Garlic Cauliflower and Potato Mash
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Creamy and garlicky Cauliflower and Potato mash is the perfect side dish to serve with a roast beef, turkey or steak dinner. Sneaking extra vegetables into a recipe has never been easier. The kids or your husband will never notice!
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My son lives on two food groups, meat and pizza. In his opinion, fruits and vegetables are unnecessary even though I have explained the possibility of scurvy to him many times. Kidding but for real this kid will not eat a vegetable besides potatoes and Caesar salad!
So for years, I have been trying to find sneaky ways to add them to unsuspecting recipes. Mashed potatoes are one of his favourites so I made them garlicky and hid a half head of cauliflower in them. Knowing I have a history of trying to trick him he noticed the texture was a tiny bit different. I blamed it on the garlic. He shrugged his shoulders, dug in and cleaned his plate!
Most Valuable Players of the Recipe
- Cauliflower – Look for a smaller head because you only need a lb but if you can’t you can just cut a larger head in half and use the rest for Asian Cauliflower Wings or a Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake. Look for firm florets that are free from brown or black spots. Frozen cauliflower can also be used.
- Potatoes – White or gold potatoes work best I find. For this recipe I used white potatoes because they blend in with the white cauliflower better. Less chance of being noticed! But either will do.
- Garlic – I use garlic powder because it is simple and on hand but if you have time you could also roast 4 cloves of garlic in the oven and mash them in if you want to use roasted garlic.
- Butter and Milk – If you want to make this recipe vegan you can swap out vegan butter and your preferred dairy-free milk 1:1. I would not recommend coconut milk or flavored milk.
Making Cauliflower Potato Mash
Making mashed potatoes and cauliflower is super easy and it’s all done in one pot for easy cleanup.
- Chop the cauliflower in medium-sized florets. Remove the stems from the florets as I don’t find the breakdown to a smooth consistency when mashed.
- Peel and chop the potatoes in half.
- Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way with water and add about a tablespoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil and add the potatoes and in first. Let the potatoes boil for about 15 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower to the boiling water and continue to boil for another 10 minutes or until both the potatoes and cauliflower are soft. Turn off the heat.
- Cover the pot with a lid and using oven mitts use the lid to strain the water from the pot into the kitchen sink.
- Add the butter, garlic powder and milk to the pot and use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower and potatoes together to form a finely mashed creamy texture. Serve warm.
How Do You Know When the Potatoes and Cauliflower are Soft Enough?
Both of these vegetables are tested differently. There is really no science to this but this is how I test:
The Potatoes: To test the potatoes to make sure they are soft enough to mash I use a long knife like a chopping knife and poke them while they are boiling. If the knife easily goes through the centre of the potato with little to no resistance I know they are good to go.
The Cauliflower: When I think the cauliflower is close to being done I fish a piece out with a slotted spoon and place it on a cutting board. Then I use a fork and see if I can mash it but squishing it. If it easily mashes or smashes to a smooth consistency then it is done. If the floret breaks apart into tiny little pieces that are sandy or pebbly in texture then the cauliflower needs a little more time to cook.
Storing leftovers
Once the mashed potatoes and cauliflower are cooled, store them in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
More Vegetable Sides To Try
Garlic Cauliflower and Potato Mash
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 Potato Masher
Ingredients
- 2 lb white or yellow potatoes
- 1 lb cauliflower
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 tsp salt; divided
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the cauliflower into bit-sized florets and trim off the hard stems. Discard the stems. Peel and chop the potatoes in half.
- Fill a large pot 2/3 full of water and add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes to the water and boil for 15 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower to the pot of boiling water and continue to boil until both the potatoes and cauliflower are soft.
- Strain the water from the potatoes and cauliflower using a colander or by placing the lid over the pot and using oven mitts to hold the lid in place allowing for a small opening to drain the water from the pot when tipped. Do this over the sink.
- Add a 1/4 cup of butter, 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 cup of milk and 1 tsp of garlic powder to the pot. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and cauliflower together until they are smooth and creamy. Serve warm.
- Add pepper and/or chopped parsley if you wish to season further.
Nutrition
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
