A great alternative to classic mashed potatoes is this cauliflower purée: truly very tasty. It’s very light, without cream and becomes very creamy. I also found a way to remove the typical bad smell: a simple trick to eliminate the smell of boiled cauliflower .
It’s a simple trick found online, the easiest of all actually, and it worked great. The Dutchman really can’t stand the smell of cauliflower and he was even surprised. Later in the procedure you’ll read how I did it.
But enough about the cauliflower smell, let’s talk about the recipe: it’s super simple, few ingredients and little time to bring to the table a side dish to enjoy alongside many main courses. Let’s make it.
Other light cauliflower recipes are here:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cup cauliflower
- 2 oz cream cheese (light, like Philadelphia)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (or Grana)
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- to taste salt, pepper
- sprigs fresh parsley
- to taste vinegar (optional, to avoid cauliflower odor in the kitchen)
- Points per serving = 2 WW points
Tools
- Potato masher
Steps
First weigh the cheeses so they are ready to use. Remove the hard core and outer leaves from the cauliflower and break it into large pieces. You can use the scraps to make vegetable stock.
Put the cauliflower in a pot, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil.
When the water comes to a boil, slightly uncover the pot. Then, as you can see in the photo, place a folded paper towel soaked with vinegar on the rim. That’s all and the smell is gone!
Boil for about 10-15 minutes: the cauliflower should be tender and easy to mash with the tines of a fork.
At this point drain well and put the cauliflower back in the pot so it stays warm.
Add the cheeses, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Use the potato masher to obtain a fairly smooth purée. You can also blend it but I prefer to still feel a few small pieces of cauliflower under the teeth.
And here our cauliflower purée is ready to be served hot with a little chopped parsley on top. It’s also great the next day, just reheat it.
It’s so creamy and I can’t tell you the taste: delicate and flavorful at the same time, truly a delight.
I invite you to try it; once tasted you won’t leave it. Leave me a comment below or on Facebook.
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
Storage
You can prepare this purée in advance and then reheat it in the microwave. Keep it in the fridge for 3 days. I believe it can also be frozen: let it thaw completely before reheating.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How can I make this dish suitable for a vegan diet?
For a vegan version use a vegan spreadable cheese, there are many on the market made with almonds, tasty and fairly healthy. Instead of Parmesan use nutritional yeast.
The nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast rich in vitamin B12. It is widely used in vegan cooking as it gives a cheesy flavor to dishes. To learn more read here: Nutritional Yeast: what it is, how to use it and why!
