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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Made this today – it was DELICIOUS!
I really liked this recipe, but I made it a couple of different times with varying results. The first time it came out perfect! The second time I tried to double the recipe and had more difficulty because it overfilled the food processor so I ended up having to separate the puree and process it in two portions which I then added together and the texture just didn’t come out right. I’m going to give it a third go but I wish I could make more of it at once!
Still highly recommend, but stick with the normal recipe amounts listed (:
Really? 4 stars because “ your” change to this recipe didn’t work.
My son had a dental procedure done and could only have soft foods. I made this in 25 minutes, easiest thing in the world. And it was gone within 10 minutes! Really incredibly delicious. Will be making this all the time!
This is such a wonderful alternative to mashed potatoes. The broth and herbs make it so flavorful and no guilt going for seconds. I never have leftovers when I make this dish!
I made this for thanksgiving for vegan family members and by the end of the night it was all gone. Both healthy and delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m so glad my vegan family members can enjoy this yummy alternative to mashed potatoes.
Hi Jenn! I have dried thyme on hand and prefer to use that and save myself from buying the fresh one. How much should I substitute?
Hi Emily I’d use 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon. Enjoy!
Neither butter nor chicken broth are vegan, so I hope you substituted accordingly!
This cauliflower purée goes above and beyond and is the perfect side dish for steak, pork or roast chicken. Full of flavor and a favorite at our house! I’ll never make mashed potatoes again. The perfect replacement and much healthier!
5 stars!
This recipe has become a family favorite! My husband often requests it instead of mashed potatoes, which is amazing, because he LOVES mash potatoes!!
This recipe is an absolute keeper! So smooth and delicious, yet also feels very decadent. For a touch more flavor, I would consider adding a little bit of onion (or onion powder) and some roasted garlic (or garlic powder). Because transferring to a blender is sometimes tricky, I instead drained the cauliflower while reserving the liquid, then put the 3 T. of broth back into the pot with the cauliflower and the butter and used my immersion blender. Plus, it made for an easier clean-up, because I find the immersion blender easier to clean than the food processor. It takes a little longer to get it smooth, but I’d rather spend the time doing it that way and have an easier clean-up.
This wonderful recipe has become a weekly staple to my vegetable adverse family. We serve it with all kinds of protein. Perfect side, low calorie and simple. As one of 10 children I e shared with my 9 siblings and many have included this in their rotations. Thanks Jenn. Great way to add another vegetable to any meal.
I have one daughter that loves cauliflower and one that dislikes it. Well, they both very much like this recipe. I did microwave my cauliflower vs. steaming, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly as written. The addition of the thyme gives it some depth that plain mashed cauliflower does not have. Also, this is much healthier than those that use cream to make mashed cauliflower. Thanks for this recipe!