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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I love this cauliflower puree. I have also added broccoli from your broccoli puree recipe and make a cauliflower- broccoli purée, which is delicious also! Neither vegetable over powers the taste and so simple to make. Great reviews from everyone who tastes it! Thank you.
Jenn, will using my immersion blender give me the same texture as my processor, easier to clean
Hi Carol, you can definitely get away with using an immersion blender. Hope you enjoy!
We all really enjoyed this cauliflower purée! I added a couple of smashed garlic teeth to the broth while the cauliflower was steaming. I drained the cauliflower, catching the broth underneath it. I put the drained cauliflower back into my big pot, added the butter and used my immersion blender to blend it. My son and I tasted it at that point and both of us agreed that it tasted great as is and decided not to add the thyme (I only had dried thyme anyway). The texture was also much like mashed potatoes already, so I didn’t add back any of the broth. My only complaint is that it wasn’t enough! Next time, I’ll use 2 heads of cauliflower but probably still keep the broth to 1 cup.
This recipe is fantastic and never disappoints! For vegans, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth, and vegan butter (Earth Balance, etc.) for real butter, and it’s still outstanding.
I’m having a hard time finding a good looking cauliflower in the stores. I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Can I make it with riced cauliflower?
Hi Megan, glad you like this! Unfortunately, rice cauliflower won’t work here based on the cooking method – sorry!
Just picked up 2 beautiful heads of cauliflower at the farmers market to try this. I saw some nice leeks- so I am planning to sweat them with some butter and broth and then puree them in with the mash. Think it will be a nice addition?
Sounds delicious — I’d love to hear how it turns out!
So incredibly good, thank you for sharing! My meat-and-potatoes boyfriend enjoyed the cauliflower version just as well. Fantastic
I love this. It tastes so good it’s hard to believe it’s so simple.
Made pretty much as directed. Left the cauliflower in fairly large chunks, used chicken Better than Bullion to make the broth, used dried thyme, and put it in the Vitamix and… OMG sooo delicious!!! The texture was thin but this is likely due to my blender, but it did allow me to make fancy swoops on the plate so, still a win! Such a creamy, flavorful, and indulgent tasting purée. I could eat bowls of this alone. Definitely will repeat again and again! Thank you 😊
This is the BEST recipe! Followed directions to a T and it turned out perfectly.