Amazing Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Published 11/19/2020 • Updated 10/31/2023
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Ultra smooth and creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes are a wholesome alternative to classic mashed potatoes. Enjoy these as a weeknight side dish or as part of your holiday menu!
Featuring perfectly roasted cauliflower and plenty of dairy, this cauliflower mash is just as delicious (if not better!) than our traditional crockpot mashed potatoes.
Simply roast the cauliflower with garlic, onion, and spices in the oven, then blend it up with broth, sour cream, Greek yogurt, and butter for perfectly creamy cauliflower mash every time. We tested this recipe with both boiled cauliflower and roasted cauliflower and much preferred the roasted version!
What You Need for Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower roasted with onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Broth (we like to use vegetable broth, but any kind works)
- Sour cream and plain Greek yogurt for tang and creaminess
- Butter because anything mashed is better with butter!
Substitutions for Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
It’s easy to put your own spin on these thick and creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes. Try these substitutions and variations:
Cauliflower: We like to roast the cauliflower with olive oil, salt, pepper, onions, and garlic because it gives the mashed cauliflower amazing flavor. Roasting also draws the moisture out of the cauliflower so you don’t end up with watery cauliflower mashed potatoes! If you opt to boil the cauliflower on the stove, make sure to dry off the cauliflower a bit before adding to the blender (this prevents watery mashed cauliflower).
Vegan/Dairy Free: If you can’t have dairy or want to make dairy free cauliflower mashed potatoes, replace the sour cream, yogurt, and butter with dairy free alternatives.
Dairy: One thing that makes this cauliflower mashed potato recipe thick and creamy is the combination of sour cream, Greek yogurt, and butter. A little bit of each makes this the perfect tangy and creamy side dish!
- For less rich, lighter tasting cauliflower mashed potatoes, replace the sour cream with plain Greek yogurt.
- For richer, tangier mashed cauliflower, use all sour cream.
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FAQ
Nope! There are no potatoes in this recipe for cauliflower mashed potatoes. So, why is “potato” in the title? Because these cauliflower mashed potatoes taste just like classic mashed potatoes.
You can, but roasted cauliflower adds the best flavor.
It’s totally personal preference! For thicker cauliflower mashed potatoes, add less broth. When blending everything together, try pulsing rather than blending so the mash is a little chunkier. For thinner cauliflower mash, add additional broth 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mash reaches your desired consistency.
Storage
These cauliflower mashed potatoes are a great make-ahead holiday side dish (leftovers are great, too). Let the cauliflower mash cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
When ready to enjoy, heat in a medium saucepan on low/medium heat until warmed through. You may need to add a little more broth to thin it out a little.
We do not suggest freezing these cauliflower mashed potatoes. The texture after freezing is not pleasant!
Serving Suggestions
Cauliflower mashed potatoes are a welcome addition to any meal! This versatile side dish pairs with just about anything – anytime you’d serve classic mashed potatoes (like these crockpot mashed potatoes), make this instead for a wholesome alternative.
Weeknight Main Dishes: baked lemon chicken, slow cooker pork loin, crispy baked chicken thighs, spinach stuffed chicken breast, and ground turkey meatloaf.
Holiday Recipes: Smoked turkey breast or smoked ham, roasted turkey tenderloin, mushroom gravy, roasted sweet potatoes, and sausage stuffing.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, chopped
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup broth*
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving
- Cracked black pepper and parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray or spray the baking sheet directly.
- Spread the cauliflower, onion, and garlic onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.
- Once roasted, transfer the contents of the baking dish to a high-speed blender or food processor (we use a Vitamix). Add the broth, sour cream, Greek yogurt, and butter to the blender.
- Blend until smooth. If the cauliflower mash is too thick, add more broth 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Top with more butter, black pepper, and parsley.
Tips & Notes
- Storage: Let the cauliflower mash cool to room temperature, Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a medium saucepan on low/medium heat until warmed through. You may need to add a little more broth to thin it out a little.
- Broth: Use any kind of broth for cauliflower mashed potatoes. To keep it vegetarian, use veggie broth. If the cauliflower mash is too thick, add more broth 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My family and guests love this dish!!!! The first time I made it my broccoli head wasn’t big enough for my crowd so I separately roasted a Costco bag of frozen cauliflower rice and made another recipe that I combined with the whole head. For the lactose intolerant I used lactose free sour cream and I also used this instead of greek yogourt. Big hit!!!
Any ideas on how to make this dairy free? It looks so good!
I would use vegan butter, skip the sour cream and Greek yogurt and use more broth!
This recipe is amazing and i must admit that you are a Master of Photography as well, as i cannot stop looking at those breathtaking photos 🙂 . Thank you, by the way!
Aww thank you so much!!!