Mashed Cauliflower made well is seriously tasty in its own right, not just the low carb cousin of rich, buttery mashed potato. Nowadays, it’s borderline “trendy”. You can find it regularly on plates served up by up market bistros and fine dining restaurants!

The secret to make cauliflower taste like mashed potato is the flavorings. You can’t just boil up a big pot of cauliflower and mash it!

How to make Cauliflower Mash in a slow cooker

Ingredients

•  1 medium head cauliflower (stem and leaves removed, cut into 1 ½-inch florets)
•  ½ cup raw cashews
•  ½ cup shallots (roughly minced)
•  3 medium garlic cloves (roughly minced)
•  3 cups vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
•  2 cups water
•  2 tbsp chives (roughly minced)
•  ½ tsp salt (optional)
•  ¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
•  ½ cup green onion (sliced)
•  red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

Directions

1. Add the cauliflower, cashews, shallots, garlic, vegetable broth, water, chives, and salt (if using) to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir.
2. If the cauliflower is not submerged in the water/vegetable broth then add more water or broth until it’s completely covered.
3. Cook for 3 hours on the high setting or 6 hours on low.
4. Once the cauliflower is cooked, with a slotted spoon, add the ingredients to a food processor or blender (reserve the liquid in the slow cooker). Blend until smooth.
5. You shouldn’t need any liquid added to the mashed cauliflower, but if you want a thinner consistency add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid until you reach the desired consistency.
6. Transfer the cauliflower mash to a bowl and stir in the green onions.
7. Top with red pepper flakes, if using, and taste for additional desired seasonings.

Notes/ Options

Substitutions

• Instead of shallots, use red or yellow onion.
• Instead of chives, use other herbs of choice and feel free to use 2–4 tablespoons! There’s room for more herbs in this recipe.
• Nut allergy – Omit the cashews, or substitute sunflower seeds. They add a layer of creaminess to this dish, but they’re not necessary.
• Add one or two tablespoons of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
• Add more herbs to the slow cooker like one or two tablespoons of rosemary, thyme, parsley, or oregano for a variety of herbal flavors.