The Best Cauliflower Mash
This truly is the BEST Cauliflower Mash recipe. Thanks to two simple steps this Whole30 mash has a nice depth of flavor while also being ridiculously creamy and smooth. This mashed cauliflower is sure to win over mashed potato fans too! These cauliflower mashed “potatoes” are Paleo, Vegan, Keto, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free and Whole30 too!
I have been trying to create a mashed cauliflower recipe for years now, and in the process have made 20+ different failed variations. Although the texture is very similar to mashed potatoes, cauliflower is incredibly bland. I found myself adding clove after clove of garlic and way too much salt, to give the dish a bit more flavour. I finally discovered that the secret to mashed cauliflower is not a specific ingredient, but rather the way you cook it. Hint: you should NEVER boil or steam cauliflower before mashing.
This cauliflower mash (or cauliflower mashed “potatoes” as we call it in my house) is pure heaven in a bowl. It is so much creamier than I ever imagined it could be and has such great flavor. If you are a fan of mashed potatoes I can promise that you will absolutely love this Whole30 Mash, it really is the best cauliflower mash! Not only does mashed cauliflower taste better then mashed potatoes, it is also a lot healthier. One small head of cauliflower contains less than 70 calories, to make the equivalent amount of mashed potatoes, you would require 4 potatoes totaling 520 calories. Although you can use almond milk in mashed potato recipes, full fat cream is often used instead to make them extra creamy and extra high in calories. Once you try this mashed cauliflower, you won’t believe that there are just 50 calories and 4 carbs per serving!
HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER MASH
There are a few simple steps that really set this Mashed Cauliflower from any other recipes out there.
- Start by roughly chopping the cauliflower into small pieces (don’t stress about the exact size) or alternatively you can place a head of cauliflower into a food processor and pulse it into small pieces. I’ve also included details below if you want to use frozen cauliflower or cauliflower rice.
- Add chopped cauliflower to a skillet and saute it until it becomes golden in colour. This is a super important step and what gives the mash so much delicious flavour.
- Once the cauliflower pieces are golden in colour you add in the almond milk (or any milk of choice) and leave it to simmer for about 10 minutes until all of the liquid has evaporated. This is another important step that causes the mash to become so creamy in consistency.
- Once all of the liquid has evaporated (make sure absolutely all of it is gone) the cauliflower is transferred and blended until smooth.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MILK?
You absolutely can. I like using almond milk in this recipe because it has the most minimal amount of flavor that isn’t detectable in this mashed cauliflower. If you have a nut allergy or drink dairy then feel free to substitute it for oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk or cows milk (obviously using cream vs skim or 1% will make the mash much creamier).
CAN YOU MAKE CAULIFLOWER MASH FROM FROZEN CAULIFLOWER RICE
You can! Rather than starting with a head of cauliflower and chopping it yourself you can use frozen cauliflower rice. Use 4 cups of cauliflower rice and be sure to saute it until it is very golden in color. I recommend adding a 1 1/2 cups of almond milk rather than 1 3/4 cups to compensate for the excess moisture in the frozen cauliflower rice.
POSSIBLE VARIATIONS TO THIS CAULIFLOWER MASH RECIPE?
While I personally think that these Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” are absolutely delicious as is, you could add some extra flavour to them by doing one of the following:
- Sprinkle with chopped bacon and chives
- Stir in sour cream or cream cheese
- Roasted a head of garlic and add it to the blender with the cooked cauliflower
- For a stronger garlicky kick, add 3 cloves of raw minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding in the chopped cauliflower in step 2.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THESE CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES:
This paleo cauliflower mash would make the perfect side dish for any winter feast and would be a great addition to any Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Try serving this delicious cauliflower puree as a side dish with:
- Seared Chicken Thighs in Garlic & Herb Sauce
- Slow Cooker Brisket with Balsamic Onion Gravy
- Braised Lamb Shanks
- Roasted Chicken with Flourless Gravy
- Whole30 Braised Short Ribs
CAN I MAKE THIS IN ADVANCE? WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?
I usually make this Cauliflower Mash a few hours in advance and then reheat it in the microwave. If you are preparing for a big dinner (such as Thanksgiving) you can make mash up to a day in advance and then leave it to stay warm in a slow cooker for a few hours before serving.
Leftover Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes will last for up to 4 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container.
CAN I FREEZE CAULIFLOWER MASH?
You can alternatively freeze cauliflower mash in a ziploc bag or airtight container for up to 4 months.The mashed cauliflower can be reheated in the microwave or in a pot on the stove on low heat. If it appears to be slightly more liquid when thawed, leave it to heat on the stove until some of the liquid has evaporated and the mash has thickened in consistency.
Here are a few more side dishes that you might enjoy:
- Caramelized Leek, Fennel & Onion Gratin
- Roasted Broccoli
- Roasted Fennel with Garlic & Herbs
- Roasted Carrots
- Lemon Roasted Green Beans with Almonds & Shallots
- Roasted Radishes
- Asian Brussels Sprouts
- Sheet Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Red Onion
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
The BEST Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower rice or 1 medium sized head cauliflower
- 2 tbsp butter, ghee or coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups unsweetened almond milk or any other milk of choice
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into chunks, place in a food processor and pulse for 10 seconds until the cauliflower is broken into small pieces. Alternatively you can chop it by hand. Don't worry about the size of the pieces as it will get blended later.
- Place the butter or coconut oil into a large skillet on medium high heat, and once hot, add in the cauliflower and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the cauliflower begins to turn golden in colour.
- Add in the almond milk and let the cauliflower cook for approximately 10 minutes until there is no liquid in the bottom of the pan, it should all be absorbed into the cauliflower.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until completely smooth.
- Serve warm garnished with chopped parsley or black pepper.
Nutrition
My husband made these for me and they are FANTASTIC! They are so creamy. We will be making these for Christmas dinner.
Yea!! I’m so happy to hear that you liked it!
I made this last night and LOVED them! The texture is perfect and the creaminess and consistency are just like the real thing!
I’m so happy you liked them Kaitlin! I hope you are binging on lots of post wedding diet goodies 🙂
Would using cashew milk instead of almond milk change the dish much? I already have a carton of cashew milk I’d like to use instead of buying a brand new thing of almond milk. But I’ll buy a small carton if the almond itself is important to the texture or flavor!
I am embarrassed to admit that I haven’t had cashew milk in so long, I can’t remember what it tastes like! The milk makes the mash very creamy so ideally you want to use a milk that isn’t sweet and has as little flavour as possible.
Have you tried making these with coconut milk? Just curious…love the creaminess and subtle sweetness of the canned stuff 🙂
Ok, so I made this with a can of coconut milk…it was seriously TO DIE FOR! I was going to make it with the almond milk but we had an ice storm and I didn’t get to the store. I always have coconut milk on hand. Now, I don’t think my family will let me make it any other way. I applaud your perseverance in this quest, I agree the sautéing makes ALL the difference. Which milk you use is definitely secondary :). I made a pork tenderloin with cherry sauce from Everyday Paleo and served it over this…a new favorite meal in my house! Highly highly recommend!
I am so happy that you liked it with the coconut milk!! I was so worried that it might be too sweet or rich in flavour. I’m definitely going to try it with coconut milk next time i make this (which will be very soon because i serve this with literally everything). the Pork tenderloin sounds amazing, I’ll have to check out that recipe. Thanks for such a kind comment!
Here is the Pork Tenderloin recipe…I double the cherry sauce because….well, YUM! 🙂
Oops…didn’t attach, see below.
Thanks for including the link! I’m excited to try this recipe
Here is the Pork tenderloin recipe…I double the cherry sauce because….YUM! (I use high quality dried cherries from Michigan!)
https://paleoporvida.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/pork-tenderloin-with-cherry-sauce/
Served this with your pot roast (minus the wine, still amazing but will do again post whole 30). Incredible! I also did coconut milk because I only had flavored almond milk. I’m a little obsessed with garlic so I threw it in while it cooked down. Will be making these all of the time!
I’m so happy that the Pot roast worked out without the wine!! That sounds like such a delicious combo served with cauliflower mash!
I doctored this a bit and used heavy cream instead of almond milk and then added garlic and parmesan (I’m keto) and it was delicious!!!!
Ooohh I bet it was extra creamy with the cream and parm! That sounds amazing!
In the picture it looks like you e drizzled butter or olive oil on top? And then Parsley?
Yes exactly, I drizzled a bit of olive oil and parsley overtop to make the mash look more attractive in photos but it is completely not necessary if you are serving this at home, it tastes delicious all on its own.
This recipe is the bOmB! Fantastic. I used palm oil and coconut milk. I am so happy. Thank you.
I wasn’t so sure about mashed cauliflower – I had my reservations for sure! I’m happy to say that this recipe resulted in creamy mashed cauliflower that tasted much more complex than “just cauliflower” despite the short list of ingredients. Amazing! Note: I doubled the recipe the second time and learned not to double the almond milk. I’ll try doubling the cauliflower, but only 1 1/2 times the almond milk.
I’ve actually slightly updated the recipe so there is a bit less almond milk now which I think makes a difference. So happy to hear that you enjoyed the mash!
Made this with cashew milk,garlic and olive oil and it was perfect I did “roast” the cauliflower in the oven instead of using the pan method
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hi there! is it possible to do this with frozen riced cauliflower?
Yes definitely!
this was definitely the BEST cauliflower mash that I’ve ever made! And I’ve made it lots of different ways! Thank you for taking the time to make this recipe so perfect! I loved your Instagram Whole 30 takeover and I’m now a loyal follower, can’t wait to try more of your amazing recipes!
Thank you Kim!! I’m so happy that you think the recipe is worthy of its name 🙂
Excellent recipe done verbatim. Though mine didn’t brown pre almond milk and still worked well. Thanks!
Thank you! I’m so happy that the mash turned out well!
Thanks for the technique, not boiling or steaming is key to assure great flavor/texture. The recipe also provides room to expand ingredients such as garlic or fresh herbs. Delicious!
Exactly! Its such a great base to add in any other flavours that you want!
Can I substitute a different milk I have a nut allergy. Thank you sounds delicious!
Yes definitely! Any kind of milk would work in this recipe, just make sure that its unsweetened.
Made these today, and they were delicious! I’ve recently been on a mash cauli kick, now that I finally got an immersion blender. And these were definitely a good version! I used macadamia nut milk, since it’s all I had on hand, and I don’t really do almond milk because of AI issues. So delicious! Thanks for the new method of making. This is so much easier because now I can use pre-riced cauliflower instead of having to buy a head and go through the process of ricing, (I’m lazy, and as we all know paleo takes a LOT of work, and makes a lot of dishes). Ok, done rambling, thanks for the recipe!!!
It looks and tastes just like mashed potatoes! Definitely will make these again, except with less oil. I found that my pan was so nonstick that it didn’t need it.
Best cauliflower mash!
I just made this. It was delicious. I didn’t have almond milk so I used cashew instead. I will definitely continue to make it this way instead of steaming and mashing. Thanks for another great recipe!
So glad you like it!
YUM this was so good! I used this to top a vegan shepherd’s pie and could honestly eat a bowl of this cauliflower for every meal forever. I used oat milk as that’s what I had on hand, and cooked the cauliflower in olive oil. Also, didn’t feel like messing with my blender so I just used a potato masher by hand and it was still SO creamy!
As always, Carmen, I go into every one of your recipes knowing it’s going to be a smashing success. Thank you!!
Thank you for such a kind message Louise!
Can you use four cups of frozen Riced cauliflower?
Definitely! You may just need to slightly decrease the amount of almond milk added
This recipe was so good! We buy the cali rice from Costco, I used 2 bags which was 6 cups. I used cashew milk (2 CUPS)and 3 TBS of gee. So creamy and everyone loved it! (Even my 6 year old picky eater)This is the way we will make cali mash forever! Thank you for taking the time to perfect this!
You made your own recipe and then commented on your own recipe. How is this helpful? A bit narcissistic.
Uhm – maybe this was a different Erin?
Right?! What the heck
Thank you so much for this! I’ve been looking for a recipe for mashed cauliflower and I’m so pleased to find yours. I confess I am not much of a cook but I was friend of your Mom’s when we were teenagers in Nanaimo so I enjoy your blog. Good job keep it going!
These were amazing❣️❣️❣️
Hello! I plan on making this tonight for the first time and I am curious if there is a way to incorporate garlic into the recipe? Thank you!
Yes definitely! You could add it in with the cauliflower when you are sauteeing it
This was fabulous. I will use this again and again!!!
Tried the recipe and it was super delicious. My husband said that it was better than potatoe mash.
I just made this to accompany the Coq au Vin recipe and it is so good! I have never had nor made cauliflower mash before. I actually can’t stand mashed potatoes unless they are super chunky so I was very surprised when this came out super creamy and I loved it! There is so much flavor for just those simple ingredients.
Awesome! I cooked it in bacon fat 👌🏼
Super recipe! Most other methods ask to steam/boil and strain, which would be a major pain. This is very simple and awesome too!
can i use skim milk instead of almond milk? and ghee instead of butter?
thanks!
yes definitely!
Very skeptical to try this, but I finally made it and it was AMAZING! My husband was raving about it and asked for me to please make it again. Thank you!!
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it. I do have two questions. If I use frozen riced cauliflower, do I need to thaw it first? Also can this be reheated? If so, what would be the best method? (Ha, i gueaa that is actually three questions!)
Can you use an oil (avacado, olive oil, coconut oil, etc) instead of ghee?
I follow you on Instagram and would like to try more of your recipes. My husband has a severe allergy to peanuts, all tree nuts and legumes such as peas. What could I substitute in the cauliflower mash for the almond milk?
Absolutely awesome. I am a mashed potato lover and this was so like potatoes but definitely better on my diet. Will continue to make and experiment with different flavors
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Hi! We have not yet transitioned to nut milks on SCD. Can I substitute water?
You could try coconut milk or even chicken or vegetable stock
Do this freeze well?