Light, fluffy, and oh-so-creamy, guests can hardly believe this is Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and not potatoes! I love adding roasted garlic cloves and fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary to really amp up the flavor. It’s super easy to make ahead and perfect for your Thanksgiving or holiday spread.
London’s tip to make it a winner: Drain the cauliflower really well after boiling to prevent any excess liquid—this keeps the mash silky smooth!
Table of Contents
I’ve always been a sucker for mashed potatoes. (These Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes are my fave!) But recently, I discovered a surprising new favorite: this Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower recipe.
You see, it has all of that silky smooth, creamy goodness of the classic side, but it’s made with an entire head of cauliflower! This is perfect if you have some picky eaters in at the table or if you’re trying to lighten up your weeknight dinner spread.
I love serving it with hearty Pork Chops with Apples & Onions or pairing it with juicy, baked honey mustard chicken thighs since it soaks up all of that delicious sauce!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Cauliflower. Make sure you get a LARGE head of cauliflower to have enough florets for the recipe. You want to end up with about 5 cups of cauliflower florets.
- Roasted Garlic. This gives the dish SO much flavor! Start with a head of garlic, and learn How to Roast Garlic and prepare it up to 3 days in advance before making this recipe. You can also substitute with one clove of finely minced fresh garlic if you’re short on time.
- Herbs. Fresh rosemary and thyme are used, but you can also try adding sage or tarragon. Dried herbs may also be used, just make sure to use ⅓ to ½ the amount.
- Oil. A good quality olive oil will contribute to the taste of this side dish.
- Butter. I’m a big believer that butter makes everything better, however, if you’re dairy-free or vegan, simply replace with a non-dairy alternative such as Miyokos.
- Milk. In order to get the right consistency, a touch of milk is needed. Regular milk is preferred. Half and half or heavy cream can be used to up the richness of the dish. Or, a full-fat plant-based option like oat, soy, or cashew milk works great if you’re dairy-free.
How to Make Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Roast the garlic in the oven (if doing!) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully slice the ends of the fresh garlic head off. Drizzle some olive oil over the entire head, then sprinkle some salt over it. Wrap the garlic in foil and bake in preheated oven at 400°F for 40-50 minutes.
- Boil the cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into florets and boil the until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain the water and dry thoroughly. Be sure to dry completely! Any extra water will make the mashed cauliflower soggy instead of fluffy.
- Blend in a processor. Add the cauliflower to a large food processor along with the butter, roasted garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Be sure to remove any skin from the garlic after roasting it. Purée until JUST smooth. Be careful not to over-purée or it will get too liquidy.
- Serve. After you finish processing the cauliflower you will want to check the temperature of it. If it is not warm enough, add the creamy cauliflower purée back to the pot over medium-low heat and warm it up to your desired temperature. When it’s warm, serve with a drizzle of good olive oil.
FAQs
This is a common concern, and the solution is to drain the cauliflower thoroughly after cooking and pat dry if you need to use it shortly thereafter.
Ensure the cauliflower is cooked until fork-tender. If it’s undercooked, the mash can end up grainy. Blending the cauliflower thoroughly in a food processor will help achieve that smooth, mashed potato-like texture.
Yes! Many readers consider it a lighter, low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes. While it has a slightly different flavor, the roasted garlic adds richness, making it a satisfying swap.
Absolutely! Swap the butter with a vegan alternative like olive oil or vegan butter, and use plant-based milk. The dish will still be creamy and super flavorful!
What to serve with mashed cauliflower?
This side goes amazing well with any of these main dishes.
- Balsamic Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Blackened Salmon
- Ground Turkey Meatloaf
- Pork Chops with Apples and Onions
- Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
More easy cauliflower recipes
If you are a fan of cauliflower, make sure to check out these easy recipes.
- Cauliflower au Gratin
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
- Cauliflower Soup
- Air Fryer Cauliflower
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Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower head about 2 ½ pounds, cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 4 cloves roasted garlic
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and boil for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a colander and drain, then spread out on a dish towel and pat dry.1 large cauliflower head
- Add the cauliflower to a food processor along with the butter, milk, roasted garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Process for 1 minute and then scrape down the sides. Continue processing for 1 more minute, or until the mixture is smooth and mashed potato-like in texture. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.2 tablespoons salted butter, ¼ cup whole milk, 4 cloves roasted garlic, ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Serve garlic mashed cauliflower with a drizzle of olive oil and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme.
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Video
Notes
- Do NOT use a Vitamix or high-speed blender. You will end up with overly-blended and runny cauliflower mashed potatoes.
- Roast a head of garlic in the oven: Trim the ends, drizzle on 1 tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in foil and then bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes. You can do this up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Prep-ahead: The mashed cauliflower can be fully made ahead and stored in the fridge. Just reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally for even heating.
- Storage (refrigerator): Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or broth if needed to loosen the consistency.
- Storage (freezer): Let the mashed cauliflower cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Store for up to 1 month. For best texture, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop, adding dairy or seasoning as needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So amazing, delicious, and “garlicy”, which is my favorite part. Today I wanted potatoes so bad and this recipe fully satisfied my craving. LOVE IT!
Yay, Shannon!! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
Are you supposed to roast it first then boil it? Or you can do one or the other? Not very clear to me. Thanks
Great question, Krista! All you need to do is boil the cauliflower (only the garlic is roasted!) Hope this clears up any confusion!
I made these cauliflower “mashed potatoes” and they are a game changer for me. They were just like mashed potatoes. I pureed them smooth and used dried herbs cuz that’s what I had, and they were just fantastic! I had heard about cauliflower mashed potatoes for years but thought they would be nothing like mashed potatoes… boy was I wrong. Thank you so much.
WooHoo!! It’s pretty amazing how great you can make pureed cauliflower taste, right? So happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for your comment and rating.
I made this for a second time tonight and it turned out great! I only have one question, your recipe says to cool for 10 minutes before pureeing. When I did that, and after pureeing, my cauliflower was cold. I reheated in a dish, but was curious if yours still turns out warm?
Hi Jessica! Thanks so much for your question. I am so glad you have enjoyed the recipe! The main reason you want to let the cauliflower cool is so you can handle it enough to dry it off thoroughly with a towel. Sometimes it will cool off a bit too much and you will need to return it to the pot to heat it back up. I have adjusted the recipe to reflect this for you and others! Thanks so much for your comment and review!
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I never thought I could find a good tasting mashed potato substitute! Life changer for sure!
Yay!! So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
Hi. Thank you so much for this recipe. When I made this last night, it was delicious! But it was more liquidy like a Cauliflower Soup?? I followed the directions (including putting cooked cauliflower on a towel to dry before processing it. The only difference I can see is that I used a Vitamix (not a Cuisanart food processor) to chop cauliflower & add all ingredients too?? Could that be why it turned out more like soup? Oh–by the way–I didn’t like the idea of wrapping the garlic in aluminum foil. Instead, I prepared the garlic just like you said, but placed garlic on a steel cookie sheet with an oven safe glass bowl over it & put in oven for 45-60 minutes. DELICIOUS!
Hi Carissa! Using a Vitamix could have definitely resulted in a more liquidy texture. The Vitamix might chop it too finely as well as puree the “potatoes” too much. I love your idea of placing a glass bowl over the garlic! I am always looking for new ways to avoid using aluminum foil too much!
Hello, this looks fabulous! However hubby is not a fan of almond milk – do you think it would work with either oat or soy milk? Or would these alternatives give the puree an odd taste?
Thank you
Hi Sheree! I think it absolutely will. Make sure you buy an unsweetened kind and it should work great. If your husband likes cashew or coconut milk, those will substitute well, too! Thanks for the question!
Hi great recipe! Can’t wait to try this out! I was wondering what the amount per serving is?
Thanks so much!
Hi Ris! Thanks so much for the question, but unfortunately I do not know the exact measurement per serving. I normally just divide the total amount into six portions.
Do you think this would work by using bone broth instead of almond milk?
Absolutely, Amy! It will definitely give it more of a meat flavor, so you might want to try using half and half to begin with!
Do you think using frozen “riced” cauliflower would work for this recipe or do you think it would turn out to liquidy?.
Hi Jazzlyn! It might depending on the brand of frozen cauliflower. If you try it out, I would love to know how it worked for you!
Made these for my husband this past weekend and he loved them! He didn’t even know they weren’t potatoes until I told him. Thanks so much for the recipe!