Easy & Creamy Mashed Cauliflower - Vegan, Paleo, Low-Carb, Gluten-free
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
This recipe was inspired by Sonia over at The Healthy Foodie. Her recipe for cauliflower mash included mayo, which turns out to be magical in cauliflower mash. I like my mashed potatoes and cauliflower super creamy, so I didn't find it necessary to spend the extra time, effort and dirty dishes squeezing the water out of the steamed cauliflower. I simply steamed it and put it in the blender with salt and butter (or Spectrum or Nutiva shortening to keep it vegan), then when the butter melted, I added the mayo and blended until smooth. It resulted in a super creamy and delicious cauliflower mash that is gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, low-carb, keto diet-friendly, and can be made Paleo / Primal. And it includes at least one full serving of vegetables!
It is true that the mayo in this recipe is magical, but I must caveat that statement by saying that it has to be really, really good mayo. Like the kind you could eat out of the container with a spoon. Mayo that good. No Miracle Whip here, folks! To keep this Mashed Cauliflower vegan, use your favorite vegan mayo. If you want to make this recipe Paleo, you could opt for a Paleo mayo, such as Chosen Foods Mayo. For a Whole30 option, choose Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo.
You can find Chosen Foods Mayo and Primal Kitchen Mayo in a lot of stores. If you prefer to hold it in your hand before buying it, Costco or Natural Grocers will cost you the least. Costco has the best price when they carry it, by far. When Costco is out of it, Natural Grocers usually offers it for the best price. If you are comfortable with buying online, Vitacost is a great option! Amazon also tends to carry both brands, although Amazon is more expensive for these products.
You could use a medium head of fresh cauliflower to make this recipe, but I think it's so much less work (and less mess) to use frozen cauliflower! I buy frozen cauliflower at Costco. They sell a 4 lb bag of frozen organic cauliflower florets for about $7! The best thing about the Costco frozen cauliflower is that it comes in individually wrapped, 1-lb bags that are microwave safe. I prefer to steam the cauliflower on the stove, but this at least gives you the option to cook it in the microwave, if that's what you prefer. Just follow the directions on the bag for cooking it in the microwave, and when it's done, cut a small (1-inch) slit in the bottom of the bag and squeeze the excess water out. Then put it in your blender and continue following the directions below.
It should come as no surprise that I use the blender portion of my Ninja Master Prep to make this cauliflower mash. Yes, I love my Ninja! All it takes is about 2 minutes of blending to make a super smooth and creamy cauliflower mash. All with a gadget that costs about $35 for a blender and food processor. Check it out below!
I hope you find this recipe easy and affordable, now that you know my tricks!
Cauliflower Mash
Vegan | Paleo | Primal | Low-Carb | Keto Diet-friendly | Gluten-free | Grain-freePrep Time: 7 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb frozen cauliflower florets or 1 medium head cauliflower, chopped (about 4 cups)
- 2 Tbsp butter (or Spectrum or Nutiva
shortening for vegan version)
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- ¼ tsp salt
Directions:
Steam cauliflower for 8 minutes, either in a steaming
basket over boiling water on the stove, or in
its bag in the microwave (cut a hole in the bottom and drain excess water after cooking if using this method). Place
steamed cauliflower in blender with butter and salt. Let sit for a few minutes
while the butter melts and softens.
Add the mayo and blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
What do you think of this mashed cauliflower? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Disclosure: this post includes affiliate links for convenience. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
0 comments