Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

January 23, 2013 • Alaska from Scratch, Recipes, Seasons, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Winter

Weather: 32, orange and pink sunrise
What I’m listening to: the morning hush after the morning rush

It’s cauliflower season. Leading up to writing this post, I took to my social media pages to hear what my fans think about cauliflower. The verdict is in: they LOVE it! They love it steamed, roasted, raw, with cheese, in salad, with dip, and… mashed! Three cheers for cauliflower.

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When I put these on the dining room table, my five-year-old daughter declared, “Yay! Mashed potatoes!” then took a bite and said suspiciously, “Hey, there’s broccoli in here!” I had to laugh out loud… and of course, then I told her she was very close and that it was actually cauliflower. So, while the mock mashed potato trick didn’t fool anybody at our house, we enjoyed these regardless – fluffy and flavorful, and nutritious too. If you’re trying to cut back on carbs, this is a great alternative.

And since there are so many cauliflower lovers out there, here are a few more fantastic cauliflower options:

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Cilantro, & Lime – Alaska from Scratch

Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins, Pine Nuts & OrangeA Farmgirl’s Dabbles

Cauliflower Couscous – A Thought for Food

Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Chowder – Iowa Girl Eats

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Adapted from [Food Network|http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/george-stella/mock-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html]

Yields: About 4 side-dish sized servings

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1T cream cheese
  • 2T parmesan, freshly grated
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2t salt
  • pepper to taste
  • chives, finely sliced
  • butter, for serving

Set a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, clean and cut your cauliflower. Boil the cauliflower 6-7 minutes until tender all the way through. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.

To a food processor, add the cauliflower, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Transfer to a serving dish. garnish with chives and butter.