Mashed Cauliflower With Parmesan and Chives

Cauliflower is having its day in the trending sun as a healthy ingredient substitute in many of our favorite recipes—like this one, where we swap mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes in this silky side dish.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

At first glance, this dish does indeed appear to be one of lush, creamy mashed potatoes just waiting to be draped with a decadent gravy. Or wiped straight from the serving dish with the swipe of your finger. But you, my friend, have just had the vegetable wool pulled over your eyes. Because potatoes it isn’t, and healthier it is.

Say hello to your new favorite mash, mashed cauliflower with Parmesan and chives. And guess who’s never going to miss the extra calories that typically come along for the ride with mashed potatoes? That’s right. YOU!

This recipe is from The Dude Diet cookbook by Serena Wolf of the blog Domesticate Me. She wrote this cookbook to supply healthy-ish/healthier recipes for even the most robust male eater —initially her beloved boyfriend who decided it was time to start watching his food intake a little more closely. We made these cauliflower mashed potatoes to serve alongside Serena’s Epic Meatloaf recipe.

Healthy Mashed Cauliflower

Sure, potatoes in their own right are a great vegetable to love. It’s just all the good stuff that goes into them (cream…butter…all the fixins) that can turn my classic buttery mashed potatoes into sneaky calorie bombs.

This mashed cauliflower recipe turns those facts upside down.

Cauliflower subs in for the potatoes, and chicken broth takes the place of the cream or milk. Simmered together and then puréed in a blender or food processor turns the cauliflower into a silky texture worthy of any mash. Just ¼ cup of Parmesan adds a cheesy bite so good you’ll never miss the butter.

While this side dish may not totally fool your dinner guests into believing these are true-blue mashers, I’m betting they’ll certainly forgive you for the trickery once they discover just how many calories they saved with each and every bite.

Still skeptical? Don’t be. Just try these babies, and then help yourself to seconds.

What’s in This Mashed Cauliflower?

Cauliflower mashed potatoes require very few ingredients to achieve that perfectly creamy consistency. Here’s what you’ll need to make creamed cauliflower:

• Fresh cauliflower
• Chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh chives
• Salt and pepper

Really, that’s it! If you need to make vegetarian mashed cauliflower, substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth.

How to Make Mashed Cauliflower

• In a saucepan, combine the cauliflower and broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and let cook until the cauliflower is cooked through.
• Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor using a slotted spoon and puree until smooth. Then, put it in a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, chives, salt and pepper.

Can I Freeze Mashed Cauliflower?

Yes, these cauliflower mashed potatoes freeze well. Simply let them cool to room temperature before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. You can reheat the mashed cauliflower on the stove top.

Can I Add Other Herbs?

Yes, feel free to doctor up this creamed cauliflower recipe just like you would your usual mashed potatoes.

How Long to Cook Cauliflower for Mashed Cauliflower

When cooking the cauliflower in the broth, cook it until it’s just fork tender but not falling apart. If the cauliflower is cooked too long, it won’t become a creamy puree.

For the best flavor, use real Parmesan cheese and not the powdered kind in a shaker can. Trust me on this one!

If you don’t have a food processor, mash the cauliflower by hand with a potato masher or potato ricer. Your mashed cauliflower may not be as creamy, but it’ll still taste delicious.

More Easy Healthy Side Dishes You’ll Love

• How to Make Yummy Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• The Best Oven Roasted Crispy Potatoes

• How To Make Roasted Cauliflower

• Classic Three Bean Salad
• Easy Broccoli with Feta Cheese

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a  rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Print

4.09 from 49 votes

Mashed Cauliflower With Parmesan and Chives

Cauliflower florets cooked in chicken broth and then pureed until smooth make a healthier and delicious alternative to butter and cream loaded mashed potatoes.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword mashed cauliflower

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Calories 33kcal

Ingredients

• 2 small heads cauliflower , cored and leaves removed and cut into small florets
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, combine the cauliflower and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender, but not completely falling apart.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and puree until silky smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan and chopped chives and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

Notes

Reprinted from The Dude Diet by Serena Wolf

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 94mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 54IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 1mg

More Healthy-ish Cauliflower Recipes to Try

• Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
• Grilled Teriyaki Cauliflower Steaks with Asian Gremolata
• Penne Pasta with Cauliflower and Pancetta
• Gluten-Free Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder 
• Sriracha and Lime Roasted Cauliflower Tostadas 

We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.