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Cauliflower Purée with Thyme
This cauliflower purée is creamy and comforting, and it just happens to taste remarkably like mashed potatoes.
This cauliflower purée is creamy and comforting, and it just happens to taste remarkably like mashed potatoes. I’m not sure if it’s just my eyes playing tricks on me, but it really does! It also has the benefit of being easier to make, healthier and lower in carbs. But don’t make it just for that reason — it’s delicious in its own right. In fact, when my friend Heather tested the recipe for me, she sent me a text that read, “OMG so good, just licked the bowl of my Cuisinart.” Try serving it with my Onion-Braised Beef Brisket, Grilled Flank Steak with Garlic & Rosemary, Roast Chicken or Easy BBQ Boneless Short Ribs.
What you’ll need to make cauliflower purée
How to make cauliflower purée
There are a lot of mashed cauliflower recipes out there; what I like about this one is that the cauliflower is steamed in, and then puréed with, chicken broth. This adds flavor and eliminates the need to add cream to thin out the purée.
Begin by bringing the chicken broth and salt to a boil and a large pot. Add the cauliflower and steam for about 2o minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cauliflower to a food processor and add the butter along with a few tablespoons of the chicken broth.
Process until smooth and creamy, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Add the chopped thyme and process until evenly mixed.
Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
You may also like
- Broccoli Purée
- Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Purée
- Curried Cauliflower and Apple Soup
- Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Pecorino Romano Cheese
Cauliflower Purée with Thyme
This cauliflower purée is creamy and comforting, and it just happens to taste remarkably like mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (don't worry about keeping florets intact)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth and salt to a boil. Add the cauliflower; bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of chicken broth from the pot, along with the butter. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add thyme and process until just combined.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 151
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 5g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 731mg
- Cholesterol: 25mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is not only better than mashed potatoes, but it’s also healthier. We paired this with the turkey meatloaf and roasted broccoli with chipotle honey butter, as suggested. It was an incredible meal! One that I will make forever!
P.S. Once Upon a Chef the cookbook deserves a sequel!
😊
The cauliflower was very runny after I’d pureed it, so I didn’t add the chicken stock. Because of this it was pretty tasteless. What did I do wrong? I strained the cauli before pureeing it.
Sorry to hear you had a problem with this. Are you saying that you didn’t add the broth before pureeing the cauliflower?
Another winner! Made this last night, reduced the amount of broth to 2/3 cup, puréed in the pot with an immersion blender, came out perfectly delicious. Devoured! Will be added to our Thanksgiving menu. Thank you, Jennifer for another terrific, easy recipe!
Can you use fresh dill instead of fresh thyme for this cauliflower mash
It will have a different flavor with the dill, but it will work. Please LMK what you think if you try it!
I made this to go alongside the turkey meatloaf from this site. Excellent recipe! I even fooled a couple of my girls, who thought the ‘mashed potatoes’ were really buttery. Next time I will definitely double the recipe as I had to ‘test’ the recipe several times before it made it to the dinner table. 🙂 Thank you!
This was so good! I left the broth in and used an immersion blender – they were perfect! I left the lid off a bit longer (was distracted with other meal prep) than I should have so perhaps the liquid evaporated a bit. The texture was absolutely perfect!
Who would have guessed cauliflower could taste so good? And it works very well for a make ahead side. Make exactly as recipe states, don’t forget the fresh thyme, and some folks won’t know that this not a potato mash! Wonderful!
Great recipe! Followed exactly as is, but strained the cauliflower after cooking and put back in pot, worked well with an immersion blender.
Added a little cayenne which is great if you like some heat. Just eyeballed it. Also strained it but that took a while.
Overall great recipe, my mom and aunt swears by your recipes!
Really lovely dish. Apologies for not staying true to recipe but I am a vegan so used homemade veggie broth with high quality EVOO for butter. Both easy and elegant.
I still need clarification on the STEAMing aspect of this recipe. When I steam vegetables, I place them on a basket/rack above the boiling water. They are not in contact with or in the water. The rising steam cooks them. But, in this recipe, I believe the cauliflower is actually immersed in the chicken broth kept at a simmer until tender. Is that correct?
Yes that’s correct, Maret.
These are SO good! While not identical to mashed potatoes, they’re a great alternative! Like others, I did not add any reserved liquid when I pureed the cauliflower and found the texture to be better (thicker) without it. I’ve also substituted fresh chives for the thyme (we always like chives in our mashed potatoes) and that was delicious as well!
I cut two 1inch cauliflower steaks then used the reserve for the mash/puree.
For the puree I found you don’t need the reserved liquid. Blend it once drained and add stock if you need to, you probably won’t!
For the steaks I put int he over for 20 minutes on baking paper and brushed them with a mix of olive oil and smoked paprika. served with sea bass, a loin of iberico pork would have been a nicer accompaniment!
Thanks for this recipe, it was a delicious addition to our dinner and we prefer to mash – converts!
M
Hi, Can you confirm whether the cauliflour is steamed or boiled in the liquid? Thanks, I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Gary H
Hi Gary, you steam the cauliflower. Hope you enjoy it!
Delicious!! Thanks.
This is garbage
Can this be frozen ?
Hi Asra, I can’t say for sure how this would freeze because I’ve never done it – sorry! If this is helpful, you can definitely make it several days ahead of time and reheat in the microwave.
Yes that’s helpful ! Thanks !
My second time making this and it’s such an incredible sub for potatoes ! So healthy and guilt free . I put it through several passes in the blender to get smooth consistency . I found it best to completely drain out the broth after Califlower is done steaming bc first time I made this it came out too soggy with added broth
Jenn, I dislike cauliflower, yet am committed to eating more vegetables. And this recipe… is amazing!! Made as is: very good. To save time, have used frozen cauliflower florets and it tasted great. Have also added one very small potato (to please my husband), and used Italian seasoning (was out of thyme.) The one addition of the small potato changed the consistency to match almost identically regular mashed potatoes. These are now a regular staple. Thank you. Healthy AND delicious.
Simple and wonderful. Makes a nice change from the ubiquitous garlic mashed potato.
You’d think a classically trained chef would know what “steam” means! Much better recipes out there with flavor from sources other than butter.
Rude!!! This recipe is fantastic! You’d think an adult would know what “kind, constructive and mature” mean!!
Can you estimate how many cups of cauliflower this would need? With the various sizes of cauliflower heads, I’m wondering if this is the reason some reviewers had issues with the final result being thinner than expected.
Hi Leslie, One head of cauliflower should weigh 2 to 2.5 pounds, which would be about 4 cups of florets. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jen. Sorry for the double posting of the question – I thought I did something wrong when posting the first time since I didn’t see it. Also, I guess I should have paid more attention to the directions as well – it’s clearly stated the cauliflower is about 2 lbs. Thanks for your kind patience!
You didn’t miss anything, Leslie – I added the weight after answering your question. 🙂
Hi Jenn
Can you double the recipe for Cauliflower Purée with Thyme? And what about making it ahead of thyme 😂?
Judee Diehl
Hi Judee, Yes and yes – and it can be reheated in the microwave. 🙂
Hi Jenn – apologies for another question, but since cauliflower heads vary greatly in size, can you give an estimate of how many cups of florets are steamed? I’m wondering if this may be the reason some reviewer results were thinner than expected.
Hi Leslie, One head of cauliflower weighs 2 to 2.5 pounds (which is about 4 cups of florets). Hope that helps!
Can you freeze this a week in advance of using it? If so, what is the best way to reheat?
Hi Nelle, I’m sorry I’ve never tried freezing it so can’t say for sure, but you can definitely make it several days ahead of time and reheat in the microwave.
Once the broth comes to a boil and the cauliflower is added, is the heat then turned off so the cauliflower can “steam”?
Hi Leslie, once you’ve added the cauliflower and brought the liquid back to a boil, you then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low (but not turn the heat off) so the cauliflower can steam. Hope that clarifies! 🙂
Thank you! That definitely clears it up. I’m looking forward to making this for Thanksgiving.
Help! I have made this twice and both times it has come out very soupy. I followed the recipe exactly. Every thing else I have made has come out perfect!
Sorry to hear these were thinner than you expected. Just a heads up that these will not have a thick texture like mashed potatoes. Next time, I’d suggest cutting back on the broth a bit. Hope that helps!
This was really good and very easy! Highly recommend.
Have to bring a veggie to someone’s home for Rosh Hashanah..looks perfect. Can I make it and then just zap in microwave to heat?
Yes, definitely, Doreen. It reheats beautifully in the microwave.
Amazing! Husband thought it was mashed potatoes. Thank you, Jenn. I make your recipes multiple times on a weekly basis!
Is frozen cauliflower a possibility?
Hi Penelope, I haven’t tried this with frozen cauliflower, but a few other readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn
Tried this recipe from your cookbook. Wow what a great take on cauliflower! I trust your recipes so much I made it for company before I tried it lol
Thanks for your fantastic blog.
I also will tell you your cookbook is the first one I have bought for years and it is a keeper!
Regards Sharon
❤️
Absolutely delicious, even without thyme!
Love this! It’s my new substitute for mashed potatoes! They are such a nice change of pace instead of potatoes and delicious! So glad you put this in your new cookbook.
I keep kosher and would love to know what I can substitute for the butter so that I can use with chicken stock. For kosher you can not combine meat or poultry with milk. Any suggestions. The recipe looks fabulous as do all of your recipes.
I just ordered your cookbook!!!!
Hi Louann, You could either leave it out or use margarine. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy the cookbook, too!
loved it. we are not fans of cooked cauliflower but now we have it at least once a week
Have made this many times but hard for a large crowd. Have you tried it with Cauliflower rice instead??
Hi, I’ve never tried this with cauliflower rice, but I think it should work. Please LMK how it turns out!
I tried this with about a pound of cauliflower rice and added 3 small peeled potatoes (about 11 oz) cut into small pieces to make up for the missing amount of cauliflower. Followed the recipe to steam in 1c of broth until tender. Used my hand-held mixer in stainless steel saucepan to whip to the consistency of mashed potatoes, but when I tasted it, it was lumpy, so I put it in the cuisinart and pureed. We loved it. The liquid was about just right for cooking the vegetables; but I thought that if I used too much, I would add a small amount of dried milk or potato flakes to soak up the excess. Great way to get more cruciferous veggies in my diet. Thanks for all of your great recipes, Jenn!
This sounds like a good modification – did you use frozen cauliflower rice? Thank you, Jamie
Another winner, Jenn!
I love Cauliflower Puree with Thyme. Took a dish I frequently make into something special. I served it with pecan crusted cod and asparagus simmered in butter. A great meal!
This recipe is really easy and delicious. I followed everything except at the end I used my hand blender in the pot and it worked perfectly. Nice light and tasty substitute for potatoes.
This recipe was amazing. I don’t miss mashed potatoes at all when this is on the menu. We were having ours with beef and so I add a little horseradish…yummm…
So delicious! I left the cauliflower in pretty big pieces and steamed in 1 cup water, 1 Knorr home style chicken stock (gel), 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme (no additional salt). I used about 2 tbsp of salted butter with 1tbsp of the stock for the purée. It is the first time I’ve had cauliflower this way and it won’t be the last. Easily enough for 4 portions. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
Absolutely delicious – made this for Christmas and liked it more than mashed potatoes! Have made it several times since. Easy and great. Thank you.
No food processor – Should I still attempt?
Hi Gloria, I think you’ll have a hard time getting it to the right consistency without a food processor. You could try a high-power blender, but not sure it will work. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
A hand blender also known as a stick blender works well as an alternative to a regular blender.
I’d love to make this in advance. How would you recommend heating it up to serve, or is it really meant to be served immediately?
Hi Abbie, this actually reheats nicely in the microwave. I’d suggest heating it, covered, in 1-minute increments until it’s heated all the way through. Hope you enjoy!
I made these for thanksgiving this year and thought the flavor was perfect. I did, however, feel that the texture of the final product wasn’t quite right. I think the next time I make this I need to make sure the cauliflower is drained extra well before adding it to the food processor and may add a little less of the chicken broth as well. The tasted wonderful alongside bites of stuffing and the Brussels sprouts gratin from your site, which I also made.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this – I don’t even have to look at the recipe anymore! I do add some grated garlic (or garlic powder if im in a hurry) to cover up the veggie flavor – doing this helped me to fool my son for a few months – he really thought he was eating mashed potatoes!!
Wow this was soooo good I love it. I normally have a cheese sauce with cauliflower so the kids will eat it. Gave them this with no cheese and they were asking for more 🙂
Hi. This was a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Just one suggestion. It wasn’t clear how big or, the weight of the cauliflower. Mine was 2# and, it barely made enough for two. Maybe, I trimmed it too much?! Anyway, I’m glad I tried it. Looking forward to experimenting with the addition of sweet potatoes, too.
Would you verify the nutrition information? Is that based on a single serving or four servings?
Hi Gary, the nutritional information is per serving. Enjoy!
So amazing – great flavor and good side dish for almost any type of dinner. Love it!
After finding this website I decided to try this recipe again – fantastic! My husband is a true “meat & potatoes” guy & he loves it! I did alter the recipe to decrease the salt and used dried thyme. A good food processor helps with avoiding a grainy consistency.
I like to add garlic when cooking the cauliflower to cut down the need for salt
A very good alternative to mashed potatoes.
This has become a favorite staple at our home. I planted thyme just specifically to have it on hand for this dish. We enjoy so MANY of your recipes, but maybe I am most grateful for the vegetable dishes, as my vegetable routine had gotten pretty uninspired and boring over the years. This recipe is perfect as is, although I never need to add back any of the drained broth.
I absolutely loved this recipe. It’s so different from plain old mashed potatoes. I made it exactly the way it’s written and I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
This is such a great idea. Would love to try this recipe during the Holidays, instead of mashed potatoes!!
I am a total potato addict. Now on a reduced carb diet, thought I would give this a try. WELL- I may never mash another potato! This recipe ROCKS! Added 1/4 of grated parm. Perfection! Thank you!
Your recipes are simple, delicious and affordable! I love how you utilize fresh combinations of seasonally appropriate foods. I have been using mostly your soup recipe for my baby’s first foods and she is loving it, so am I! We stop by the farm stand and pick up what is fresh, we come home and find an incredible recipe on your blog and mommy and baby are happy! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes with us! I am looking forward to your cook book!
This dish got me to LOVE cauliflower! It is delicious and my husband and I make it in place of mashed potatoes all the time. We even made it for my mom (who is super picky) and she loved it. We follow the recipe as written! Thanks Jen for always knowing what my family will love!!!
My husband hates vegetables and my older son is vegan. Made this recipe twice, once as you had listed except reducing butter to only 1 TBS and it was absolutely delicious and my husband could not tell he was eating cauliflower and thought they were mashed potatoes and ate all of it. The second batch I cooked the cauliflower in vegetable broth and used 1 TBS of vegan butter and my son raved about it. Thank you so much for helping me find something else that I can make that can work for my family. BTW, I also tried the asparagus soup and my husband ate all of it. You have helped me find a way to get my husband to eat vegetables and enjoy it!! Everything I make comes out so delicious and makes me feel like a real chef. I now have a friend subscribing to your recipes too since I keep raving about them. Can’t wait for your cookbook.
Thank you, Nancy – I’m so happy you’re having success with the recipes! ?
This is amazing!! I make it all the time instead of mashed potatoes. It is great with chicken stock or veggie stock!
This recipe is absolutely perfect! Thank you for sharing. One shortcut I have found for busy nights and/or a lack of desire to dirty too many more dishes is to pour out some of the chicken broth leaving somewhere in the neighborhood of the 3 tablespoons, adding the butter and thyme, and then using my immersion blender.
Hi
I have to say I rarely boil or steam cauliflower anymore. I oven roast it instead.
Cooked it this way then blended it. I think this adds another layer of taste and keeps it from becoming too runny.
Steve
Great idea Steve- thanks for sharing!
Loved this recipe so much! I can’t believe I haven’t tried it earlier! The thyme adds such a nice flavor. Thanks for this keeper recipe!
Oh My YUM!
This is SO easy and delicious…the first time I made it I had to stop myself from eating it right out of the cuisinart! I only use 2 T of butter and it is still rich and creamy. This is my go-to recipe whenever I’m craving mashed potatoes
I absolutely love this cauliflower pure’e. So much more flavor from the usual mashed potatoes side dish. It has become my go to side when I barbecue or grill…which is all year long living here in So Cal. Super Dish J S Thanks for posting this!!!
Loved it. So did puppy 🙂
wow! this is so easy to make and so delicious–I can’t wait to make it again. I only used 2T of butter, and it still tasted very rich and buttery. Next time I may try skipping the butter entirely. I served it with your bbq turkey meatloaf which was also great! thanks for all the great recipes!
Would this work with cauliflower rice?
Hi Angela, I’ve never tried it with cauliflower rice, but I suspect it should work. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it this way!
I love this recipe and use it often as we are low carb. I use frozen cauliflower a lot and really can’t tell the difference. I steam in beef broth (made it one time and had no chicken broth so used beef and have not gone back) and throw in some cloves of garlic then puree together.
Yep!
This was delicious, it tasted like it was dripping with butter even before we put the butter in! I cooked the cauliflower in chicken broth in an Instant Pot for ten minutes, then pureed and added 1/2 the butter and some pepper. It was delicious, just like all of Jenn’s recipes!
Hi Jenn,
You mentioned that this could be made ahead of time and then reheated. What temperature do you recommend and for how long? Also, should they be covered?
Thanks!
Hi Katy, this reheats nicely in the microwave. I’d suggest heating it, covered, in 1-minute increments until it’s heated all the way through.
This was delicious! Kudos!
How much is a serving size in cups? Hard to judge when counting calories.
Hi Susan, depending upon the size of your head of cauliflower, I think a serving would be approximately 1 cup.
I made this as a side with lamb shanks and it was delicious! I did not have fresh thyme so I used 1/2 t. of dried thyme and it was great. I have made similar recipes but this one is healthier with the chicken broth. A great substitute for potatoes or rice.
I have made this recipe for the last two Christmas dinners and it is outstanding. It’s quite easy to make, especially with a food processor, and certainly doesn’t need to be saved for a special occasion! The aroma of fresh thyme is lovely.
Hi Jenn,
I want to add this to my dinner for Rosh Hashanah. I know I can make it ahead and reheat in microwave…. How long, do I add more butter and thyme when I reheat?
Thanks!!
Candi
Hi Candi, You can make it up to 3 days ahead of time. No need to add more butter when you reheat it unless it seems dry, but I would sprinkle some fresh thyme over top before serving. Hope that helps!
I never go back and give a review on food recipes. This recipe is an exception. It truly is outstanding. It was great with fish. I could have it every night.
I retired this year, so I am into cooking now, and just a little annoyed I did not find this recipe 50 years ago.
:). So glad you enjoyed it Kenneth!
HOLY MOLY that was amazing! I second the eating right out of the cuisinart review. Amazing! :0)
I. really liked the addition of steaming with broth rather than water. I think this added a lot of flavor . Since I am dieting, I made the following changes . I reduced the butter from 3 tablespoons to 1 and added one wedge of light laughing cow cheese which is only 35 calories
also puréed some fresh parsley Into the mix. Delicious,
This is a wonderful side dish…and so easy to prepare! Will become a go to for mashed potatoes. I needed to add an additional tablespoon of broth in the processor to get everything smooth. Thank you!
Hi Jenn, I make this ALL the time for family and friends and it’s such a winner! However, this time I have a make-ahead question… if I make tonight (Wednesday) to serve on Easter (Sunday), do you think it will stay fresh in the fridge for a few days, or do I have to freeze? What is the best way to reheat? I’ll wait to add the thyme in until I reheat since I’ve learned the herbs turn a black color and can be a bit off-putting when I add them and then freeze/microwave later… Many thanks for your advice!
Glad you like it Allison! You can definitely make this a few days ahead and refrigerate. Just reheat it in the microwave before serving.
Delicious and so easy…Thanks
Would fish go with this recipe?
Sure- the cauliflower is really mild tasting so it could be paired with most anything. I think fish would be a nice choice.
Yum! Made it as directed, and it was delicious!
This is awesome. Used a stick blender instead of a food processor and with a little added stock, it was a perfect consistency. Will vary the herbs to get different flavors to accompany various proteins.
I have been learning to eat cleaner and find healthier options to my comfort foods. This cauliflower purée was DELICOUS! Perfect substitute for my beloved mashed potatoes! Totally would recommend this.
I am a vegetarian. Will this recipe work as well with vegetable broth rather than the chicken broth? I’m wondering if this will alter the flavor too much. Thanks!
Arlene, Vegetable broth will work just fine here– hope you enjoy!
Can this be done in a nutribullet? I don’t own a food processor. Thanks!
Hi Denise, I don’t have a Nutribullet, so I’m not certain, but there may not be enough room in the Nutribullet or enough liquid in the recipe for this to be successful– sorry!
Thank you so much for such a fab recipe my kids asked for second and they hate all vegetables made with short ribs turned out great
Would love to try this recipe but do not have a food processor. Any substitutions? Thank you
Hi Melissa, While the ingredients would remain the same, I’m not sure there’s enough liquid in the recipe to have this work in the blender- sorry!
I have used a hand mixer and it worked quite well.
What I would do is mash it with a good, heavy fork until you had most of the chunks gone. From there I’d grab a whisk and whip the heck out of it until it was smooth.
Small price to pay for how good this is!
This recipe is great “as is”. Doubled the recipe & served it with turkey dinner for our family & guests. Everyone enjoyed it. Made turkey-vegetable soup out of the leftovers and added the leftover cauliflower mash after the soup had finished cooking. It gave the soup a creamy “turkey pot pie” texture & taste. Yum!
Simple recipe but the chicken broth kills the flavour of the cauliflower.
This is a delicious meal. I served mine with plain yogurt and the fresh cracked pepper… yum!
This is my favorite No Carb substitution. I love this recipe. I tried four other mashed cauliflower recipes. Just started cooking this for our Thanksgiving feast!!
Have made this twice now once with fresh cauliflower, once with frozen/steamed cauliflower – both were delicious, and my husband swears he would have thought this was mashed potatoes if I hadn’t told him. Great for low-carb eaters….
This recipe was delicious! It’s a great change from potatoes and my guests thought they were potatoes. Another wonderful recipe from Jenn.
My 2 1/2 year old I made this a couple of weeks ago and she has been pretend making it in her kitchen and asking for it since. I had never actually eaten cauliflower in my life before I tried this because I couldn’t stand the smell. But we all loved it! Decided to write a review today because I was pulling back up to make it tonight.
I made this recipe as written for Rosh Hashanah, and then again this week for break fast, substituting chives for the thyme. It is phenomenal. It is on the permanent rotation at our house. Thanks so much! PS the Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup rocks…can’t wait to try the Rugelach.
What a great way to introduce cauliflower! You’ve really opened my mind as I didn’t know how to prepare it so that my family would accept it without putting a nasty face! I’ll try it soon and let you know how it went!
I have not tried your recipe yet. Is there another substitute for the butter? I am Kosher and I would like to serve it with meat.
Hi Ilene, Margarine will work just fine.
Nice change from potatoes. Worked well with my pot roast and pan gravy.
I loved this recipe. Next time going to try it with lemon thyme. Also, thought might try with carrots.
This looks great. Can it be made with non-dairy margarine or some other substitute for butter? I’m looking for a delicious non-dairy side dish.
Hi Joanna, Yes, that will be fine. Enjoy!
Heaven in a bowl! Potatoes just became obsolete for me. Extremely easy to put together … a winner.
This was amazing! I put it in my vitamix and it was super smooth and creamy. I will absolutely be eating this regularly!
Mine came out a bit too runny, but tasted delicious. My husband thought it was great, but my kids couldn’t understand why I didn’t just make my usual mashed potatoes. When they heard it was cauliflower, they were no longer interested.
I’ve been searching for a much healthier “mash potatoes” to appease my husband but be more inline with a higher protein lower carb life style.
This recipe (slightly altered) has become a huge hit in our house. I thought the recipe was a little bland for my taste, so i added a little bit of garlic powder and some sliced parmesan cheese to the mix and it came out totally Delish. My youngest who won’t eat mashed potatoes loves it and the rest of the family does too.
Win!
Would it become smooth enough with a stick blender rather than a food processor?
Hi Melanie, Not sure there is enough liquid to make it work with the stick blender.
Oh my my…D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!!
This was the first time my family has ever had cauliflower purée and it was a success! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. Consensus…this is family’s new substitute for mashed potato. Turned out beautifully!
This is delicious! On occasion when I needed to double the recipe, and didn’t have enough cauliflower, I used the same quantity yukon gold potatoes as I would have cauliflower for half the recipe. No one has known I’ve ‘messed’ with their mashed potatoes. With the mashed potatoes, I did add a little extra chicken broth for the right consistency.
This is a new staple at our house!! Dare I say it’s even better than regular mashed potatoes??? Never-the-less I doubled the recipe and took 2 servings for myself for that ultra-comfort food experience!!! I will be serving with flank steak with garlic and rosemary tomorrow. Stay tuned for my review on that. Thank you Jen!!
I made this for my significant other because he is on a low carb diet and this is the best alternative to mashed potatoes! The only alteration I made was I used 1 tablespoon less butter than the recipe and it turned out fantastic! I have made this dish 3 times already because he loves it so much!
I really liked this. I have made it just like recipe. I have also made it w powdered goats milk. It give it a creamier richer flavor. Just one scoop. Yumm
I made this as one of our sides for Christmas dinner. It was delicious! Next time I will double the recipe. Even those at the table who claimed to not like cauliflower enjoyed it!
I just made this for dinner and it taste surprisingly good. I didn’t have any fresh thyme so I used a little bit of the dry herb instead. I will be making this again for Christmas.
Hi Jenn,
This recipe is very popular in our house. I’m thinking of making it for Christmas dinner. Is it ok to make it ahead & freeze it?
Lynda
Hi Lynda, I’m sorry I’ve never tried freezing it so can’t say for sure, but you can definitely make it several days ahead of time and reheat in the microwave.
This is the best. I made it for Thanksgiving and got the whole family converted…away from mashed potatoes. I tested 4 different mashed cauliflower recipes with my immediate family and this one won hands down. Then I made it for the entire Thanksgiving crowd. Thanks you for another WINNING recipe.
Another great recipe!! I am going to serve this with Christmas dinner, not say what it actually is then make the big reveal after everyone has eaten. I have never heard of any cauilflower allergies so it should be a safe “trick”. Thank you!
Additional info…Mine slightly runny but the flavor and texture was on point. I will use less broth next time during the puree step.
Loved this recipe & so did my family, who are not too keen on cauliflower. I added some grated parmesan to give it a different flavor which worked well. Would make again. Also, keeps in the fridge for several days – so either make ahead or as leftovers.
My husband loves mashed potatoes but I do not. I tried this as an alternative and he loved it! It was so easy to do and it got me to use a very expensive Cuisinart I bought years ago and never used. The simplicity of making it got me hooked but the high fiber veggie taste was even better. We even made it for a recent dinner party and I gave out the recipe to everyone.
Excellent. I have searched long and hard for this delicious side. Easy and satisfying.
This was delicious and easy to make. I just made this in preparation for Thanksgiving and I snuck a spoonful. I’ll never make mashed potatoes again!
I made this with a purple cauliflower, and although it looked like Play-doh, it was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. It is a most guest-worthy dish.
My kids and husband LOVED it. I served it with your braised brisket dish and both were a hit. Thanks Jenn for all your delicious recipes.
Absolutely out of this world. I have looked long and hard for this recipe. I am addicted!!!
Love, love, love all your recipes!! Just started making this and realized my fresh thyme has gone bad. Can I use dried or is it worth it to go get fresh?
Hi Heather, Dried is absolutely fine; just use half the amount 🙂
This was absolutely delicious I could have eaten the entire recipe standing in the kitchen! I used chopped parsley as I didn’t have thyme. I can’t wait to make it again. People had told me of this cauliflower thing as a substitute for mashed potatoes, and I must admit I thought it sounded awful but it’s not a substitute, it’s a stand alone and will be on my Christmas menu for sure. Thanks Jen
Hadn’t read the reviews and thought the same thing – could replace mashed potatoes! This dish is fantastic! Can’t wait to pair it with a havarti grilled cheese sammy. Used more of the broth and salted butter and it was fine. Also drizzled some sage & mushroom infused olive oil over it for presentation. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I tried this last night and absolute loved it, can easily replace mashed potatoes, mu husband even liked it. This will be a regular now on.
I am a vegetarian. Can I use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth?
Absolutely!
I was thinking about pairing the pureed cauliflower with your Broiled Asian-Style Flat Iron Steak instead of the buttered rice you suggest. My kids LOVE cauliflower. Any ideas to give this a more Asian-style profile? Thanks! (P.S. We are working our way through all your recipes, and haven’t met one that didn’t get two enthusiastic thumbs-up from our whole crew. Thanks!)
Hi Amy, Glad to read you are enjoying the recipes! You could omit the salt and add a tablespoon of soy sauce to the chicken broth instead. You could also add 1/2 teaspoon of Asian sesame oil along with the butter.
We used your suggestions last night and the cauliflower was delicious! Next time, I’ll double the recipe for my cauliflower-loving crowd. Thanks!
OMG! Tonight I made these for supper and I don’t think I will ever be able to eat mashed potatoes again. Give it a try, you will not regret it.
Great recipe. Tastes just like mashed potatoes but healthier. The only thing I would add to the recipe is to be careful not to over puree since you don’t want to liquify the cauliflower.
Is there a way to reduce the sodium? While it is healthy, I am trying to keep the sodium down for my family. Thanks
Hi Kerri, Feel free to reduce or omit the salt.
I was wondering why is the carb count so high per serving?
Hi Dana, I don’t believe 13g is high; most low carb diets call for between 50-150 grams per day.
Jenn — I think Dana was saying that the carb count is probably wrong. Cauliflower is very low carb. — Deb
How much in advance of a meal can this be made? How long will it keep in the fridge?
Hi Paula, It can be made several days ahead of time and reheated in the microwave.
Jenn, you mention steaming the cauliflower, but I see no mention of using a steamer basket. Is the cauliflower actually boiled in water, then drained?
Karen, You just steam the cauliflower in the chicken broth for about 2o minutes, or until the cauliflower is very tender. No basket necessary!
I don’t understand this answer. Cauliflower is either placed IN boiling/hot water (not what I would think of as steamed) or placed in some kind of a container OVER boiling water, e.g. not in direct contact with the water. Please explain which way you mean.
Hi Susan, Sorry if you found this wasn’t clear. The cauliflower is place directly into the pot with the broth. Hope you enjoy!