I may be behind the times, but I discovered cauliflower mash recently and it may be even easier to make than mashed potatoes. This creamy garlic vegan mashed cauliflower will set your heart aflutter!
Aside from being lighter than traditional vegan mashed potatoes, this recipe is dairy-free, paleo friendly, and loaded with amazing garlic flavor. It takes only 3 ingredients to make this dish, no need to hunt down anything special like vegan cream cheese in order to make it.
This vegan cauliflower mash came about because I started playing around with a few keto recipes. We had a house guest following the keto diet, and my love for a good cooking challenge outweighed my personal opinions on that matter.
One of the things that I do appreciate about the keto diet is that vegetables can be a big feature on the plate! Their fiber content means they are low in net carbs.
It turned out after I rung up the nutrition facts that this cauliflower “mashed potatoes” recipe may not qualify as keto after all, but I’m so in love with its deliciousness that I continue to make it anyway!
Although we’re using cauliflower instead of potatoes, this dish is still an incredible vessel for hearty vegan gravy, and maybe a little pat of your favorite dairy-free butter (my favorite brand is Miyoko’s).
Cauliflower mash vs. cauliflower rice
The difference between cauliflower rice and mashed cauliflower is the size of the cauliflower pieces. To make vegan “mashed” cauliflower, the vegetables are blended up until smooth. I think a food processor works best because you can almost grind the cauliflower very finely rather than doing a total puree, which gives it a feel of starchiness and substantiveness that potatoes would normally provide.
On the other hand, cauliflower rice would be bigger pieces, the size of rice grains. You can, however, use frozen cauliflower rice, cook and mash it to fast-track the making of these cauliflower mashed potatoes.
How to make vegan mashed cauliflower
To keep this recipe plant-based, I very simply rely on the buttery qualities of extra-virgin olive oil, infused with plenty of garlic. Raw garlic would be overpowering, and roasted garlic would make cauliflower mash recipe a little fussy… so I like to almost confit the garlic in the olive oil and then add all of it to the cauliflower.
Olive oil, garlic and cauliflower – plus salt. That’s it! You really don’t need anything like almond milk, margarine, thickeners or added seasonings to make an incredible cauliflower mash.
Of course, if you like, a little bit of chopped parsley folded into this recipe is delicious, and a pinch of black pepper (and perhaps an even smaller pinch of ground nutmeg) can be a nice little touch.
3-Ingredient Vegan Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the chopped cauliflower and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Meanwhile, add the garlic and olive oil to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is softened and fragrant but not browning; about 5 minutes.
- Drain the cooked cauliflower well and add it to a food processor along with the garlic and oil. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot with vegan gravy.
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Brian Lee Nelson says
So this is not vegan, and I am not putting this on here to question anyone. Perhaps for non-vegan household members to help them eat this instead of mashed potatoes. I am on a very strict very low-carb diet so I was happy to find the initial recipe that did not use milk or cream. To enhance it on a whim, I cooked 2 strips of thin – no sugar – uncured bacon first and then I crumbled up the bacon and put it in with the garlic and poured the bacon grease in with the oil (not much grease). Then poured it in while mixing as directed.
This was fabulous – it is one of the best things I have cooked since going on the diet.
Bett says
Why would you SAY that?
Vegans don’t use animals for the sake of the animals. Some may also be in it for their health as well, but veganism is a practice of using no animal products at all in any way, to the furthest extent possible.
People who don’t eat animals or their products from either a health or fad motivation are “plant based.”
So, do you go into your local synagogue or mosque and suggest they sprinkle a little bacon into their meals?
No, I am not configuring veganism as a religion, but it IS part of a belief system – a belief that people should not be hurting animals for any reason.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi,
I just want to make it completely clear. This website is not “for vegans only”. Everyone is welcome here and I am happy for folks vegan or not to share their thoughts and experiences with the recipes. I take zero issue with the original comment whereas I do have an issue with this one because I think it turns people away from plant-based eating to imply that perfection is necessary or that we should be demanding some sort of ideological purity from each other.
Unless they’re being hateful, everyone is welcome on this site.
Christina says
OK…I was skeptical because seriously three simple ingredients? Honestly, it was perfect. I did add some Vegan butter because I love buttery everything and it was delish. So easy and very tasty. I will make this pretty regularly to serve on the side with veggies. Thanks for a great recipe!
Mark says
I really like this recipe, make sure to use fresh cauliflower for the best flavor in it, and be sure to cook the garlic enough so that there is not raw garlic flavor.
Mal - Lee says
Hi Shannon,
I stumbled across your site, looking for Vegan potato salad (Which I found) – further exploration of your site, tells me I have found a keeper.
I am an Australian 11 year Vegan and I get lost on those sites that seem to find ingredients I have simply never heard of. Your site stands apart for it’s simplicity.
I tried the Potato Salad and I did something I rarely do – I added salt to my boiled potatoes. After years of rarely using salt, the wow factor was unbelievable. I am 73, you have a talent young lady . Thank you for creating this wonderful resource.
Warmest Regards
Mal – Perth Australia
Beth says
Hi Shannon, I made these along with your gravy as something lighter to go with my extremely decadent Tofurky roast and they were a big hit! Thanks for coming up with a recipe that’s so simple and NOT watery (my issue with other mashed cauliflower recipes).