RecipeSlim-Style Mashed Potatoes

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
  • Calories: 145
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Total Fat: 2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 29 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3 g
  • Sodium: 185 mg
Take Note

Contains Dairy

Vegetarian

Mashed potatoes are easy to love—soft, creamy, and totally indulgent. They’re the definition of comfort food. I love that they’re also simple to health-ify. You can swap potatoes for cauliflower to lighten things up and boost nutrition in a snap. But, if you’re not ready to make that trade, you can go 50-50, as in this dish. It’s a tasty, lower-carb compromise that’s sure to satisfy.

I provided the standard recipe below, but there are lots of flavorful directions you can take to make this even more unique and special. For example, mix in fresh chopped herbs such as chives, thyme, rosemary and/or sage to jazz up your creation. You can also easily add minced garlic or garlic powder along with grated Parmesan for a zesty finish. Maybe you’ll choose to swap milk for light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt to build a creamier consistency. Or, you can dial up the heat with a few shakes of hot sauce…or by adding a couple of minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. There’s no wrong turn!

  • Prep time
  • Total Time
This recipe makes about 12 cups
Ingredients:
  • • 4 to 5 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks*
  • • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (~4 cups)
  • • ¾ cup milk (skim, 1%, almond, or any other preferred milk)
  • • 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
  • • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

*You can choose to peel skin or leave it on for extra fiber. 

Preparation:

Fill a large pot with water; add potatoes and cauliflower. Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until the largest pieces are fork-tender. Drain veggies and transfer half to ¾ of them to a large mixing bowl. (Because it’s such a huge amount, it’s more manageable to mash half first with milk and seasonings, then add the rest to your bowl and continue to mash.)

Add milk, butter, salt and pepper, and mash them by hand using a potato masher or large spoon or fork. Alternatively, you can mash them using a handheld electric mixer, immersion blender, or food processor. Add the remaining veggies and continue to mash until desired texture is reached; you can opt for smooth and creamy, or form a textured consistency with bits and pieces throughout. If you chose to leave the skin on the potatoes, simply use a spoon or fork to break them up, so you don’t get large chunks of skin.

Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and add optional flavorings for extra zest and uniqueness (see suggestions above). There are so many yummy directions you can take. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition information provided for 1 cup.

Try my Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.