Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

Are you looking for a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes, but still want to enjoy the same creamy taste and texture? If so, look no further than this Instant Pot mashed cauliflower. Not only is the recipe incredibly easy to whip up and can be made with just a few ingredients and your handy dandy Instant Pot, but it's also a little more guilt-free than potatoes. We have to give that a round of applause!

Recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge is the brains behind this delightful dish. She shares that her favorite part of the recipe is "being surprised as to how much it tastes like potato and NOT cauliflower!" She continues to say, "It is amazing how you can keep your fruit and vegetable intake up by eating this delicious side dish." We could think of plenty of things to serve this scrumptious dish with. It would go well as a side at any family dinner, BBQ, or get-together with a big crowd. And the best part is, it tastes so good, nobody will even miss that there's no potato!

Keep scrolling for all the scoop on how to make this yummy side dish, which we're sure will become a new favorite.

The first step in any recipe is gathering everything that you need to pull the dish together. You will likely have a lot of these items in your own pantry, making for a small grocery list if you even need to venture out at all. For this fantastic side dish, you'll need two heads of cauliflower, 2 tablespoons of butter, ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of chives. It's as easy as that! And once you gather the necessary ingredients, you're ready to begin.

To kick things off, wash the cauliflower heads. Then, pat them dry, and prepare them for cutting. The cauliflower should be chopped into tiny, bite-size pieces like the above photo shows. The smaller pieces will make them cook a little easier once they're ready to go in the Instant Pot. 

Next, you'll want to get your trusty Instant Pot ready. We can't stress this enough: The most amazing thing about Instant Pot recipes is that this amazing kitchen appliance does basically all of the work for you.

Once you have your Instant Pot out, it's time to begin adding your ingredients to it. First, grab the chicken broth that you have measured out, and add it to the pot along with the trivet. Then, add the cauliflower to the pot, and put the lid on it. Set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for four minutes. Once it starts cooking, you will begin to smell the wonderful aroma of cauliflower fill up your kitchen.

When your timer goes off, you'll want to quick release the steam in the Instant Pot. Then, open the lid, and check out the masterpiece that awaits you. Grab the potato masher, and mash the cauliflower until it is smooth and looks like a mashed potato mixture. At this time, you can add some cheese if you choose to. "A sharp cheese like Parmesan would be great," Olayinka suggests.

Once everything is mashed well, you'll want to add your butter, black pepper, and salt to the Instant Pot. Now, grab a whisk, and mix everything together.

Congratulations, because you are almost ready to enjoy this delicious side!

Once everything appears to be well-blended, it's ready to come out of the Instant Pot and go into a serving dish of your choice. Sprinkle it with chopped chives on top. You can pair it with several different items, but Olayinka says, "Sausages will be the perfect match ... or as a side to a roasted dinner (roast chicken, vegetables, mashed potatoes)." Quite honestly, we'd love it with anything!