Creamy parmesan Instant Pot mashed cauliflower is a healthier, low carb alternative to mashed potatoes. Prep it ahead in the Instant Pot for an easy holiday side dish!
I’m back with another healthy holiday side dish.
Remember last week when I posted this Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Pine Nuts?
Well today, we’re talking cauliflower. Mashed cauliflower. Which doesn’t sound appetizing in the least, but trust me, it is. Especially when parmesan cheese, garlic and fresh thyme are involved. It gets so creamy, you’re going to forget you’re eating cauliflower!
My favorite part about this Instant Pot mashed cauliflower is that you can put the whole head of cauliflower right in the Instant Pot! No need to break it down into florets. Just remove the leaves and put the whole head right in!
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Cooking this recipe
Like I mentioned above, for this Instant Pot mashed cauliflower recipe, I put the whole head of cauliflower in the Instant Pot. Because of this, it does take longer to cook (15 minutes on steam), but I just loved how hands off it is to make.
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- Put some stock, garlic, and fresh thyme leaves in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Place the cauliflower, leaves removed, and scrubbed, on the trivet
- Cook on the steam setting for 15 minutes, then do a quick pressure release
- Allow the cauliflower to cool slightly before transferring to a bowl and mashing with parmesan cheese, greek yogurt and some seasoning
Can you make it ahead?
Of course you know me, I’m all about the make ahead meals. We made this Instant Pot mashed cauliflower ahead and re-heated it in a variety of ways:
- BEST: bake it in a casserole dish (covered) at 350°F for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through
- In a pinch: just heat it in the microwave.
- Keep it warm: Make it ahead and keep it warm in the Instant Pot using the ‘warm’ setting. You’ll want to keep the lid on to keep it from drying out.
Are you looking for a stove top or slow cooker method of cooking this mashed cauliflower? Then check out this post.
Recipe tips:
- Make sure to let the cauliflower cool 5-10 minutes (with the Instant Pot lid removed) before mashing. This helps extra moisture drip down (and helps it get extra creamy!), and makes it easier to handle
- If you are looking to prep a bigger batch, you could cook this in two batches, or you will need to chop your cauliflower into florets. This tutorial tells you how to cook it in florets.
- I used my trusty 6 quart Instant Pot; this recipe has not been tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot
More Instant Pot recipes:
- 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes
- Instant Pot Enchilada Quinoa Casserole,
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- 38 Instant Pot Meal Prep Recipes
Creamy Parmesan Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower leaves removed
- 1 cup stock
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
Mash with
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt plain
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the stock, garlic cloves and sprigs of thyme in the bottom of a 6 quart Instant Pot. Place the trivet on top and the cauliflower on the trivet.
- Cook for 15 minutes on the steam setting. Do a quick pressure release (release the pressure immediately when the IP beeps). Allow the cauliflower to rest with the lid open for 10 or so minutes, until it cools slightly and it safer to handle (and allows extra moisture to drip off).
- Carefully transfer the cauliflower to a new pot with as little liquid as possible from the Instant Pot.
- Mash with the yogurt, cheese, salt and pepper.
- This recipe is easy to re-heat in a pot or the microwave, and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.
