches your desired thickness!
How to Serve and Store Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower mashed potatoes are extremely versatile, they can be served with a lot of different dishes! Not only that, but there are also many ways to garnish this dish for extra flavor and a nice, finished look. You can try topping the cauliflower mashed potatoes with freshly chopped chives or parsley, butter, brown gravy, or extra salt and pepper! Some great main dishes to go with cauliflower mashed potatoes include short ribs, parmesan chicken, pot roast, grilled salmon, or pork chops. Add a side of your favorite grilled veggies and you have got yourself a delicious and easy weeknight dinner!
You can store any leftover cauliflower mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. When you want to enjoy them again, reheat in the microwave starting with 30 seconds, then continue with 30 second intervals until warm. Be sure to stir the leftovers after each interval to help them reheat evenly.
Expert Tips
- Since you will be blending the cauliflower, don’t worry about cutting the pieces up into the same size.
- Giving your cauliflower plenty of time to cook is crucial in softening it up enough to blend into a smooth, rich, mashed potato consistency.
- If you like your mashed potatoes to have a little bit of texture, then you can pulse your blender or food processor on a lower speed to keep some cauliflower pieces scattered throughout!
- We like to salt and pepper our mashed potatoes to taste once the cauliflower is thoroughly blended.
- If you are using unsalted butter then you will want to add a little extra salt to your mashed potatoes to make up for it.
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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cauliflower, diced
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, dice your cauliflower into small pieces. You are going to blend your cauliflower so it’s okay if the pieces are not the same size.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add your cauliflower. Allow the cauliflower to cook for 15 minutes.
- Drain your cooked cauliflower and transfer it to a blender or food processor. Add the butter, sour cream, sea salt, and parmesan cheese. Blend the mixture on medium-high speed for a few minutes and then give it a stir to make sure no chunks are left.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you like your mashed potatoes to have a little bit of texture then you can pulse your blender or food processor on a lower speed to keep some cauliflower pieces scattered throughout.
- You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Giving your cauliflower plenty of time to cook is crucial in softening it up enough to blend into a smooth, rich mashed potato consistency.
- You can store your leftover cauliflower mashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat them in the microwave starting with 30 seconds and then continuing with 30 second intervals as needed. Be sure to stir the leftovers after each interval to help them reheat evenly.
- If you don’t have sour cream then you can use heavy cream or plain Greek yogurt.
