Instant Pot Herbed Cauliflower Mash (With Stovetop Instructions, too!)

It’s almost Thanksgiving and I am ready for a day of family, fun, and really, really good food. Thanksgiving in my family is full of all the traditional foods: Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and (of course), mashed potatoes. While there is very little I love more than a big old helping of buttery carbohydrates, I definitely appreciate a lighter dish or two to balance out the meal. Our new recipe for Instant Pot Herbed Cauliflower Mash is just the ticket for a super satisfying, full of flavor and healthy Thanksgiving dish.

The best part about this Instant Pot Herbed Cauliflower Mash is that it is essentially a one pot dish that takes only a few minutes to prepare. Start by grabbing your instant pot and a silicone steamer basket. I like this one, which I found at Target. Put about one cup of water in the instant pot. Take a whole head of cauliflower and remove the core and greens. Cut it into quarters and place the florets and pieces into the steamer basket. Pop them in the Instant Pot and you’re halfway there. Set the IP to manual and cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Yes, you read that right: ONE minute. When the time is up, use a quick release. 

When all the steam has released, carefully open the Instant Pot and pull out the steamer basket. Be warned: the silicone will be warm so you may want to use an oven mitt or dish towel so you don’t burn your hands. Drain any excess water from the IP and then return the steamed cauliflower to the pot. 

Using an immersion blender, mash up the cauliflower until it resembles creamy mashed potatoes. Gently fold in 2 ounces of herbed goat cheese, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and some fresh ground pepper. Give it another quick mix with the blender.

I used this herbed goat cheese from Good & Gather, but any flavored goat cheese will be fantastic. Don’t have herbed goat cheese? You can substitute plain goat cheese and add a few teaspoons of fresh chopped herbs. I recommend thyme, chives, or basil. Top with fresh herbs (I used thyme) and serve warm. 

A large head of cauliflower will make approximately 3 1/4 cups of mash. 
You can definitely still make these for Thanksgiving. Simply steam the cauliflower in a large pot over water (check out these instructions), and then drain the water, and proceed with the original directions. 

This recipe will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container and can easily be made ahead and reheated. 

STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS:
Don’t have an IP? You can definitely still make these for Thanksgiving. Simply steam the cauliflower in a large pot over water (check out these instructions). When very tender, remove the cauliflower and drain any remaining water from the pot. Replace the cauliflower into the pot used to steam it and continue on with the recipe as written. 

Looking for another take on mashed potatoes? Try our Pimiento Cheese Mashed Potatoes.

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