Blend

Sour Cream & Chive Cauliflower Purée

by:
September 30, 2021
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Sour Cream & Chive Cauliflower Purée
Photo by Julia Gartland, prop styling by Megan Hedgpeth, food styling by Lauren Lapenna
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Imagine your favorite potato chip flavor—sour cream & chive—meets an ultra silky, buttery take on mashed potatoes. Then you find out that said dish is also really easy to make and most of the work is done in a blender! This recipe starts out with steamed cauliflower and potatoes that get puréed into a super smooth texture with sour cream, butter, and ultimately topped with a generous showering of freshly chopped chives. Humble ingredients, yet when combined, are turned into the ultimate side dish. This is one of those luxurious sides you’d eat at a high-end steakhouse and gush about later.

These would be ideal served as part of a beautiful roast chicken dinner or holiday roast. The minute you place a warm serving platter of these down at the table, everyone just feels cozier.

To get that velvety texture, a high-speed blender is definitely recommended. If your blender isn't necessarily high speed, it will take a little longer, and just be sure to scrape down the sides a few times and process the mixture until very smooth. These can be made up to a day ahead, placed in an ovenproof serving dish, and gently reheated in the oven. It helps to dot the top with a little extra butter, because, well, why not? Just be sure to wait until you serve to top with the chives so they keep their vibrant green color and sweet crunch. —Olivia Mack McCool

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets (about 8 cups)
  • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Kosher salt
  • Finely chopped chives, for garnish
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with a few inches of water. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place the cauliflower and potatoes inside the basket, cover, and steam for 10 to 15 minutes, until both the cauliflower and potatoes are very soft. Transfer to a blender (this can be done in batches, if your blender isn’t large enough).
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until softened. Scrape the butter and garlic into the blender.
  3. Add the sour cream and a big pinch of salt. Blend, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed, until very smooth and creamy. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
  4. Transfer to a platter. Top with the chives; season with the black pepper.
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1 Review

Clare C.
Clare C. October 14, 2021
Go low carb and skip the potatoes. You’ll never notice they are missing! Once you get rid of the potatoes, you can microwave the cauliflower (5-6 minutes for two heads), and save yourself the clean up of the steamer and the pot for the water. Then, save yourself the bother of moving everything into and out of a blender (and the disassembly and cleaning of the blender) by using a stick blender in the same dish you used to microwave the cauliflower. Finally, puréed cauliflower stores better and for much longer in the refrigerator— several days without drying out like mashed potatoes do. (Although adding some extra butter when you reheat the purée wouldn’t go amiss in any case.)