I've tried many variations of mashed cauliflower and while I've enjoyed them all, all were not as "fluffy" as I would like, and in fact leaned toward the "porridge-like" side - until now. Steaming the cauliflower, rather than cooking it in water, obviously is the solution and I'm happy to be this recipe's first reviewer so I can reveal the secret!
I absolutely HATE cauliflower! What possessed me to try this recipe I have no idea, but I am glad I did! Creamy and delicious and definitely not overpowering on the cauliflower flavor.
A few hints to make it stand out:
Be sure you drain the cauliflower after steaming. You may even find a way to squeeze excess water from it. Once everything is blended, it is very thin. It holds it's shape and "acts" like mashed potatoes, but still very thin.
I felt the salt was actually lacking so I doubled the amount.
Keep the food processor running the whole time while you add stuff. You want to really process the heck out of it to get that creamy consistency.
HERE IS THE BIG HINT!!! Once you are done and ready to scoop it out of the food processor to serve it - DON'T! Scoop it out and put it back in the pot you used to steam the cauliflower (after draining and drying the pot). Heat it until piping hot. On medium, this will only take a minute or two while you stir constantly. Because the cauliflower is whirring around in the processor and you're adding cold cream cheese and cold parmesan cheese, it really brings the temperature way down. I ate it immediately (it was good) and then tried a 2nd batch after heating it and the difference was dramatic. HEAT!
From a healthy standpoint this recipe is great. It is low carb, has fiber, low fat, and low calories. To top, it is super easy to make. The garlic flavor is prominent, so you must like garlic. I had a 16oz bag of cauliflower in the freezer, I wanted to use up. I defrosted it and steamed it in the microwave for 5 minutes. For the tablespoon of cream cheese I had to use regular, as it was all I had from another recipe. The salt seemed like a lot, so I did use the Kosher salt suggested. It wasn't too salty. I don't have a food processor, so I put it in my Vitamix blender on medium speed. I tried to cream half of it, but it moved to the sides of the container. So, I added the rest of the ingredients minus the other half of the cauliflower. When I did that it all blended. After it was creamed I added the other half of the cauliflower and blended it until it was a good consistency. I like the way this looks like mashed potatoes, but doesn't give that heavy belly filling. I got about 3 small servings.
I love cauli, so I knew I would like this recipe. However, please try next time to roast the cauli first; sprinkle evoo, garlic salt/pepper on 400d til it turns brown/crispy...then mash it and add the cream cheese and parm cheese to make it really creamy. You'll never eat cauli any other way! Yum!
Oh. My. Goodness. This is unbelievable! I have tried mashed cauliflower before and it was terrible. I don't know if this is so good because of steaming it or using the food processor instead of a mixer or adding cream cheese and parm. But whatever it is, I'm not messing with it! My husband even thought he was eating mashed potatoes (just not my usual ones :) I will definitely make this again. ***7/31/13 - I made this again and messed with it :) I used Laughing Cow Light Garlic and Herb Cheese Wedges and refrigerated minced garlic. I also used my immersion blender which worked very well. Came out great and was even easier to make with less clean up.
This is a great variation to use cauliflower. I grow my own and have been looking for some tasty recopies. I did modify the recipe slightly by topping with butter which melted on the top. Additionally I added some spices for more flavor. Otherwise the method of mashing the vegetable is awesome. My husband had two large helping. Thanks for sharing.
Delicious. I used my immersion blender to puree. I added a bit more fresh herbs (right in the steamer) and used non dairy cream cheese as well as Parm cheese. I am going to stock up on cauliflower when it goes on sale because my family really enjoyed this. **5/14/13 update. I roasted my cauliflower with garlic and onions I tossed in a little olive oil with some salt and pepper. I added fresh herbs the last 5 minutes of cooking then pureed everything in a bowl using my stick blender. Took the flavor to another level; soooo good! I sprinkled with Parmesan cheese to serve. Even my one son - who never eats cauliflower- ate this and asked for seconds!
A hint for those who found it to be too runny. Try cooking the cauliflower less, so that it is still a little firm rather than mushy. Also, fresh cauliflower, trimmed then soaked in cold water for a half hour or more will improve both texture and flavor. (True for most fresh veggies!). Enjoy!
This is another good healthy recipe that I found under the MyPlate recipes collection that I really enjoyed. I have tried cauliflower a couple times in my life and I could not stand it. But I kept hearing about how good mashed cauliflower is so I decided to go ahead and give it another chance..and I'm so glad I did! I used fresh cauliflower and used minced garlic. I overdid it with the garlic but that was my fault. Next time I will use much less garlic and more parmesan cheese. I just love being able to prepare a healthy dish that also tastes great! thanks for sharing your recipe!
This is a good base recipe, but as is it is very bland. I used 4 tbs cream cheese and 1 cup parmesan. I got 6 good-sized servings.
