Creamy, soft, and filling, this Vegan Mashed Cauliflower is the perfect side dish to serve when you want something satisfying yet lower in carbs than classic mashed potatoes. Seasoned with spices and fresh garlic, this side dish is flavorful and pairs with just about anything.
I enjoy eating comfort foods like mashed potatoes, but what I don’t love is how heavy and full I feel after indulging in a big meal.
I first found this mashed cauliflower recipe on Food.com and liked how straightforward it was to make.
As someone who strives to live a healthier lifestyle, I am making small changes in the foods I’m preparing for my family. Fresh veggies are in bloom and I’m fully taking advantage of the local farmer’s markets this time of year.
If you like the idea of using cauliflower to make comforting, hearty, and filling recipes, try this Cauliflower Bake.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
- Great way to use pantry staples you already have on hand in the cabinets and refrigerator
- A healthier option than traditional mashed potatoes
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Kids and adults love this creamy comfort food
- The perfect recipe to add another serving of vegetables to your meal rotation
Ingredients Needed
- Head of cauliflower chopped into florets
- Unsweetened soy beverage, or other milk alternative
- Water
- Garlic clove
- Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch
- Green onion, optional
How To Make Vegan Mashed Cauliflower
- Step One: Steam cauliflower until it’s soft (about 12 minutes). Drain excess water in a colander in the sink.
Step Two: Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl and set aside. - Step Three: While the cauliflower is steaming, combine soy beverage, water, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a boil. Then add cornstarch/water mixture and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
- Step Four: Put the steamed cauliflower into a food processor. (You could also use a hand blender.) Process for about one minute. Then add your sauce and process until the cauliflower is mashed and the sauce is fully incorporated. If you find it too thick, you can add a little more soy beverage and then process again until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Step Five: Serve hot. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
Helpful Kitchen Equipment Needed
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What to Serve with Mashed Cauliflower
- Stuffed Burgers
- Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Impossible Cheeseburger Pie
- Any of these grilling recipes
- Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to drain your steamed cauliflower well before adding it to the food processor. If you don’t strain it well, you’ll end up with a watery mixture instead of a cauliflower mash with a creamy, velvety, smooth mixture.
- It may even be helpful to dry your cauliflower with a towel before placing it in the food processor to help remove any excess moisture so you don’t end up with watery cauliflower mash.
- Wait to wash your cauliflower until right before you’re ready to cut it up and use it. If you wash it too early, you actually risk introducing more bacteria and the head of the cauliflower will go bad faster.
- You can soak your heads of cauliflower in a salt water solution for 30 minutes to kill any insect stowaways that your produce may be hiding.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use soy beverage, you can use any other milk alternative to help make this a bit more creamy in texture. Almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk are all great alternatives to use in this vegan mash recipe.
- Instead of fresh minced garlic cloves, you can use freeze dried garlic or garlic powder if needed. You could also use sauteed or roasted garlic in its place.
- Feel free to add in any other seasonings that you typically add to your mashed potatoes that you think you would enjoy.
- You could also use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh. Be sure to let it thaw completely before drying it out and using it in this recipe. If you use frozen veggies, it’s extremely important to dry this out well since it’s very common for frozen veggies to have a lot of extra moisture.
Leftover Storage
Transfer any leftover mashed cauliflower to an airtight bag or container and refrigerate for 4-5 days. This makes it great for adding to other meals and the leftovers still taste just as delicious.
If you need to re-heat, pop it into the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds. Serve hot. Garnish if desired and enjoy.
Can I Freeze This?
Certainly. This is actually really easy to freeze. So, whenever you can, I suggest making a double, or even triple batch of this to freeze the extra for later. Meal prep just became even easier thanks to this super simple recipe.
Once your cauliflower has cooled down and is room temperature, transfer it to a freezer safe bag or a freezer safe container before you can freeze it for up to 4-5 months.
Why is my cauliflower mash watery?
If you have found that your mashed cauliflower is watery, then that means you have added too much liquid. Between the water and the soy beverage, this can add up quickly without you even realizing it.
I suggest adding the liquids in slowly and in small amounts at first to ensure that you get it to your desired consistency.
What can I add to my cauliflower mash to thicken it?
Now that you see why you ended up with a watered down mash, now it’s time to fix it. There are a few different options for you to try to thicken your mash mixture. Here are a few things to try:
- Add cornstarch
- Make a slurry or a roux made of flour and fat or at least flour and water
- Add more cauliflower to the mixture
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Keto Cauliflower Ziti
- Creamy Cauliflower
- Honey Dijon Baked Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Soup with Bacon
- Beef Picadillo Shepherd’s Pie
- Cauliflower Rice Enchilada Bowl
You’ll also like this Vegan Mexican Casserole.
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Vegan Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- ¼ cup unsweetened soy milk
- ¼ cup water
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 green onion sliced, optional
Instructions
- Steam cauliflower until it’s soft (about 12 minutes). Drain excess water in a colander in the sink.
- Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and set aside.
- While the cauliflower is steaming, combine soy milk, water, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a boil. Then add cornstarch/water mixture and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
- Put the steamed cauliflower into a food processor. (You could also use a hand blender.) Process for about one minute. Then add your sauce and process until the cauliflower is mashed and sauce is fully incorporated. If you find it too thick, you can add a little more soy milk and then process again until it reaches your desired consistency.
- If you need to re-heat, pop it into the microwave for about 30 to 45 seconds. Serve hot. Garnish with green onion, if desired.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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