Mashed potatoes just got better! Mashed cauliflower is just as delicious and satisfying, but it’s low in carbs and filled with nutrients. This vegan recipe is super simple and quick, and it creates a super healthy side dish!
Ingredients
2 heads of cauliflower
5 garlic cloves
olive oil
1 cup of oat milk (or plant milk of choice, like almond milk or soy milk)
salt and black pepper to taste (I use about 1 tsp of salt and 5-10 twists on my pepper grinder)
1 stick (or 8 tbsp) vegan butter (See notes for possible omission)
fresh chives for topping
Why You’ll Love It
Mashed potatoes are almost kind of a comfort food and for me, a big holiday meal isn’t complete without it. BUT this vegan mashed cauliflower dish is a great low-carb alternative. It’s just as delicious, while low in calories and full of nutrients. The best part, however, is that it’s easy to make, taking less time than mashed potatoes do, and using simple ingredients. It’s a win-win! Remember to add this in to your next holiday season menu!
How to Prepare
Cut your cauliflower into smaller pieces (florets) and remove your garlic cloves from their skins.
Bring water to boil in a large pot. On medium-high heat, steam in a steamer basket or boil (directly in the pot) your cauliflower florets. (I tend to boil them, because I don’t have a large enough steamer basket. But steaming tends to preserve more nutrients.) Do this until your cauliflower is fork tender – about 10 minutes.
While this is happening, remove the skins of your 5 garlic cloves and cut each clove in half. Warm about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once warm, add your garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Remove your steamed cauliflower from the water if you were boiling. Add your cauliflower into a blender or into a large bowl if you are using an immersion blender.* I often have to start blending the cauliflower to make room for the rest of it in order to fit it all into my blender. Also add your roasted garlic, oat milk, vegan butter, salt and pepper to your blender. Blend until smooth and the “mashed potato” consistency that you like.
Top with chopped chives or other fresh herbs of your choosing.
How to Serve
Serve this vegan cauliflower mash as a warm side dish, topped with chopped chives. It goes really well with vegan gravy! Use this delicious vegan mashed cauliflower in any dish where you would normally serve traditional mashed potatoes. It’s the perfect side dish for any time of year!
How to Store
Let your mashed cauliflower side dish cool completely before transferring into an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator and eat within 5 days for best results.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
If you’re looking for another easy side dish to go with this mashed cauliflower recipe, then give this oven roasted black radish recipe a go. It is done following incredibly simple steps.
Q&A
Can My Kid Help Me Cook?
Definitely involve your child in cooking! My 2.5 year old isn’t quite skilled enough yet to cut the cauliflower (though I imagine she will be soon!) or mince the garlic. But she LOVES washing produce for me. Sometimes she is brave enough to press the buttons on the blender, despite the terrible noise it makes. She would love to stir anything in the frying pan, but because we use cast irons, the rim of it becomes REALLY hot, and she has slightly burned her arm in a past attempt. (It’s ok. This is also a part of the learning process!) But if your child is even just a few months older, they should be able to sauté the garlic with you. A learning tower comes in super handy for this kind of activity.
Notes
If you don’t have vegan butter on hand or just don’t like to use it, you can absolutely omit it. I just find that adding vegan butter creates a creamier texture, which I personally enjoy. But it’s not a must!
Don’t have a blender or a hand blender? A potato masher also works, though you may need to mince your garlic for this one or use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Just know that you might have a stronger garlic flavour in some bites if you use fresh garlic and only have a potato masher.
Vegan Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Whip up this creamy and flavorful Easy Vegan Mashed Cauliflower for a delectable side dish that's both healthy and satisfying
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cauliflower
- 5 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- 1 cup of oat milk (or plant milk of choice, like almond milk or soy milk)
- salt and black pepper to taste (I use about 1 tsp of salt and 5-10 twists on my pepper grinder)
- 1 stick (or 8 tbsp) vegan butter (See notes for possible omission)
- fresh chives for topping
Instructions
- Cut your cauliflower into smaller pieces (florets) and remove your garlic cloves from their skins.
- Bring water to boil in a large pot. On medium-high heat, steam in a steamer basket or boil (directly in the pot) your cauliflower florets. (I tend to boil them, because I don't have a large enough steamer basket. But steaming tends to preserve more nutrients.) Do this until your cauliflower is fork tender - about 10 minutes.
- While this is happening, remove the skins of your 5 garlic cloves and cut each clove in half. Warm about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once warm, add your garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove your steamed cauliflower from the water if you were boiling. Add your cauliflower into a blender or into a large bowl if you are using an immersion blender.* I often have to start blending the cauliflower to make room for the rest of it in order to fit it all into my blender. Also add your roasted garlic, oat milk, vegan butter, salt and pepper to your blender. Blend until smooth and the "mashed potato" consistency that you like.
- Top with chopped chives or other fresh herbs of your choosing.
Notes
If you don't have vegan butter on hand or just don't like to use it, you can absolutely omit it. I just find that adding vegan butter creates a creamier texture, which I personally enjoy. But it's not a must!
Don't have a blender or a hand blender? A potato masher also works, though you may need to mince your garlic for this one or use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Just know that you might have a stronger garlic flavour in some bites if you use fresh garlic and only have a potato masher.
This post may contain some affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Leave a Reply