My biggest addictions have been chocolate cake, mashed potatoes, and butter sandwiches.
-Frank Lero
I don’t know about butter sandwiches but the other addictions I completely understand, especially mashed potatoes.
The next 3 months are my favorite months of the year. Not because it gets cold, because no one likes that, it’s all the delicious food that comes with the season. Between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, it is a comfort food lovers paradise!
I have several friends that have different dietary needs so I decided to make a comfort food that can work for everyone without loosing its flavor. These Vegan Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are dairy free, gluten free & absolutely delicious! Using a few secret ingredients I was able to get all the flavor you would expect in cheesy mashed potatoes without the calories or cheese!
How to make Vegan Cauliflower Mash:
In order to get your cauliflower ready to mash, boil the florets in lightly salted water for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain & allow them to cool for 4-5 minutes.
(While you want to give the florets time to cool, you still want them relatively hot when you add them to your food processor so you don’t have to re-heat them to serve.)
Next add in your “dry” ingredients. This includes your nutmeg, salt, pepper & garlic.
Depending on how you like garlic you can either 1) add them in raw or 2) sauté your garlic in 1/2 tbsp of your dairy free butter for 2-3 minutes.
Puree your florets & spices together for 2-3 minutes then add in your coconut milk.
The secret to the Cheesiest Vegan Cauliflower Mash:
How can you possibly get cheesy mash without the cheese? Easy, nutritional yeast!
These yeast flakes are packed with B12, fiber, protein, are low on the glycemic scale & packed with folic acid!
You can sprinkle nutritional yeast onto all of your favorite dishes to give them that instant cheese flavor; I have added it to my soups, salads, pasta dishes and even popcorn!
Puree all of the ingredients together for 2-3 more minutes until your vegan cauliflower mash is smooth.
Scoop our your mash into a bowl. Garnish with salt and pepper to taste and top with parsley!
This healthy version of your favorite comfort food lacks little in flavor, works for all dietary needs & is so easy to make!
ENJOY!
- 1 head cauliflower, small
- 1 tbsp dairy free butter
- 1/4 cup light coconut milk (or almond milk)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 cup nutritional yeast use more if like super cheesy
- optional-fresh or dried parsley
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile cut cauliflower into florets. When water is boiling, add florets & cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
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Drain florets & set aside to allow to cool for a few minutes. (you want florets to still be warm just not scolding hot)
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While florets cooling, sauté garlic in 1/2 tbsp of dairy free butter until fragrant.
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Into a food processor add florets, coconut milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic. Puree ingredients together until smooth.
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Scoop cauliflower mashed potatoes into a bowl, add salt & pepper to taste & the remaining 1/2 tbsp butter. Serve & enjoy!