I guess it’s been about a decade since mashed cauliflower started popping up on restaurant menus in my area. It’s touted as a low-carb mashed potato substitute, but if you’re really looking for mashed potatoes I feel like you’re going to be disappointed. Sure: it’s a delicious side dish, but I just never agree that it works as a substitute for mashed potatoes. The cauliflower has always just been really thin and runny. Like a really thick soup. Definitely not thick and wonderful like mashed potatoes. My mom has always told me that that’s because cauliflower has so much water in it, but she’s wrong. It’s thin and soupy because everyone is boiling the cauliflower before mashing it! That’s where the excess water comes from! So anyway, here’s how I make stand-up-on-your-plate mashed cauliflower that really is as satisfying to me as mashed potatoes.
Mashed cauliflower
- One head of cauliflower
- One tablespoon butter
- Two tablespoons half and half
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a four-cheese Mexican blend)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Chop up your head of cauliflower and put it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 8 minutes (or however long your microwave takes to get your cauliflower nice and tender).
Once the cauliflower is tender, add all your other ingredients.
And now you mash it. This is the shortest recipe ever, huh?
See how this mashed cauliflower really stands up like real mashed potatoes? None of that soupy stuff everyone else is serving.
Damn, I love me some mashed cauliflower (when I make it).
