Vegan Cauliflower Mash (Oil-Free)

Vegan cauliflower mash is a healthy alternative to mashed potatoes.  This mashed cauliflower takes 20 minutes to make and creates a beautiful side dish for any meal.  Enjoy with lentil meatloaf, grilled portobellos, and more!

What’s that you say?  You hate cauliflower?  What if I told you this didn’t taste a thing like cauliflower? I had a legit cauliflower hater taste this (definitely against her better judgement) and tell me…she liked it.  Yes, she liked it!!

There’s something about pureeing cauliflower that takes that cruciferous edge off of it.  I have experienced this in my cauliflower alfredo recipe too.  I’ve served both of these dishes to unsuspecting guests and they haven’t had a clue.  I feel like Dr. Evil when I do this…snickering and rubbing my hands together with glee.

Is Mashed Cauliflower Good for You?

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that is considered a super food.  In fact, Dr. Greger of NutritionFacts.org recommends eating a serving of cruciferous vegetables every day as part of his daily dozen checklist.  Cauliflower is known to reduce cancer risks, helps with osteoarthritis by reducing inflammation and boosts the immune system.  It is high in antioxidants which attack free radicals in your body, and rich in sulforaphane which may suppress cancer cell development.

1 cup of cauliflower contains:

• 25 calories
• 2% of your recommended daily intake of (RDI) iron and calcium
• 100% RDI Vitamin C
• 6% RDI potassium
• 3% RDI magnesium
• 25% RDI Vitamin K
• 10% RDI fiber (Did you know only 3% of Americans get their daily fiber intake?)

Compared to mashed potatoes, it has less than half the calories, and has 75% less carbs per serving.

So, is mashed cauliflower good for you?  Yes, absolutely!  This is an easy way to add another veggie to your diet, and a cruciferous veggie at that!

How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Mash

Making this oil free cauliflower mash is a simple process.  Start with a head of cauliflower and cut it in half down the middle.  Cut the leaves off and discard or use them in a salad or stir fry.  Now, don’t throw that core away! If you do, you’ll be throwing away a large portion of your mashed cauliflower, and that would be sad.  Cut the florets off the core and chop them into 1 inch pieces.  Next, roughly chop the core into slightly smaller pieces.  The core is denser than the florets, so cut these a little smaller so they’ll steam at the same rate.

Next, add a little water to the bottom of a pan and add a steamer basket with a lid.  Add the cauliflower and steam for about 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower breaks apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Add the steamed cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor along with chopped garlic or garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Process until smooth and creamy.  Stir in fresh herbs.  Remove from the food processor and enjoy!

How to Store Cauliflower Mash

Mashed cauliflower will last for up to five days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  But, its so good that I bet you won’t have any leftovers!

Can I use Cauliflower Rice to Make Cauliflower Mash?

If you want to skip chopping a whole head of cauliflower, you can use cauliflower rice in its place.  To cook, add 2 pounds of cauliflower rice to a saucepan and just barely cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.  Drain and puree as directed above.

What to serve with Vegan Cauliflower Mash

Serve this cauliflower mash with:

• Lentil Loaf
• Grilled Portobellos
• Chickpea Salad
• Maple-Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Gluten Free Wild Rice Stuffing

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