When I’m looking for easy side dish recipes, I turn to classics such as roasted green beans, sauteed brussels sprouts and low carb cauliflower mashed potatoes. Pair your cauliflower with baked chicken breast, slow cooker short ribs or surf and turf for an easy meal option. While I love mashed potatoes, I’m not a fan of all the carbs that they bring to the table. These cauliflower mashed potatoes have a perfectly smooth and creamy texture without the high carb count.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need cauliflower, heavy cream, butter, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and fresh parsley.
How Do You Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes?
Start by boiling or steaming cauliflower florets until they’re fork tender. Place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor along with cream, butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Puree the mixture until smooth. Place the cauliflower mash in a bowl, then top with additional butter and parsley and serve.
How To Cook Cauliflower
You’ll need to cook your cauliflower for this recipe, and there are a few different techniques you can use. I typically just boil my cauliflower, but either of these methods will work just fine.
Boil: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Drain, then proceed with the recipe. Steam: Heat 1 inch of water to boiling salted water in a shallow pan. Add the cauliflower in a single layer. Cover the pan and cook for 7-8 minutes until cauliflower is tender. Remove the cauliflower from the pan.
Tips For The Perfect Cauliflower Puree
Cut your cauliflower into similar sized pieces so that it will all cook at the same rate. This recipe will work with either fresh or frozen cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower is pre-cooked, so all you’ll need to do is thaw it and warm it through before use. Cauliflower mashed potatoes stay fresh in the refrigerator for 4 days. You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Leftover mash can be reheated on the stove top over low heat, or in the microwave. Use this recipe as a side dish, or substitute it in recipes where you’d normally use mashed potatoes, such as loaded mashed potato casserole or colcannon.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as-is, but you can absolutely add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Herbs: Stir in a handful of chopped herbs such as green onions, chives or parsley, or try a spoonful of basil pesto. Cheese: You can’t go wrong with cheese! Add up to 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar or parmesan cheese, or 1/4 cup of a soft cheese such as cream cheese or boursin style cheese. Toppings: Finish your cauliflower mashed potatoes with a sprinkling of bacon, jalapenos, olives or crispy onions. Veggies: Want to mix up the flavor a bit? Try using half cauliflower, and half root vegetable such as celeriac or rutabaga.
Once you try this mashed cauliflower recipe, you’ll never want to go back to the potato version again! This is a great way to get the whole family to enjoy their veggies.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
