Creamy Low Carb Mashed Cauliflower

Move over mashed potatoes, there’s a new low-carb kid on the block, and it is still as smooth, buttery and totally satisfying as their higher-carb cousin. Meet this creamy Low Carb Mashed Cauliflower recipe with only 4 grams net carbs. It’s the ultimate keto-friendly comfort food side dish you’ll make over and over again.

Why I Love Mashed Cauliflower

I remember the first time I tried Mashed Cauliflower. It was about 20 years ago, and I had recently started the South Beach diet. When I read about making cauliflower mashed potatoes I got so excited to have a side dish for Thanksgiving that would fit into my diet. (I know what you’re thinking: who starts a low-carb diet during the month of November? Guilty!)

One taste and I was blown away by how much like mashed potatoes they resembled both in flavor and texture.

I ended up serving them to my whole family and nobody even minded one bit. From that point on, I was a big fan of having mashed cauliflower as a lower carb, lower calorie, yet still tasty option for topping shepherd’s pie, pairing with Thanksgiving turkey or just as a side with classics like Turkey Meatloaf.

I love that it only takes about 15 minutes of actual hands-on time and comes out perfectly creamy and light every time! Read one for my tips on how to make the best Mashed Cauliflower!

Ingredient Notes

Cauliflower

You’ll need one medium head of cauliflower for this recipe. Avoid cauliflower that has brown or black spots.

One head makes about 8 cups of cauliflower florets. That’s about all that will fit in the steamer basket and food processor so it was meant to be!

Cream Cheese

I have experimented with all sorts of mix-ins over the years. Having loved Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, I tried using low-fat buttermilk. Not great. I also have used half and half (and even fat-free half and half.) But I have found using cream, milk or buttermilk makes them too watery.

Instead, I have found that the key to great texture is to avoid liquid dairy and to use Cream Cheese instead. It keeps the pureed cauliflower nice and creamy without thinning it out too much. And I love that it adds a tangy flavor like buttermilk would!

Note: I opt for reduced-fat cream cheese (sometimes packaged as neufchatel here in the US) to shave off additional calories and grams of carbs. You can use regular cream cheese though if that’s what you have on hand. Other alternatives to cream cheese are Greek yogurt, sour cream, mascarpone or creme fraiche.

It is important to bring your cream cheese to room temperature before adding it to the cauliflower.

Butter

A little butter goes a long way in these cauliflower mashed “potatoes.” I find that a couple of tablespoons is all that is needed to give buttery flavor without making the recipe too high in calories. When I am getting fancy I serve melted butter on top too. About 1 tablespoon of additional melted butter is plenty.

Garlic

Garlic is the magic ingredient here because it is what really helps to mask any strong cauliflower flavors. It is important to cook it first though to take away the bite.

Parmesan

This is like icing on the cake! That cheesy punch of Parmigiano Reggiano really helps to override the cauliflower taste and make the mash tangy and savory.

Step By Step Instructions For Cauliflower Mash

Step 1: Set Up Steamer

Set up large saucepan with a steamer basket. Fill with water to the bottom of the basket. Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Set up food processor with steel blade attachment.

Step 2: Chop Cauliflower

Meanwhile, remove any green leaves from the head of cauliflower and cut away any dark spots. Cut through the whole head of cauliflower with a sharp chef’s knife. Remove the core in a triangular shaped wedge cut from both halves of the head. Roughly chop the cauliflower into 2-inch chunks and florets. You should have about 8 cups, chopped.

Step 3: Steam Cauliflower

Add the cauliflower to the steamer basket, cover and steam over high heat 10 to 12 minutes until the cauliflower is completely tender when pierced with a fork.

Step 4: Saute Garlic in Butter

While the cauliflower is steaming, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, swirling until the garlic is fragrant and turning golden, about 30 seconds. Immediately scrape the garlic butter into the food processor to prevent the garlic from burning.

Step 5: Puree in Food Processor

When the cauliflower is tender, transfer it to the food processor with the garlic mixture. Add cream cheese, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, stopping to scrape sides several times, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately garnished as desired with melted butter, chopped chives or parsley.

Expert Tips and FAQs

More Fast and Easy Low Carb Side Dishes To Try

• Did you know you can also make Mashed Broccoli? It is definitely worth checking out!
• Did you know turnips are low carb too? These Roasted Turnips are a great alternative to roasted potatoes for people following a low-carb diet.
• Our Sauteed Kale with Cider Vinegar and Simple Sauteed Swiss Chard are two dark leafy green recipes to try.
• Don’t miss these Simple Skillet Green Beans made with a little garlic and red pepper flake.

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

Print