Thick & Creamy Cauliflower Mash

A close up view of cauliflower mash garnished with black pepper.

5 from 3 votes

Thick & Creamy Cauliflower Mash

Say no to watery cauliflower mashed potatoes! This version comes out thick and creamy, and has a lightly sweet, earthy flavor from parsnips. We serve this with all our family holiday meals and everyone raves about it's flavor and texture. See the notes section for substitutions for parsnips.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 79kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Ingredients

8 cups cauilflower florets, chopped into large pieces (or 1 medium head)
2 parsnips peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons butter grass-fed or pastured recommended
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

Instructions

Add a steamer basket to a large pot along with about 1 inch of water at the bottom of the pan. Heat the water to boiling, and add the chopped cauliflower and parsnips to the steamer basket. Lower to medium heat, and add a lid to the pot. Steam the vegetables for 15-20 minutes, until fall-apart tender when pierced with a fork. If your vegetables still have a crunch to them, the mash will turn out lumpy instead of really creamy.
Scoop steamed vegetables into a food processor, along with butter, salt and pepper. Process until the vegetables are very creamy. *Tip: Make sure the steamed vegetables are not water logged. Drain excess moisture before adding to the food processor.

Video

Notes

*An immersion blender can be used in place of the food processor. Drain the cauliflower/potato mixture well and leave the vegetables in the pot. Use the immersion blender to process until a thick and creamy mash is formed. This takes longer than using a food process. I do not recommend using a potato masher, as it does not break up the cauliflower well.

Dairy Free Cauliflower Mash: This is easily made vegan cauliflower puree by using a vegan butter substitute. I recommend looking for something that is olive oil or avocado oil based, rather than seed-based (such as canola or soy). This is because seed oils are highly refined and cause inflammation.

Is Cauliflower Mash Paleo?: Some paleo dieters avoid white potatoes. This cauliflower parsnip mash is perfect for the paleo diet! If you avoid butter, use ghee instead.

Make the Thickest Mash Possible: Use less water in your steamer than you normally would, and be sure the vegetables don't touch the water while steaming. If they seem water logged, take the time to add the cauliflower to a cheesecloth or thing kitchen towel, and drain off some of the excess moisture. Don't want to drain out all the water. Don't use cream or milk - this will result in a watery mash!

Variations: Use peeled and chopped celeriac (celery root) or peeled and chopped white potatoes in place of the parsnip. Both options are higher in starch than potatoes and will help thicken the cauliflower puree. (1 large celery root or 1 large russet potato in place of the 2 parsnips).

Nutrition