This Instant Pot mashed cauliflower is creamy, garlicky, and low carb. It’s a fast and healthy side dish that satisfies your comfort food cravings.
This mashed cauliflower checks all the boxes: it’s easy, satisfying, and healthy. While it’ll never truly replace mashed potatoes (because… mashed potatoes), it comes pretty darn close.
Creamy, buttery, garlicky—exactly what you want in a pile of mashed anything. And naturally, it’s gluten free too.
Glow Notes
This is mashed potatoes’ glow-up cousin—lighter, lower in carbs, and still full of comfort. Cauliflower brings fiber, antioxidants, and way less of a blood sugar spike. Butter keeps it creamy and rich without needing any sketchy add-ins. Grass-fed butter isn’t just tasty, it’s packed with fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2, plus conjugated linoleic acid (look it up, it’s basically butter’s secret flex). Garlic adds immune-boosting flavor, and those fresh herbs on top? Digestive bonus points. A little sour cream gives it some tang! Again – it’s all about the balance.
Helpful Recipe Tips
Use what you’ve got to mash it—immersion blender, food processor, or just a regular ol’ hand masher. I go for the hand masher because it’s less clean-up and I am not here to wash extra stuff. Bonus: cauliflower doesn’t get weird or gummy like potatoes if you mash it too long, so no stress.
This is one of those recipes that’s best right away, hot and steamy, topped with your meat of choice. But if you have leftovers, they hold up well. Just store in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave. Still good, still cozy.
Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Potato Masher
- Food Processor, Immersion Blender optional
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower chopped with stem removed
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp butter grass-fed if possible
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp pepper or to taste
- fresh chives and parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Chop up the cauliflower: remove the stem and cut into florets.
- Add cauliflower and garlic to the Instant Pot with about 1 cup of chicken broth.
- Seal the lid, set it to High Pressure, and cook for 6 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure and carefully drain out the chicken broth or water.
- Toss in the butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
- Mash it all up until smooth and creamy. Use a hand masher, immersion blender, or food processor.
- Sprinkle with chives and/or parsley (fresh or dried) and a little extra butter.