Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed cauliflower recipes are all over the internet. Commenters often write things like, “My husband thought they were just regular mashed potatoes, and I didn’t tell him otherwise!”

A little part of me always thinks: Really?

Don’t get me wrong: This recipe for mashed cauliflower is incredible. It’s rich and smooth – as comforting as comfort food gets, and just as happy under a ladleful of gravy as its carb-centric cousins. 

But I wouldn’t go with deception here, because I worry that folks will only end up confused and disappointed. Instead, I recommend boasting about this dish as peak cauliflower, then waiting for your dinner guests (aka family) to be pleasantly shocked. I, for one, would much rather someone say, “I can’t believe these are cauliflower!” than “These are weird-tasting mashed potatoes.” 

The sleeper ingredient here is the cream cheese, which makes the cauliflower densely creamy. That said, feel free to add another kind of cheese here: grated cheddar or parmesan, stirred into the mash and sprinkled on top, adds yet another element of deliciousness. A clove of garlic, steamed and pureed with the cauliflower, is another flavorful addition.

Recipe Details: Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

Active time: 20 minutes 

Total time: 30 minutes 

Makes: 6 servings

Total carbohydrates: 9 grams per serving

Recipe Notes

To cut the 20 minutes of active time in this recipe down even further, you can swap the large head of untrimmed cauliflower with a store-bought 20-ounce bag of cauliflower florets and bypass step 2 of this recipe entirely.

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 1/2 cup sour cream (full-fat recommended)
• 4 ounces cream cheese (full-fat recommended), cut into pieces 
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Grease a shallow ovenproof casserole and set it aside.
2. Cut or break the cauliflower head into florets: Using a sharp knife, cut the head in half, then cut off all the tough outer leaves and remove the hard core. Slice the rest of the stem into small chunks, using your hands to break up any remaining cauliflower into pieces. 
3. Add an inch of water to a large pot, followed by a steamer basket (if you don’t have one, you can still follow these exact instructions without the steamer basket). Add the cauliflower, cover, and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil.
4. After 8 minutes, begin testing the cauliflower for doneness by sticking a sharp knife into the toughest-looking piece of cauliflower. If it’s not completely tender, cover and cook for another minute or two. (Make sure there’s still water in the pot; add some if it threatens to dry up.)
5. Drain the cauliflower well in a colander, then return it to the pot and toss the vegetables, uncovered, over low heat for a minute or so until some residual water has evaporated.
6. Preheat the oven broiler on high. Meanwhile, transfer the cauliflower to a food processor fitted with the steel blade (a blender also works). Add sour cream, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons of the butter, and the salt.
7. Whir the cauliflower until it is absolutely smooth and kind of fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula, if you need to. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed, to taste. 
8. Transfer the cauliflower into the ovenproof dish, top it with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and pop it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the top has turned golden brown.

Photo credit: iStock (featured image); Catherine Newman (all other photos).