Once you try creamy mashed cauliflower, you may turn your back on mashed potatoes for good. The steamed cauliflower cooks up faster and yields a much smoother purée, without the gummy consistency you risk when whipping potatoes. Cauliflower also reheats nicely, making it perfect for the Thanksgiving table. You can prepare it in advance and forget about it until a few minutes before dinner is served, or bring it along to a potluck feast. You’ll be the hero, providing a light, healthful and vegan option that is still killing it with fall flavor.

Go ahead and top it with traditional gravy, but I recommend the garlic and herb pistou featured here. Pistou is a fresh sauce, similar to a pesto but without the nuts and cheese, traditionally made of basil, garlic and olive oil. For this version, I chose prominent fall herbs like rosemary and thyme to stand up to the meaty cauliflower.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower with Garlic & Herb Pistou

Serves: 6 as a side dish

What You Need:

For the cauliflower:

• 1 head cauliflower 

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter

For the pistou:

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• Leaves from 4-5 stems fresh rosemary

• Leaves from 4-5 stems fresh thyme

• Leaves from 2-3 sprigs fresh parsley

• 3-4 pinches coarse salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

What You Do:

1. Remove the root end and leaves of the cauliflower and discard. With your hands or a knife, separate into large florets. Roughly chop the stems. (see images above and tip below)

2. Peel and crush garlic cloves.

3. In a medium pot fitted with a steamer basket, add water to just above the bottom of the basket. Bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces, crushed garlic cloves and a few pinches of the kosher salt. Steam until the cauliflower is very soft or fork tender, about 10-12 minutes.

4. While the cauliflower is cooking, finely mince 2-3 cloves garlic and the herb leaves. On the cutting board, combine minced rosemary, thyme, and parsley leaves with a few pinches of salt. Crush the leaves and garlic with side of the knife for 1-2 minutes, working the mixture back and forth to release the oils, and creating a paste. Alternatively: you can crush the garlic and herbs together in a mortar and pestle.

5. Transfer to a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and mix. Set aside. 

6. Remove the cauliflower from the pot and reserve some of the cooking liquid.

7. Mash the cauliflower in one of three ways: 1) in a food processor, 2) with a hand-held immersion blender or 3) with a manual masher or ricer. For all methods, add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter and blend or mash until you reach desired consistency. Add cooking liquid (up to ½ cup) as needed to thin and achieve desired creaminess. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish.

8. Drizzle the garlic and herb pistou over the mashed cauliflower. Serve warm.

Cauliflower Cutting Tip: To get evenly sized florets without the mess, remove the root and leaves by cutting into the bottom of the head of cauliflower at an angle. Cut away the thick stem. Then break the head into florets by cutting smaller stem pieces with your fingers or the tip of a knife. See images above.