These vegan cauliflower mashed potatoes put a new spin on a traditional favorite. Loaded with roasted heirloom garlic and fresh herbs, this dish is gluten-free and low-calorie. In addition, it’s high in antioxidants and dietary fiber, and can be ready in as few as 15 minutes.*
If you thought cauliflower was boring, think again! This roasted mashed cauliflower recipe is anything but. Light, fluffy and savory, it’s an awesome complement to my Vegan Mushroom Wellington, my Herby Croissant Vegan Stuffing and my Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole.
Looking for more holiday recipes? Check out my non-alcoholic Cranberry Spritzers, my easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread and my 30-minute Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes. And for dozens of holiday recipes from all your favorite food bloggers, visit my Vegan Holiday Roundups.
Why Make This Recipe?
Yup, there are lots of vegan cauliflower mashed potatoes recipes out there so why make this one? Not only is mine absolutely delicious, (you can call all my friends and relatives and ask if you don’t believe me), but it’s also:
- nutrient-friendly – cauliflower is not only low in calories, but it’s high in dietary fiber, which is associated with protection against gastrointestinal diseases, constipation, hemorrhoids, colon cancer, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. In addition, it’s loaded with vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant associated with a lower risk of heart disease. As a cruciferous vegetable, it’s high in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, two antioxidants that have been found to slow the growth of cancer cells.
- quick and easy – recipe is easy to make, requires only 8 ingredients and is ready in less than an hour. *TIP: to shorten preparation time, steam cauliflower rather than roast it, which shortens prep time to 15 minutes.
- dietary restriction-friendly – suitable for all diets, including vegan, vegetarian, low-fat, low-calorie and gluten-free.
- ingredient-friendly – of the 8 ingredients required for this recipe, many may already be in your pantry.
- budget-friendly – recipe costs approximately $9 to make, if you don’t have any of the listed ingredients.
- equipment-friendly – most of this equipment you’ll already have in your home, including a sheet pan, a large mixing bowl, an immersion blender, food processor, or hand mixer, and a wooden spoon.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- garnishes – I used parsley and rosemary, but feel free to improvise with other herbs including fresh sage or thyme, or whatever dried herbs you have in your pantry.
- plant milk – I typically use oat milk in my recipes, however you can use any plant milk of your choosing.
- vegan butter – if not keen on vegan butter, you may omit completely and/or substitute with more plant milk and olive olive oil.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Step 1 – Preheat oven to 425F/218C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cauliflower and garlic on lined baking sheet. Mix olive oil and garlic powder in small bowl and brush each side with a thin veil of mixture. Alternatively, you can omit roasting cauliflower and garlic altogether by steaming or boiling cauliflower on the stove and mincing the garlic before mashing.
Step 2 – Roast for 30-45 minutes, or until fork tender, turning half way through.
Step 3 – Remove from oven. Place roasted cauliflower and garlic in large mixing bowl.
Step 4 – Using an immersion blender, begin blending florets and garlic. Add vegan butter and plant milk a little at a time until mixture reaches a consistency similar to mashed potatoes. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste and give one final stir.
Step 5 – Place in serving bowl. Garnish with more vegan butter, rosemary and parsley. Serve immediately.
FAQ About This Recipe
Indeed there is. You can easily steam or boil your cauliflower on the stove for 5 to 8 minutes, or until fork-tender.
Steaming is preferred over boiling as it preserves this cruciferous vegetable’s nutrients.
Yes. However, it’s best to omit garnishes until after reheating, and add right before serving.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Yes. You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before reheating, allow to sit at room temperature until fully defrosted, then stir well and reheat on stove or in microwave, adding a bit of water or plant milk as necessary.
Serving Suggestions
For a little versatility, top this cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe with:
- sautéed mushrooms
- nutritional yeast
Or, add the following for a creamier texture:
- vegan cream cheese
- vegan sour cream
Other Fall Recipes You’ll Love
Some of my most favorite fall holiday recipes include my vegan Cranberry Muffins, Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins, Easy Sweet Potato Oatmeal, One Pot Vegan Corn Chowder and my Vegan Tomato Zucchini Tart.
Related Recipes
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Garlic Roasted Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 2 whole cauliflowers de-stemmed and pulled apart into florets
- 1 whole bulb garlic peeled and separated
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 cup oat milk or other plant milk
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Garnish
- 2 tsp rosemary fresh
- 2 tsp parsley fresh
Instructions
For the Cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218 C°). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix olive oil and garlic powder in small dish. Place cauliflower and garlic on baking sheet and brush with thin veil of olive oil mixture.
- Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until fork-tender, turning half-way through.
- Remove roasted vegetables and place in large mixing bowl.
- Using an immersion blender, start blending the florets and garlic. Add vegan butter and continue to blend thoroughly. Add plant milk, a little at a time, until you achieve a mashed potato consistency. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, fluff with fork or hand mixer before serving.
- Place cauliflower in a serving bowl. Garnish with more vegan butter, fresh rosemary and parsley and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Nutritional information is an estimate, not a guarantee.
- You can easily steam or boil your cauliflower on the stove for 5 to 8 minutes, or until fork-tender.
- To preserve nutrients, steaming is preferred to boiling if you choose not to roast.
- Make the day before your holiday dinner and store in an airtight container overnight without garnishes. Garnish once you remove from refrigerator and reheat the recipe in the oven or microwave.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Leftovers may also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Once ready to use, remove from freezer and defrost on your countertop. Once defrosted, reheat recipe in saucepan with a little milk or water. On the other hand, you can also reheat in the microwave.
Wow, I thought this was a recipe for mashed potatoes and cauliflower, so was surprised to find it’s just cauliflower. It looks just like a bowl of beautiful mashed potato. I’m going to have to try it.
Yes, some people will add potatoes, but I don’t and the flavor is amazing. Thank you for commenting.
This mashed cauliflower turned out so delicious! I love roasting the cauliflower first — it adds so much flavor. I’m definitely making this one again.
Thank you Amanda, for the comment, and so glad you liked the recipe.
Yum! Roasted cauliflower seriously has the best flavor. I love seeing all those little charred bits around the edges, that’s how I knew this recipe was going to taste amazing!
Thanks so much Cara!
Creamy deliciousness! I loved the extra flavour from the roasting process as I had only had the steamed variety before. Highly recommend the extra step!
Thank you Sharon. It takes longer but it does add so much more flavor when you roast!