Mashed Cauliflower
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This mashed cauliflower recipe tastes so much like mashed potatoes, you’ll do a double-taste—comforting, delicious, and healthier, too!
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This mashed cauliflower recipe is creamy and comforting—and it tastes remarkably like mashed potatoes. Maybe it’s just my eyes playing tricks on me, but it really does! Plus, it’s easier to make, healthier, and lower in carbs. But don’t make it solely for those reasons; this purée is delicious in its own right. When my friend Heather tested the recipe, she texted me, “OMG so good, just licked the bowl of my Cuisinart.”
This cauliflower purée makes a fantastic side dish to many comfort foods—think classic meatloaf or turkey meatloaf, onion-braised beef brisket, or easy BBQ boneless short ribs.
What You’ll Need To Make Mashed Cauliflower
- Cauliflower – Choose a firm, white head free from blemishes for the freshest flavor.
- Chicken broth – Adds depth and helps cook the cauliflower until tender.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – Enhances and balances all flavors in the purée.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and a creamy texture.
- Fresh thyme – Lends a subtle woodsy and earthy flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by bringing the chicken broth and salt to a boil and a large pot. Add the cauliflower.
Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and add the butter along with a few tablespoons of the chicken broth.
Process until smooth and creamy, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add the chopped thyme and process until evenly mixed. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
Prepare the mashed cauliflower as directed, then cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in a covered dish, stirring every minute. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Mashed Cauliflower
This mashed cauliflower recipe tastes so much like mashed potatoes, you’ll do a double-taste—comforting, delicious, and healthier, too!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 2 lbs.), cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and salt to a boil. Add the cauliflower; bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of chicken broth from the pot, along with the butter. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add thyme and process until just combined.
- Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the mashed cauliflower as directed, then cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in a covered dish, stirring every minute. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 151
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 5g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 731mg
- Cholesterol: 25mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Is frozen cauliflower a possibility?
Hi Penelope, I haven’t tried this with frozen cauliflower, but a few other readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn
Tried this recipe from your cookbook. Wow what a great take on cauliflower! I trust your recipes so much I made it for company before I tried it lol
Thanks for your fantastic blog.
I also will tell you your cookbook is the first one I have bought for years and it is a keeper!
Regards Sharon
❤️
Absolutely delicious, even without thyme!
Love this! It’s my new substitute for mashed potatoes! They are such a nice change of pace instead of potatoes and delicious! So glad you put this in your new cookbook.
I keep kosher and would love to know what I can substitute for the butter so that I can use with chicken stock. For kosher you can not combine meat or poultry with milk. Any suggestions. The recipe looks fabulous as do all of your recipes.
I just ordered your cookbook!!!!
Hi Louann, You could either leave it out or use margarine. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the cookbook, too!
loved it. we are not fans of cooked cauliflower but now we have it at least once a week
Have made this many times but hard for a large crowd. Have you tried it with Cauliflower rice instead??
Hi, I’ve never tried this with cauliflower rice, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out!
I tried this with about a pound of cauliflower rice and added 3 small peeled potatoes (about 11 oz) cut into small pieces to make up for the missing amount of cauliflower. Followed the recipe to steam in 1c of broth until tender. Used my hand-held mixer in stainless steel saucepan to whip to the consistency of mashed potatoes, but when I tasted it, it was lumpy, so I put it in the cuisinart and pureed. We loved it. The liquid was about just right for cooking the vegetables; but I thought that if I used too much, I would add a small amount of dried milk or potato flakes to soak up the excess. Great way to get more cruciferous veggies in my diet. Thanks for all of your great recipes, Jenn!
This sounds like a good modification – did you use frozen cauliflower rice? Thank you, Jamie
Another winner, Jenn!
I love Cauliflower Puree with Thyme. Took a dish I frequently make into something special. I served it with pecan crusted cod and asparagus simmered in butter. A great meal!
This recipe is really easy and delicious. I followed everything except at the end I used my hand blender in the pot and it worked perfectly. Nice light and tasty substitute for potatoes.