Lighten up your Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter menu with this healthy, sugar-free, paleo cauliflower and sweet potato mash spiced with warming cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon. This healthy mash is also great as a side dish with pretty much any main. This recipe is also Whole30, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly.
Forget about marshmallows and sticky-sweet sugar coating! It’s time to let the sweet potato show off its true colours and natural sweetness in this delicious mash that is perfect for a Thanksgiving table, Easter or any weeknight dinner for that matter.
Mixing in a bit of cauliflower lightens up the mash even further and adds a boost of nutrients. Instead of sugar, I love to add warm spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cumin, which add a real festive twist to this dish. Creamy and satisfying, this mash is a perfect side dish that is paleo, Whole30 and vegan-friendly.
How To Make Cauliflower Sweet Potato Mash
Making this dish is super simple and can be done ahead of time. All you need to do is pre-cook the sweet potato and cauliflower, add the spices and process everything into a pureed mash.
Step 1. Place sweet potato in a large pot and fill with double the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook together for 5 more minutes, until both vegetables are soft enough to puree.
Step 2. Drain the vegetables and transfer to a food processor. Add the coconut oil, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. To achieve evenly smooth mash, you will need to stop and start the blending to scrape the sides and stir the mixture through.
Tip: If you’re cooking a larger batch, you may have to do this part in two batches, depending on the size of your food processor. Add a little almond milk or water, if you need some liquid.
A note on seasonings: You can use a variety of spices in the mash. I went with cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon but you can also add a little onion or garlic powder. For a less savoury version, stick with nutmeg, cinnamon and a splash of vanilla and use more sweet potato for a sweeter finish.
I find that using a food processor produces the best mash when made with cauliflower and potato, but you can also use a hand-held masher or an immersion blender. If you need to add a little bit of liquid, use something like almond milk or vegetable stock.
Serve the mash in a large bowl topped with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of pepper and nutmeg.
More Healthy Side Dishes To Try
- Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon, Mushrooms & Almonds (with VIDEO)
- Baked Sweet Potatoes With Miso Butter
- Cauliflower Egg Fried Rice (Paleo, Whole30, Low-Carb)
- Spiced Roasted Parsnips
- Roast Pumpkin & Beetroot Salad With Maple Walnuts
- Side Salad With Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
Full Recipe
Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.
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Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and diced into large cubes (about 400 g)
- 1/2 head cauliflower broken into florets and halved/quartered, depending on size
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil measured when solid or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A pinch of pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped spring onions/scallions
For 6-8 servings
- 2 medium sweet potatoes diced into cubes
- 1 head cauliflower broken into florets
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil measured when solid or olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
- A pinch of pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped spring onions/scallions
Instructions
- Place sweet potato in a large pot and fill with double the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook together for 5 more minutes, until both vegetables are soft enough to puree.
- Drain the vegetables and transfer to a food processor. Add the coconut oil, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. To achieve evenly smooth mash, you will need to stop and start the blending to scrape the sides and stir the mixture through. If you’re cooking a larger batch, you may have to do this part in two batches depending on the size of your food processor. Add a little almond milk or water if you need some liquid.
- Serve the mash in a large bowl topped with chopped green onions and a sprinkle of pepper and nutmeg.
Is this dish served cold or can you heat it up in oven? Thanks.
Ideally, you want it served hot as with regular mashed potatoes 🙂 Reheat in the oven or in a pot on the stovetop.