Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower

Name: Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower; 1/4 cup milk; 6 tbsp butter; 3/4 tsp salt (plus more to taste); 1/8 tsp black pepper (plus more to taste); chives (to garnish (optional))

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Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower is a delicious and versatile side dish that's ready to serve in just 20 minutes. This creamy mashed cauliflower recipe is made with simple ingredients and is a great lower carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes. With a few easy swaps, make it dairy-free and vegan, too!

instant pot mashed cauliflower topped with parsley in a white bowl

This Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower recipe is so simple to make and tastes very close to traditional mashed potatoes. It uses only milk, butter, salt and pepper to give it rich and creamy flavor but there are lots of easy variations. Add roasted garlic or parmesan cheese, and even make it vegan with a few ingredient swaps.

There is virtually no prep when making pressure cooked mashed cauliflower, aside from cleaning and preparing the cauliflower for cooking. Yay! My favorite kind of recipes.

This recipe works in any size Instant Pot and it can be prepped ahead so it's a great side dish for meal prepping or busy weeknights. Mashed cauliflower also freezes great for use later on.

MORE INSTANT POT SIDE DISH RECIPES

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a head of cauliflower being chopped on a cutting board

Ingredients

Instant Pot mashed cauliflower is made with:

Cauliflower: a fresh, raw head of cauliflower.
Milk: any type of dairy milk works, even heavy cream for extra rich mashed cauliflower. Oat milk is a great dairy-free milk if you'd prefer to go plant-based.
Butter: unsalted or salted, whichever is your preference works! For a full plant-based recipe, use this vegan butter or olive oil.
Salt and pepper: freshly ground salt and pepper is my favorite.
Chives: optional but recommended.

Equipment Needed

Aside from you pressure cooker it's helpful to have a steamer basket, trivet or silicone sling to put the cauliflower on. A blender, food processor or immersion blender is needed to turn the cooked cauliflower into a puree. If you don't have one of these, a potato masher can be used.

You can make mashed cauliflower in a pressure cooker without a steamer basket too. Place it directly in water and make sure to drain the water before running the cauliflower through the blender.

Variations

Make it vegan/dairy-free: use vegan butter or olive oil and plant-based milk, like oat milk or cashew milk.
Make garlic mashed cauliflower: add a few cloves of garlic or a teaspoon or two of garlic powder. To use fresh garlic cloves, you'll need to saute them in olive oil in the pressure cooker first. You can also use roasted garlic cloves by adding them at the end once the cauliflower has been pressure cooked.
Add fresh herbs: chives and parsley are great additions. Add them at the end, once the cauliflower has been mashed and seasoned otherwise.
Make it cheesy: add grated parmesan cheese at the very end, right before serving.
Replace the milk: use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of milk to achieve a creamy texture.

instant pot mashed cauliflower in a blue bowl

Instructions

STEP 1: Prepare the cauliflower by washing it thoroughly and roughly cutting into chunks. Place in the steamer basket or on a silicone sling/trivet.

STEP 2: Pour 1 cup of cold water into the Instant Pot and put the basket of cauliflower inside. Close and seal the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.

STEP 3: Quickly release the pressure when done. Remove lid and transfer cauliflower to a blender or food processor. Add the milk, butter, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Or use an immersion blender to mash it right inside the inner pot. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Make it creamier here by adding equal parts butter and milk 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary.

Serve immediately, garnished with chopped chives and additional pepper and butter if desired. Enjoy!

instant pot mashed cauliflower topped with parsley in a blue bowl

What To Serve With Mashed Cauliflower

Serve Instant Pot mashed cauliflower with these delicious main dishes:

It also pairs well with more vegetable side dishes like:

How To Store

Mashed cauliflower should be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days in a covered container. It can be frozen for up to 6 months.

FAQs About This Recipe

Does Mashed Cauliflower Taste The Same As Mashed Potatoes?

As delicious as mashed cauliflower is, it does take slightly different than mashed potatoes. In this recipe the cauliflower is mixed with the same ingredients as mashed potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper, so the taste is very similar.

What Is The Texture Of Mashed Cauliflower?

The texture of mashed cauliflower differs based on the ingredients used and how long you puree or mash it. In a blender or food processor you control how smooth the texture is. Let it blend for a shorter time for a chunkier version and longer for a smoother version. This recipe uses milk and butter so the consistency is smooth and creamy when blended for long enough.

How Long Does Cauliflower Take To Pressure Cook?

Cauliflower takes 2 minutes to pressure cook, but since we are mashing it here you should cook it for slightly long- 4 minutes.

Can I Use Frozen Cauliflower?

Yes, frozen cauliflower is fine to use but you should pressure cook it for a few more minutes.

Do I Need To Cut The Cauliflower Before Pressure Cooking It?

I chop the cauliflower to keep the pressure cooking time minimal. You can keep the head of cauliflower whole and pressure cook it for 10 minutes instead if you'd prefer.

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