There are plenty of ways to make mashed cauliflower– but believe it or not, it took me quite a few tries to master this creamy cauliflower mash recipe!
Table of Contents
Why try mashed cauliflower?
Cruciferous veggie benefits
Cauliflower is a member of the “cruciferous” vegetable family and offers lots of health benefits!
Cruciferous veggies such as cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, and bok choy all contain a unique type phytochemicals called “isothiocyanates” which have been shown to neutralize (get rid of) certain types of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) in various studies. (1, 2)
Nutritional value of cauliflower
Nutritionally speaking, cauliflower packs a powerful punch.
One full cup of cooked cauliflower has only 5 grams of carbohydrates and 29 calories while providing us with 2.5 grams of fiber, up to ~75% of our daily vitamin C requirements, and 20% daily value of vitamin K. (3)
Cauliflower also gives us a generous dose of B vitamins such as folate, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Not bad!
Blood sugar balance
Mashed cauliflower is a wonderful option for people who LOVE mashed potatoes but need to watch their blood sugar for one reason or another.
Conditions including but not limited to diabetes, pre-diabetes, and a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) often benefit from reducing the glycemic index and limiting total carbohydrates at meals to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and/or support reduced insulin resistance.
Kid-friendly
Cauliflower mash is also a GREAT way to convince picky kids to eat more veggies (shh!).
Recommended reading: 7 Potential Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower contraindications
Proceed with caution if you’re on Coumadin or Warfarin (blood thinning medication)
- Cauliflower is known to be high in vitamin K, which could alter your blood clotting patterns and medication dosing requirements. The key with vitamin K and Coumadin/Warfarin is not necessarily to AVOID vitamin K while taking this medication, but rather to make sure you’re keeping your vitamin K intake CONSISTENT each day. (Read more here.)
- For example: If you normally eat a salad SOME days but not all… you can add a serving of this cauliflower mash on your NON-salad days!
High in FODMAPs
From a digestive health standpoint, white cauliflower is considered high in FODMAPs (“fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols”).
More specifically, white cauliflower contains significant quantities of mannitol, a type of polyol. This means white cauliflower is statistically more likely to trigger unwanted digestive symptoms for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
If you’re following a low FODMAP diet, you may want to consider swapping the white cauliflower for purple cauliflower in this recipe.
Recommended reading:
High in sulfur
All types of cruciferous veggies (low FODMAP or not) – including all types of cauliflower – are high in sulfur, and may make you (or your clients) feel very sick if you have a sulfur intolerance.
In this case, you should consult with your healthcare team about a low sulfur diet, and also about identifying and eradicating/managing the underlying root cause of your sulfur intolerance.
Okay, all of my nerdy fun facts aside, I hope you enjoy this recipe. Feel free to let me know how it goes in the comment section below!
Creamy Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by making sure your potato is baked, or start baking the potato at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes. (I usually do this part in advance when I know I'll be making this recipe.)
- Bring broth to a boil, then add cauliflower and cook until "fork-tender". Make sure not to over-cook the cauliflower or it will become too mushy! (Pro-tip: Save the broth afterwards to use for a soup - it will have collected lots of water-soluble nutrients from the cauliflower.)
- While cauliflower is cooking, sauté the chopped onion and garlic on low-medium heat in 1 tablespoon of fat of your choice (butter/ghee/coconut oil).
- Using a colander or strainer, drain the cauliflower into a separate bowl. Drain a second time before transferring to a food processor. (Trust me, you don’t want any extra liquid sneaking into the final product or the consistency will be too mushy!)
- If you're including the potato in this recipe, add that to the food processor next.
- Transfer the onion, garlic, and butter/oil into the food processor, and add remaining ingredients. Blend everything until mixture has become creamy in consistency.
- Optional: garnish with some fresh chopped chives. Recipe is best when served still hot. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1/2 cup creamy cauliflower mash = 1 veggie + 1 fat
- 1 cup creamy cauliflower mash = 2 veggies + 1 carb + 1 1/2 fats
