Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes
Say goodbye to boring cauliflower. This recipe elevates the simple floret into a delicious and smooth purée. Perfect for a weeknight side, this dish requires minimal effort, taking only 30 minutes from start to finish. The secret? Steaming the cauliflower and garlic until perfectly tender, then whipping it with nonfat buttermilk and a hint of olive oil for an irresistibly light and fluffy texture.
Ingredients:
- 8 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
- (approximately one head of cauliflower)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk*
- 4 Teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste (optional)
- Fresh Chives for Garnish (optional)
Preparation:
- Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, approximately 12–15
minutes. (If you do not have a steamer basket, you may place cauliflower florets and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup of water, cover, and microwave on High for 3-5 minutes.)
- Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic into a food processor. Add nonfat buttermilk, 2 teaspoons of Olive oil, unsalted butter, salt and pepper (if desired) to the food processor bowl. Pulse several times and then process until smooth.
- Transfer to serving bowl. Drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.
*Tip: Can’t find nonfat buttermilk? You can make sour milk by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/3 cup of nonfat milk, mixing well.
Nutrition Analysis per Serving
- Total Calories: 115 calories
- Fat: 6.5 grams
- Cholesterol: Less than 5 mg
- Protein: 5 grams
- Carbohydrate: 12 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Sodium: 200 milligrams
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5 grams
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 gram
Information compiled from data in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
