4 ingredient cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style and gluten free that makes for the perfect uber creamy and healthy fall side dish. A must have at the Thanksgiving table or any other fall night!
When I first heard about cauliflower mashed potatoes I wasn’t all that interested. And cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style? I mean aren’t mashed potatoes meant to be made with fully on hearty potatoes and some proper milk or cream?
Well turns out the answer to that question is absolutely not.
Cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style is simply the best side dish ever. And this coming from a potato girl all the way. Roasted potato wedges all the way, but when it comes to mash, heavy potatoes can step aside.
Lighter, brighter and healthier cauliflower makes for an excellent mash, that I honestly feel like you can’t even tell that it’s made from cauliflower.
Cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style is a great alternative to the heavily loaded dairy product mashed potatoes.
I’m hooked. I love the simplicity of my version made with only four key ingredients:
- Cauliflower
- Whole head of garlic
- Pesto (preferably my vegan basil pesto)
- Coconut cream
If making your own batch of pesto is just not your jam, you can easily replace this with fresh dill. The first time I have cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style was made by a friend of my parents and he only just used cauliflower, roasted garlic and dill. Trust me that combo absolutely works too.
But if you’re me, and need to add pesto to just about everything, you’ll want to add some dollops of pesto into this cauliflower mash.
Now, you do need to roast an entire head of garlic before making this recipe, but I assume with all the fall holiday meal prepping your oven is most likely already on at all times, right? In which case you to roast the garlic you simply cut off the top quarter of the whole head, exposing each clove, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in aluminum wrap and toss into the oven.
Now if you’re wondering what to serve this cauliflower mash with, may I suggest:
- Vegan Spaghetti Squash Soup
- Pesto Green Beans with Almonds
- Vegan Ravioli with Pumpkin Ricotta
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes
So once your garlic is nice and roasted and cauliflower is boiled until soft you just add both to the food processor with a few dollops of pesto and some coconut cream for a super creamy, velvetty, rich and most of all healthy side dish of cauliflower mashed potatoes vegan style.
Cauliflower mash is simply so light and fluffy and is excellent when reheated as leftovers the next day!
What’s your favorite fall themed side dish? Have you tried cauliflower mash before, or are you a die hard mashed potatoes lover all the way? Please share in the comments below, I would love to hear your thoughts!
4 ingredient cauliflower mashed potatoes - vegan and gluten free recipe that makes for the perfect uber creamy and healthy fall side dish. A must have at the Thanksgiving table or any other fall night!
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 head garlic roasted, with the cloves squeezed out
- 4 tbsp vegan basil pesto
- 4 tbsp coconut cream
- salt/pepper to taste
-
Steam or boil cauliflower until tender (10-15 minutes).
To a food processor add cauliflower, garlic, salt, pepper, pesto and coconut cream
Process until smooth.
If you do not have pesto feel free to use fresh herbs instead - this cauliflower mash is perfect with fresh a large handful of fresh dill!
Tina says
I’m definitely pinning for later, I wanted to try to use more cauliflower in my diet to replace simple starches. This looks great:)
Vicky says
This is a perfect use for cauliflower!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
Yummy! I loved mashed cauliflower and substitute it instead of potatoes a lot. I can’t wait to try your version with the pesto!! Awesome recipe!
Vicky says
The pesto makes it even better : )
Nichole says
I’m a full on potato girl too, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out how good cauliflower mash can be! I love your addition of pesto, it sounds really tasty!
Vicky says
Right?! Potatoes all the way, but cauli mash I can’t say no to!
serena says
I have been wanting to try cauliflower mash for quite some time now. My family isn’t a lover of cauliflower but I think I’m going to sneak this one in and see who notices 🙂
Vicky says
You’ve got to sneak it in! I bet they won’t even know it’s made with cauliflower!
Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C says
Wow, that looks delicious! The combination of cauliflower with pesto sounds wonderful. I love that you roasted the garlic here.
Vicky says
Yes the roasted garlic add a real depth of flavor here!
Mark says
Wouldn’t it be nice to do potato with cauliflower?
Vicky says
Yea you could use some potato here if you wanted to but I honestly love cauliflower mash by itself.
jeanette jacobie says
Can you use something different instea of pesto?
Thanks Jeanette
Vicky says
Yes, you can omit the pesto and replace it with different fresh herbs — dill or basil both work well here!