Mashed potatoes have always been a staple side dish in my family growing up served with turkey on Thanksgiving and with our ham on Christmas. Unfortunately, potatoes tend to get a bad rap because they are higher in carbohydrates so people assume they are unhealthy, however how you prepare them is key! For this healthy mashed potato recipe, we are cutting down on the potatoes and sneaking in a whole head of cauliflower for some extra veg and using protein-packed Greek yogurt to make this so creamy. If you are looking for a low-carb option though, my mashed cauliflower recipe is delicious!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Healthier than traditional mashed potatoes and still so creamy.
- You’ll never guess a whole head of cauliflower is in this recipe!
- Easily made all in one pot in just 30 minutes.
- Perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or weeknight dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- potatoes – I personally prefer to use Yukon gold potatoes due to their natural yellow color and buttery texture, but you could also use russet potatoes.
- cauliflower – adds in some extra nutrition and allows us to use less potatoes keeping this dish lighter and lower in carbs. You’ll need one whole head of cauliflower.
- Greek yogurt – takes the place of sour cream or cream cheese that is typically used in mashed potato recipes and adds in some protein making these mashed potatoes so creamy.
- milk – I used unsweetened almond milk to cut down on the fat and calories that milk and cream traditionally bring to mashed potatoes, but feel free to use skim milk or any type of milk you prefer.
- chicken broth – this adds extra flavor while allowing us to use less milk. If you don’t have low sodium chicken broth you can use vegetable broth or even extra milk.
- butter – you don’t need a lot of butter in these healthier mashed potatoes, but they sure do make such a difference and give them that classic taste. You can also use vegan butter as a dairy-free option.
- seasonings – combination of garlic powder (or you could use minced garlic cloves), salt and black pepper to season the mashed potatoes.
- fresh herbs – this is optional, but I used a combination of fresh thyme along with some fresh chives to garnish these potatoes. You could also add in fresh parsley, rosemary or sage.
How to Make Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Chop, chop, chop. Peel and cut your potatoes into 2-inch chunks and chop the head of cauliflower into florets. Set them aside.
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes only (hold off on the cauliflower for now) to a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the potatoes simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower. Add in the cauliflower florets and continue to simmer for an additional 8 to 9 minutes, until cauliflower and potatoes are soft and fork tender.
- Mash. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower then add them back into the pot they were cooked in. Add the milk, Greek yogurt, chicken broth, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper and either mash using a potato masher or blend everything using an electric mixer (or stand mixer) until you get your desired consistency and a nice creamy texture. I personally prefer to use a hand mixer as it really gets the mashed potatoes perfectly fluffy!
- Serve. Transfer mashed potatoes to a bowl, taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed, and garnish with fresh thyme and chives. Enjoy!
How to Serve Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes make a great holiday side, but they are also delicious with other everyday dinners! Here are some of my favorite recipes to serve with these mashed potatoes.
- Healthy Turkey Meatloaf
- Harvest Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage and Veggies
- Classic Beef Stew (serve over the potatoes!)
- Maple Balsamic Chicken Breasts
- Baked Salmon and Veggies
Prepping and Storage
You can store leftovers in a sealed-airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can easily reheat these mashed potatoes on the stove top or in the microwave.
More Holiday Side Dishes
- Bourbon Maple Pecan Sweet Potatoes
- Maple Glazed Squash and Brussels Sprouts
- Sausage, Apple and Herb Stuffing
- Holiday Glazed Acorn Squash
- Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Lightened Up Green Bean Casserole
Hope you all enjoy these Healthy Mashed Potatoes and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me a five-star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Garnish with fresh thyme and chives
Instructions
- Place the potatoes only (hold off on the cauliflower for now) to a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the potatoes simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Add in the cauliflower florets and continue to simmer for an additional 8 to 9 minutes, until cauliflower and potatoes are soft and fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and cauliflower then add them back into the pot they were cooked in. Add the milk, Greek yogurt, chicken broth, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mash the potatoes using a potato masher or blend everything using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) until you get a nice creamy texture. I personally prefer to use a hand mixer as it really gets the potatoes perfectly fluffy!
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a bowl, taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed, and garnish with fresh thyme and chives. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 249 mg
- Fat: 4.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.4 g
- Fiber: 5.4 g
- Protein: 6.1 g
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
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