Mashed Cauliflower
Cauliflower steamed until tender and blended with butter, garlic and a little cream into a smooth mash.
Making Mashed Cauliflower Ahead
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of cream.
Mashed Cauliflower: The Method
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Steam the cauliflower for 12 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
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Leave to drain in a colander for 3 minutes.
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Blend with the butter, cream, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
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If wet, stir in a pan over low heat for 2 minutes. Scatter with the chives.
Worth Knowing
- Steam rather than boil.
- Drain it well.
- If the mash is runny, dry it out in a pan.
- Taste for salt before serving.
Some Background
For a Sunday table of four, or a weeknight with a piece of fish, mashed cauliflower is a plain side that earns its place. It is soft, mild and takes butter well.
The common problem is water. Cauliflower holds a lot, and a wet mash tastes of nothing. Steam the florets instead of boiling them, for 12 minutes, until a knife slides in. Then tip them into a colander and let them stand for 3 minutes. Squeeze out the steam with a clean cloth if you can.
Blend with the butter, cream, garlic and salt until completely smooth. A food processor gives a silky mash, while a potato masher leaves it rustic.
Taste, add salt as needed, and finish with chives. If the mash is too wet, return it to the pan for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring, to cook off the surplus. Add a spoonful of the cooking water only if the mash is too stiff, never more.
What to Put Next to It
Grilled fish · Roast chicken · Sausages · Steamed greens
If You're Missing Something
- Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Mashed Cauliflower FAQ
How long does Mashed Cauliflower take to make?
About 25 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Mashed Cauliflower?
Steam rather than boil. Drain it well. If the mash is runny, dry it out in a pan. Taste for salt before serving.
What should I serve with Mashed Cauliflower?
Grilled fish; Roast chicken; Sausages; Steamed greens.
How should Mashed Cauliflower be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of cream.
Is Mashed Cauliflower suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Mashed Cauliflower?
About 159 kcal per serving, with 4 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate and 11 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Mashed Cauliflower Nutrition Facts
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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