These Healthy Mashed Potatoes are creamy, fluffy and full of flavor, but made lighter with Greek yogurt and cauliflower. An easy, healthier side dish that’s perfect for weeknight dinners, Thanksgiving or the holidays!
These Healthy Mashed Potatoes have all the creamy, comforting flavor you love about classic mashed potatoes, but with a lighter twist! Yukon gold potatoes are combined with cauliflower and protein-packed Greek yogurt for a fluffy, creamy side dish without the need for heavy cream or loads of butter.
This easy recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and makes the perfect side dish for everything from weeknight dinners to Thanksgiving and Christmas. And don’t worry, the cauliflower blends right in with the potatoes, so even picky eaters will love them!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Lightened-up comfort food – all the creamy, comforting flavor of traditional mashed potatoes with less butter and no heavy cream.
- Sneaky veggies – a whole head of cauliflower blends right in with the potatoes for an easy way to add more vegetables.
- Creamy and fluffy – Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a little extra protein while Yukon gold potatoes give these the best buttery texture.
- Quick and easy – everything comes together in one pot in about 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
- Perfect for the holidays – a delicious healthy side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but easy enough for weeknight dinners too.
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
- Cook the potatoes and cauliflower. Add the chopped potatoes and cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until everything is fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain well. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower really well, then return them to the warm pot. Let them sit for a minute or two to allow any excess moisture to evaporate. This helps prevent watery mashed potatoes.
- Mash everything together. Use a potato masher to break up the potatoes and cauliflower first. Add the Greek yogurt, milk, chicken broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix until creamy. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, mix everything just until smooth and creamy, about 15 to 20 seconds. Avoid overmixing, as this can release too much starch from the potatoes and make them gummy.
- Adjust and serve. If the mashed potatoes are too thick, add a splash more milk or broth until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Tips for the Best Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Cut everything evenly. Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces and keep the cauliflower florets roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
- Cook until fork-tender. The potatoes and cauliflower should be very tender before mashing so you don’t end up with lumps.
- Drain really well. Excess water can make mashed potatoes watery, so drain everything thoroughly and let it sit in the warm pot for a minute or two before mashing.
- Don’t overmix. Mash the potatoes and cauliflower first, then use an electric mixer on low speed for only 15 to 20 seconds to finish smoothing everything out. Overmixing can make potatoes gummy.
- Adjust the consistency. Start with less liquid and add additional milk or broth a little at a time until the potatoes are perfectly creamy.
- Season to taste. Taste before serving and add additional salt, pepper or garlic powder as needed.
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
Frequently Asked Questions
Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite because they have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture. Russet potatoes also work well and will give you lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes. You can also use a combination of the two!
Not really! Once the cauliflower is cooked until tender and blended with the potatoes, Greek yogurt and seasonings, the flavor is very mild. It’s an easy way to sneak in extra veggies while still getting that classic creamy mashed potato taste.
Yes! You can leave out the cauliflower and use additional potatoes in its place. The nutrition will change slightly, but you’ll still have delicious creamy mashed potatoes made lighter with Greek yogurt.
Absolutely. Prepare the mashed potatoes as directed, let them cool and store them covered in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of milk or broth as needed to bring back their creamy texture.
Reheat mashed potatoes gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of milk or broth as needed to loosen them up and restore their creamy texture.
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 as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Healthy Mashed Potatoes
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
- Cook the potatoes and cauliflower. Add the chopped potatoes and cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until everything is fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain well. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower really well, then return them to the warm pot. Let them sit for a minute or two to allow any excess moisture to evaporate. This helps prevent watery mashed potatoes.
- Mash everything together. Use a potato masher to break up the potatoes and cauliflower first. Add the Greek yogurt, milk, chicken broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Mix until creamy. Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, mix everything just until smooth and creamy, about 15 to 20 seconds. Avoid overmixing, as this can release too much starch from the potatoes and make them gummy.
- Adjust and serve. If the mashed potatoes are too thick, add a splash more milk or broth until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then serve warm with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really yummy! the cauliflower doesn’t blend up 100% smooth but it’s still pleasant and has enough creaminess. I split it into 4 servings and myFitnessPal said it’s 243 cals per serving.