Mashed Cauliflower vs Mashed Potatoes (Plus My Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe!)
Oh, mashed potatoes. My kryptonite. Mashed potatoes have always been my go to comfort food. Bad day? Feeling sick? Mashed potatoes cure everything. I’m all for eating hearty mashed potatoes from time to time. Everyone deserves a warm bowl of mashed goodness!
But, what if you’re diet restricts you from eating potatoes? Or, you’re trying to stick to a low carb diet? OR… maybe you want to indulge in the taste of mashed potatoes more often than special occasions and stay somewhat healthy?
So, I thought I’d do a little side by side comparison of regular mashed potatoes vs. cauliflower mashed “potatoes” for you guys! Just to give a breakdown of nutrition, taste & preparation.
Mashed Cauliflower vs Mashed Potatoes
Did you know you can actually make “mashed potatoes” using cauliflower! And they taste pretty darn good. Ok, so it’s not exactly the same. But you get the same flavors and close to the same consistency, with a fraction of the calories and carbs.
What exactly is the difference between a half cup of plain, boiled white potatoes and a half cup of plain, boiled cauliflower? Let’s crunch some numbers…
White potatoes
67.1 calories
1.3 g protein
15.6 g carbs
0.1 g fat
Cauliflower
14.3 calories
1.1 g protein
2.5 g carbs
0.3 g fat
So what exactly does that mean? Basically, by eating cauliflower instead of potatoes, you save about 53 calories and 13 grams of carbs, per half cup. Most of us eat AT LEAST a cup of mashed potatoes though, let’s be real. That also doesn’t take the ingredients you add to make them “mashed” into consideration.
So what about the nutrients in potatoes and cauliflower? How do they compare?
Potatoes and cauliflower are about the same in iron content, but potatoes contain more B1, B3, B5 & B6. While cauliflower has higher amounts of b2, calcium and vitamins K and C.
Let’s also talk about their Glycemic Index. Potatoes can raise your blood sugar much faster than cauliflower because they have a higher glycemic index. Cauliflower on the other hand has a very low Glycemic Index of 15! Meaning it will have little to no effect on your blood sugar levels.
So, if you’re in the mood for a healthier alternative, try out my favorite Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe!
Easy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 head garlic
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese non dairy works too
- 1 tbsp cream cheese non dairy works too
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F.Β Cut the top 1/2-inch of the garlic head off to expose cloves. Lay the garlic on a sheet of foil, drizzle it with olive oil and wrap it to enclose. Roast the garlic in your preheated oven until the cloves have softened and are just lightly golden brown, about 40 – 45 minutes.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain the cauliflower.
- Remove the garlic from the skin (just squeeze them upward to remove).
- Place the cauliflower and garlic, along with the remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
A Few Other Cooking Notes:
I recommend using fresh cauliflower vs. frozen cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower can leave you with a runny dish. I also recommend using some sort of a mixer, food processor or immersion blender vs. a potato masher. A potato masher won’t get you the smooth consistency you’re looking for. This recipe is SUPER EASY and tastes amazing. You can easily make it ahead of time and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat. To reheat, just throw it into an oven safe dish and heat at 350F until warm.
