Creamy Mashed Cauliflower - great alternative to mashed potatoes!

Three years ago my husband and I stopped at a Ruby Tuesday's for a quick dinner while searching for furniture for our new house. We rarely get a side, or an appetizer, but something on the menu stood out to us so we had to try it - Creamy Mashed Cauliflower.

Let me tell you, this stuff is seriously amazing... and a great substitute for mashed potatoes if you are trying to cut carbs. I decided to make it to bring to Rosh Hashanah that year and everyone fell in love with it. I don't make it often because sometimes finding reasonably priced cauliflower is hard, but it's always my go-to as soon as I can buy some.

The other week cauliflower was on sale cheap so I told my husband we'd be having mashed cauliflower as part of our meal during the upcoming week - no argument from him! Here is how we make it:

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup milk (I've used everything from whole milk to skim, it all works!)
1 tsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (you can totally use black. tastes the same, it just adds the black color to the cauliflower - no big deal. I use black.)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder

1. Divide a head of cauliflower into florets that are all roughly the same size. Steam cauliflower pieces over boiling water for 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Drain the cauliflower and toss it in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. (I use my microwaveable veggie steamer to steam the cauliflower in minutes!)


2. When the cauliflower has cooled, put the florets in a food processor (or blender) along with 1/2 cup of water. Puree the cauliflower on high speed until smooth, but with some very small pieces of cauliflower remaining in the mix for just a bit of texture.

3. Pour all of the pureed cauliflower into a medium saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup of water and add the solution to the cauliflower.

4. Add the cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to the cauliflower and stir. Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes, or until thick.


The process probably takes about 40-60 minutes depending on how long it takes you to cut the cauliflower and if you steam it in the microwave or on the stove. It stores well in the fridge for a week.

Enjoy!!