Delicious, Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes (Low Carb)

This creamy cauliflower mashed potato recipe is creamy, buttery, and tastes similar to regular mashed potatoes. With a lower glycemic index and fewer calories than potatoes, mashed cauliflower is certainly a healthier alternative.

If you’re like me, you might have your doubts about mashed cauliflower going toe to toe with mashed potatoes. I mean we’re talking about a staple dish. But I promise you’ll be delightfully surprised. 

Plus, the options are endless in terms of modifying to create the perfect texture you want to achieve. 

Growing up I always looked forward to Thanksgiving when my dad would make his infamous mashed potatoes. Smooth, creamy, with just the perfect amount of salt and pepper seasoning. 

Thus, replacing his iconic mashed potatoes with a cauliflower substitute was not an easy feat. However, I will say these come very close.

Health Benefits Of Cauliflower

Every cup of cauliflower is packed with almost all the essential vitamins and minerals that you need on a daily basis. Hence, why it’s considered a superfood.

Either way, check out the stats on this guy:

• Loaded with nutrients: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic acid (Fancy word for Vitamin B5), Choline, Folate, Potassium, Manganese, Phosphorus and Magnesium.
• High in fiber: One cup of cauliflower contains 3 grams of fiber. That’s 10% of the recommended daily intake.
• Antioxidant-rich: Similar to other cruciferous vegetables, this bad boy contains high amounts of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. It also contains other antioxidants like carotenoid and flavonoid.
• Low in carbohydrates: Only 5 grams of carbohydrates and a total 25 calories are found in one cup, but who’s counting?

Compared to regular mashed potatoes, cauliflower ultimately has fewer calories and carbohydrates. Making it a healthier alternative. 

What You’ll Need to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

With a few simple ingredients and only 15 minutes to spare, you’ll have creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes ready to go. 

Cauliflower: You’ll need a large cauliflower about 2 pounds or 6 cups of florets only, stems trimmed.

Garlic: Four garlic cloves smashed. You’ll cook these with the cauliflower and then blend together later on. 

Unsweetened Almond Milk: You’ll need about ⅓ cup of milk or more if you’d like it creamier. You can substitute the almond milk with oat milk or cow milk. 

Grass-fed Unsalted Butter: This recipe calls for only 1 tablespoon of butter but you can add more if you’d like. You can also use extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter in place of regular butter. 

Sea Salt and Pepper: Adjust the seasonings to your liking. The recipe calls for ⅔  teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper but you can certainly add more to taste.

HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES

In just three easy steps, you’ll have creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes on the table ready to eat.

STEP 1: COOK CAULIFLOWER AND GARLIC CLOVES

You can cook the cauliflower a couple of ways– either steamed or boiled. Both work well and will result in tender florets in no time.

To Steam Cauliflower:  Fill a pot with water to right below the steamer basket. Add a big pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cover with a lid. Steam the cauliflower and garlic cloves for 7-8 minutes or 10-12 for softer florets.

To Boil Cauliflower: Fill a pot with water about halfway. Add a big pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil and add the florets and garlic and cover with a lid. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes or until fork-tender. You can cook longer (10-12 minutes) if you want a smoother texture. 

STEP 2: PUREE TO PREFERED CONSISTENCY

Add cooked, drained cauliflower and cloves to a food processor, blender or you can use an immersion blender and blend right in the pot. Puree for about a minute, then add butter, milk, salt, and pepper and puree for 1-2 more minutes until smooth.

STEP 3: ADD ADDITIONAL SEASONING AND TOPPINGS

Once you’ve achieved the consistency you want, taste the potatoes and add more salt and pepper if necessary. You can also add garlic powder for a more garlicky potato. Lastly, consider adding a tablespoon or more of fresh chives, green onions, or finely shredded parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

TIPS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES

The great thing with this recipe, just like with homemade mashed potatoes, is that you can make adjustments to create the taste and texture you desire. Below are some quick tips and ideas to consider.

In general, for a less grainy texture, be sure to cut off most of the stem on the cauliflower.

To make smoother, creamier cauliflower mashed potatoes: Be sure to cook the cauliflower for 10-12 minutes. This will result in falling apart tender florets and once pureed will be a bit smoother than if you were to cook for only 7-8 minutes. 

Add plain Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon at a time or more milk to create creamier mashed cauliflower. You can also add more butter or extra virgin olive oil. Add a little at a time to avoid a soupy mess. Puree for a few seconds, taste, and repeat if necessary. 

To make a more dense cauliflower mashed potato: Cook the cauliflower florets for 7-8 minutes until fork tender but not falling apart. Puree to the desired consistency. You can also add a couple of boiled or steamed red or yellow potatoes. 

STORAGE TIPS

If you’d like to make these ahead of time, you can certainly do that. Creamy cauliflower mashed potatoes will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also freeze them once they’ve cooled down. They keep best frozen in a freezer bag with all of the excess air squeezed out.

To reheat, place the cauliflower mashed potatoes in a pot on the stove and heat through. Taste and make any adjustments necessary.    

WANT ADDITIONAL SIDE DISH RECIPES?

Looking for more ideas for healthy side dishes. Check out a couple of these other recipes:

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts and Pomegranates

Curry-Flavored Roasted Cauliflower