Instant Pot Cauliflower Leek Mash

by Angela Gallardo in Instant Pot, Lunch & Dinner, Recipes, Sides & Snacks

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Update 2018: this cauli mash is one of the many 36 recipes in my new Instant Pot for Beginners eBook!  Click below to get your copy!

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Adding to the selection of vegetable mashes here on BRG with this hella-creamy Cauliflower Leek Mash!  (Other options are: Creamy Whipped Parsnips and Celery Root & Turnip Mash.)

Recently, I couldn’t truly recall if I had a cauli mash recipe here on the site (a bit like cramming for a test, I completely forget the recipes I post after they’re written up). I checked and in fact, I did not.  Knowing this Apple & Fennel Pork Loin needed a mash-y companion, it seemed like the time to join the cauli mash masses.

I’ve had a few when eating out and they always seem a bit grainy/lumpy/runny/watery.  So a BFF’s recent Christmas cauli mash mishap (are you noticing all the great alliteration happening in this post?), wherein her food processor broke mid-mash-making (wow, again), prompted me to cross my fingers and throw everything into the Blendtec instead of the food processor.

You can tell by the pictures that this was a great idea.

I added leeks for a subtle onion flavor that really enlivens the mash and quite honestly, masks the cauliflower flavor quite a bit.  And took a few cues from the popular Creamy Whipped Parsnips recipe by adding the simple combo of garlic, mayo, and ghee.

Don’t skip the fresh lemon juice, please.  It’s the perfect acidic element to offset the richness from the fats.  And it helps this mash to pair well with pretty much anything you’d like it to.

For the Instant Pot Pork Sirloin Roast with Apple & Fennel shown with the mash, see this post for the recipe!

No Instant Pot? See the note at the bottom to make it over the stove.

Get a printable PDF of the recipe

Cauliflower Leek Mash

Yields: 4 servings

• 24 oz. cauliflower florets (~2 small heads or 2 12-oz floret bags from TJs)
• 2 large leeks
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 tbsp. clean mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Before beginning: ensure you have a large enough wire strainer basket to fit your cauliflower and leeks and that also sits comfortably in the bottom of your Instant Pot bowl.

1. Trim the ends off the leeks and chop small.  Add them with the cauliflower florets to the strainer basket.  Rinse really well with cold water and optional Fruit & Veggie Wash.
2. For a 5- or 6-quart Instant Pot, add 1 cup of water to the bowl and for an 8-quart Instant Pot, add 1 1/2 cups of water to the bowl.  Set the basket of cauliflower and leeks inside the bowl.
3. Set the Instant Pot to the “Steam” function, leave it on high pressure (to adjust from low pressure to high, hit the “Pressure” button once).  Cover with the lid, toggle the time to 4 minutes, and turn the vent to “Sealing.”
4. When cooking is complete, use the Quick Steam Release method by moving the vent to “Venting” to release the pressure (there will be a lot of steam!).
5. Move the strainer basket to your sink basin and with a wide spoon or spatula, gently press excess liquid from the cauliflower (as shown above).  Repeat this for 1-2 minutes, or until very little liquid is dripping off.  Use caution not to press too hard or you’ll start to mash the cauliflower through the strainer basket.
6. Add the cauliflower and leeks to a high-powered blender (I recommend a circular carafe for even blending, like the Twister Jar by Blendtec), along with the garlic clove, mayonnaise, ghee, sea salt, black pepper, and squeeze of lemon juice.  You can use a food processor but the mash will not be as smooth.  Note: don’t go crazy with the lemon juice or your mash will be runnier; just a small squeeze is needed to lighten the flavor of the mash.
7. Blend on low speed until the ingredients are all incorporated together.  Blend on medium to high for 10 seconds to get it very smooth.

*Note: to make this without an Instant Pot, place the wire strainer basket of cauliflower and leeks into a wide stock pot with about 2″ water at the bottom.  Place over medium heat until the water is simmering.  Cover with a lid and turn the heat to low.  Cook covered to steam the veggies until very tender, about 12-15 minutes.  Proceed with the rest of the recipe from step #5.