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Our favourite cheesy roasted cauliflower mashed potatoes

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There are mashed potatoes, and there are THESE cheesy roasted cauliflower mashed potatoes. With slightly nutty and sweet roasted cauliflower, potato and cheese in them (and a bit of yummy thyme), they could well be your new go-to mash recipe!

A small red cast iron pot of cauliflower and potato mashed potatoes garnished with roasted cauliflower

The BEST mashed potatoes!

There aren’t too many recipes that I would call my ‘go-to recipes’. There’s THIS amazing Greek chicken and potatoes that I literally could eat every day of my life, for instance. There’s this easy moussaka which I like to make for guests. And there’s this nothing-short-of-incredible 6-ingredient Swedish chocolate cake, which I have dreams about!

But when it comes to mash, THIS roasted cauliflower and potato mash recipe is always the one I turn to.

What’s so great about it? Well, here goes…

  • It’s a mixture of pureed cauliflower AND potato AND cheese. Mashed cauliflower alone can be a bit too runny. Adding a little potato too makes the mash just right.
  • Roasting the cauliflower gives the mash a delicious, slightly nutty and sweet flavour. Yum.
  • You could say this is like a cross between a classic mashed potato and a potato cauliflower puree – a kind of cauliflower cheese mash. It’s super delicious when you eat it with roast meat, vegetables and gravy. I always make it when I have family or guests over for a traditional British roast dinner!
  • You can make it ahead. I sometimes make it the day before. I pour my delicious cauliflower mashed potatoes into some kind of small serving dish with a lid like the one in my photos (affiliate link). When I’m ready to serve up dinner, I simply reheat on medium power in the microwave.
  • You can make it look quite fancy! Save some of the delicious roasted cauliflower florets to sprinkle over the top, and drizzle over a bit of olive oil.
  • Adding some fresh or dried thyme is the icing on the cake!
roasted cauliflower
Roasting the cauliflower gives the mash a slightly sweet and nutty flavour!

What ingredients do you need?

  • roasted cauliflower
  • boiled potato
  • warm milk infused with fresh or dried thyme
  • cheese and butter (swap for a big drizzle of olive oil if you prefer or for vegan cheese and olive oil if you want to make your mash vegan)
  • salt and pepper to taste

And how do you make it with a food processor?

All you do is roast cauliflower while boiling a bit of choppped potato (photos 1 and 2). Then you pulse the cauliflower, potato, cheese and a bit of warm herb-infused milk and butter in the food processor (photos 5 to 8). Done!

I usually warm the milk in a small saucepan and add some thyme to infuse with the wonderful flavour. If I’m feeling a bit short on time though I sometimes mix the thyme into the milk and microwave it instead (photo 3)!

Just like this…

How to make roasted cauliflower and potato mash - 8 process photos

You will end up with a mash that is somewhere between classic mashed potatoes and a potato puree. If you’d prefer your cauliflower mash to be a bit thicker, simply add a bit more potato.

Save some of the smallest, crispiest bits of cauliflower for garnishing the top!

The best part is warming the milk with thyme in it on the stove. It’s strangely calming and satisfying, and smells divine!

Pro tips: 1. Don’t over process. If you blend for too long, the mash can become a little too smooth and ‘gloopy’ – at least for my liking! 2. Once you’ve made your impressive looking side dish, you can pop a lid or cover on it and keep it warm in the oven until you’re ready to eat.

FAQ

I don’t have a food processor. Can I still make this?

Don’t worry if you don’t have a food processor. Mashing and stirring works well too. Just use your potato masher, or even a fork. Your mash might not be quite as smooth, but that’s OK.

Hmmm… butter and cheese… how can I make my cauliflower mash healthier?

Well… there’s only a little bit of butter and cheese in each portion of mash. But if you prefer you can add a big drizzle of olive oil instead of butter.

You could even skip the cheese altogether if you like, or use less of a stronger tasting cheese. Something like parmesan would work really well.

What can I serve with it?

  • Serve it with a roast. Any kind of roasted meat or baked fish, or even a vegetarian alternative like this delicious baked eggplant goes well. I usually serve more roasted vegetables with this meal, too, and maybe some delicious gravy!
  • I sometimes serve it with some good quality sausages. This meal is delicious comfort food either as it is or with a green vegetable on the side.
  • Serve it with a casserole such as this Mediterranean stove top chicken casserole or this baked chicken and chorizo with cherry tomatoes.
  • Believe it or not, the taste and texture of this mash reminds me a little of hummus! So if you are feeling brave, why not serve it as a dip with raw vegetables, bread sticks or tortilla chips?
Are these the best mashed potatoes ever? They combine roasted cauliflower with potato and cheese. Delicious!
Cauliflower mash is delicious with sausages!

Not quite what you’re looking for? Try these crispy brussels sprouts with tahini sauce and almonds instead. They’ll be the best brussels sprouts of your life!

More easy potato side dishes

Cheesy roasted cauliflower and potato mash garnished with roasted cauliflower and olive oil in a red dish

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An overhead shot of some roasted cauliflower mashed potatoes in a small red dish garnished with cauliflower florets

Cheesy roasted cauliflower mashed potatoes

Mash made with delicious roasted cauliflower and potatoes and cheese. These are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever tasted!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Cuisine British
Servings (click to change) 4 as a side dish (or 2 to 3 served with sausages!)
Author Helen

Equipment (affiliate links)

food processor
potato masher
small baking dish with lid

Ingredients

cups/ounces – grams/ml
  • 1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting)
  • 1 medium potato peeled and chopped into small chunks.
  • 4 tablespoons grated cheese (or 1 handful – any strong cheese e.g. strong cheddar)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2 thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • salt & black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 220C/420F.
  • Spread the cauliflower out on a baking tray in one layer and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden and almost caramelised.
  • At the same time, boil the potato chunks until they are soft (about 15 minutes). Also warm the milk in a small saucepan with one of the thyme sprigs or the dried thyme.
  • Put aside a small handful of the roasted cauliflower florets. Then put the rest into the bowl of a food processor and blend with a bit of the warm milk (thyme sprig removed!).
  • Add the potato, butter, cheese and as much of the rest of the milk as you need to blend to a smooth puree.
  • Finally, grind in plenty of salt and pepper and blend for a couple more seconds.
  • Scrape the mash into a nice serving dish. Top with the reserved cauliflower florets, a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves (if using fresh) and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Making your mash ahead

If you cover your finished dish of mash, it keeps warm in the oven really well until you’re ready to eat.
You can even make it the day before and take it along to a party/event. Just warm it through in a microwave just before serving (try 3.5 minutes at 80% power). 

Cheese

This is ‘cheesy’ enough for us, but go ahead and add more cheese if you want your mash to be super cheesy. 
Alternatively, swap the 4 tablespoons of ordinary grated cheese e.g. cheddar for something stronger like parmesan. I’d use just 2 tablespoons of parmesan, though. 
To make this cauliflower mash vegan, you can even skip the cheese and butter altogether and just add a big drizzle of olive oil instead. Yum!

How to serve this cauliflower mashed potatoes

I sometimes serve this with sausages, vegetables (fresh or frozen) and gravy. It’s also great with grilled or roasted meats or fish, a casserole, or any other dish you’d usually serve mashed potatoes with. 

Nutrition

Calories: 226.05kcalCarbohydrates: 14.98gProtein: 6.97gFat: 16.62gSaturated Fat: 6.85gCholesterol: 26.01mgSodium: 160.14mgPotassium: 676.58mgFiber: 4.28gSugar: 3.82gVitamin A: 316.8IUVitamin C: 76.16mgCalcium: 131.86mgIron: 2.48mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know if you liked it!

Comments

  1. Heather says

    Do you know how many cups of milk and tablespoons of butter that is? Would love to make this!

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Hello Heather! You need about a quarter to a third of a cup of milk (just add it slowly until it’s nice and creamy) and about 2 tablespoons of butter. I’ve made this twice in the past two weeks and it was still as delicious as ever. Hope you enjoy it too!

      Reply

    • Helen says

      Hi, Phoebe! Really happy you like this … it feels like you’re eating something naughty, but it’s actually quite nutritious, as you say. Thanks so much for passing by!

      Reply

  3. [email protected] Whole and Heavenly Oven says

    I’ve tried mashed cauliflower before and loved it, but roasted?? And with potatoes and ALL THE CHEESE thrown into the mix too?! I am obsessed and pretty much drooling all over the place. This is going on the menu and I may or may not be inclined to share. 😉

    Reply

  4. Mary Frances says

    Pass me the whole bowl! Helen, this looks so so good, even at 10 in the morning! 🙂 I never ever would’ve guessed that wasn’t potatoes. I have got to try this on my family asap – adding cauliflower to the grocery list!

    Reply

    • Helen says

      I was amazed at how lovely and smooth this mash was, too! The trick is definitely to still include a bit of potato. Please do try it out on your family … they’ll love it!

      Reply

  6. Shashi at RunninSrilankan says

    YES to sneaking in some wonderfully roasted cauliflower into this potata mash! And I am loving the thyme in there too – Lightened up and veggie packed goodness – who needs a plate – eh? 🙂

    Reply

  9. Maggie says

    At first I thought it’s a moist and creamy bowl of mashed potato, with a closer look, I found it’s even better! What a great idea to use roasted cauliflowers. So healthy and delicious 🙂

    Reply

  10. Izzy says

    I’ve only tried to make cauliflower mash once and it was a complete disaster but yours looks so creamy and delicious!! Roasted vegetables are the best and that is a great idea to roast the cauliflower before mashing it! I am totally going to try that next time 🙂

    Reply

    • Helen says

      The key is definitely to mix in a bit of mashed potato as well as the cauliflower, Izzy. Give that a try next time and let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  12. Liz says

    Your mash sounds amazing! I’ve finally gotten Bill to like roasted cauliflower, and I think he’d go for this, too!!! If not, I’d be happy to eat the whole batch 🙂

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Hi, Kathleen … thank you sooo much for the compliment on the photos. I take that as a huuuuge compliment coming from you!

      Reply

  14. Melanie @ Bon Appet'Eat says

    First of all, I love the pictures, amazing shots!
    Second, I looks super good, and we make it at home too and it is always a success.
    Thirdly, so sorry I have not visited your blog in so long… I fell off the wagon.
    I think that’s it! 🙂

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Hello, Melanie! Don’t apologise for not passing by … I totally understand! Really happy that you did though today and of course – really happy you like the mash!

      Reply

    • Helen says

      Hello, Mila! Really glad you like it … it’s definitely my new favourite side dish. I just couldn’t stop eating it when I made it last!

      Reply

  16. Ashley says

    Oooo I love that this has both cauliflower and the bit of potato! It looks fantastic – and so dang comforting! Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

    Reply

  19. Laura says

    I’m just laughing out loud at the “classic U.K.” meals. I guess I’ve never heard of sausage and mash and I’m thinking, hmmmm. I had to be honest, when I was visiting the UK, the food looked nothing like the delicious food on your blog. Anyhow, I love potatoes, but the idea of incorporating cauliflower, the nuttiest veggie out there is fabulous! Roasted cauli will always be my favorite. I think these would be perfect with a nice roast or ham for Sunday lunch.

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Oh, Laura, you obviously didn’t find the best places to go when you were in the UK. There is indeed some dodgy food to be found, but there is some excellent food, too – good pubs are great places to find it in particular.
      I actually didn’t know sausage and mash was only a British thing … wow! You’ve got to try it, Laura … especially with this amazing mash!

      Reply

    • Helen says

      Thanks, Janette! I did actually want to eat the whole dish with myself but I had to share 🙁 Next time I’ll make a whole bowl just for me!

      Reply

    • Helen says

      Hello, Amanda … thanks so much for passing by! I could eat a big bowl of this right now, too … and it’s breakfast time!

      Reply

  25. Eva says

    Je ne jamais testé le purée de coli fleur ! Quand j’étais petite, ma mère le faisais souvent au four avec la béchamel. J’ai vu ta photo en Facebook et c’est ma fille qui ta mis le commentaire. Elle a vu la photo et elle m’ai dit : “Laisse moi écrire un commentaire ici” ! Ton purée ça donne vraiment envie ! Bon weekend 🙂

    Reply

  26. mira says

    Love it Helen! I make a similar mash, with potatoes and cauliflower, I just leave it a little more watery. Love yours and will definitely try it! The addition of sausage sounds fantastic!

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Thanks, Mira! I love the cauli and potato combo … I think the consistency is just right, but it’s so easy to adapt it to your personal taste with a little more or less milk.
      Hope you’re having a great weekend!

      Reply

  27. Chrissy says

    First off, love the bowl. Second, I have bangers and and mash on my to-do for the next few weeks. so I’m totally going to try this!

    Reply

  29. marcie says

    Oh my gosh, Helen, I want to eat that whole bowl! This looks beyond delicious, and with the roasted goodness of cauliflower, these would be the best mashed potatoes ever! Pinned, and have a great weekend!

    Reply

    • Helen says

      Hi, Marcie! I’m so happy I impressed you with this mash! It really is delicious … thanks so much for pinning, and you have a great weekend, too!

      Reply

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