Mashed Cauliflower

I’ve never met a mashed potato I didn’t like. It’s the side dish I reach for first at every holiday table, and honestly, pasta never had a chance against it in my house growing up.

But my kids go through phases where they want the “potato taste” at every dinner, and I can’t exactly serve mashed potatoes five nights a week. That’s where mashed cauliflower earned its spot in my regular rotation. It has that same smooth, buttery, scoop-it-with-a-spoon comfort, but it comes together faster and doesn’t leave me with a giant pot of boiling water to deal with on a busy weeknight.

I use my Instant Pot for this one because it’s hands-off and quick, and the texture ends up silkier than boiling cauliflower on the stovetop. Once you get the hang of squeezing out the extra liquid (more on that below), you’ll have a bowl of this on the table faster than you could peel and boil a pot of potatoes.

Tips For Making The Best Mashed Cauliflower

• Mashed cauliflower is prepared by steaming cauliflower first and then blending it until smooth texture is reached. Cauliflower can be steamed in an Instant Pot, steamer, or even microwave.
• I like to seam cauliflower very well, until it’s very soft. Soft cauliflower will result in smoother texture of mashed cauliflower. 
• Make sure to squeeze soft cooked cauliflower through cheese cloth to get rid of most of the liquid. You don’t have to squeeze it extremely dry, just as long as you get most of the liquid out. Otherwise, you will end up with mashed cauliflower soup. 
• It is better to blend squeezed cauliflower in a food processor for smoother texture. If you don’t mind chunky mashed cauliflower, you can hand-mash it.
• Save water from steaming and squeezing the cauliflower. This water contains a lot of nutrients and vitamins. Use it in soup or to cook other veggies. Store this water in a jar with a lid, in the refrigerator, for a couple of days.
• Once cauliflower is blended smooth, you can stir in some cheese to make cheesy mashed cauliflower.

How To Make Mashed Cauliflower In Instant Pot

1. Cut cauliflower into florets, discarding leaves and thick stem. (Don’t make them too small.)
2. Place the wire rack that came with the Instant Pot at the bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom. 
3. Add cauliflower florets on top of the rack. Add garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
4. Close the lid and make sure to turn the valve to “seal.”
5. Set to Pressure Cook on high for 7 minutes. Once time is up, let it do a natural release for 10 minutes and then you can finish with a quick release. 
6. Note: “steam” setting on an Instant Pot should only be used if the cauliflower is placed inside an ovenproof or steel bowl. Set the bowl on the wire rack inside the Instant Pot bowl. Don’t forget 1 cup of water at the bottom of the pot as well.

How Much Cauliflower to Use in Mashed Cauliflower

• An average 2 lb head of cauliflower will only get two small servings of mashed cauliflower. It’s best to get a larger 3 lb head of cauliflower for two servings of mashed cauliflower. 
• If making it for 4 people, I recommend getting two 3lb heads of cauliflower. 
• Remember, what you serve as a main protein and additional side dishes will also affect how much mashed cauliflower you will need.

Storing Leftovers

• Leftover mashed cauliflower can easily be stores in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator. Use a storage container with a well sealing lid, or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. 
• Kept air-tight, cooked cauliflower will last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

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