Creamy Mashed Cauliflower is often touted as a low carb alternative to mashed potato, but it’s actually a delicious side dish in its own right that regularly makes an appearance at up market bistros and fine dining restaurants! Serve Cauliflower Mash with everything from your favourite Steak to Roast Chicken, Schnitzel to Sausages with Gravy.
It’s so tasty, you’ll want to eat it straight out of the pot!
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Mashed Cauliflower made well is seriously tasty in its own right, not just the low carb cousin of rich, buttery mashed potato. Nowadays, it’s borderline “trendy”. I see it regularly on plates served up by up market bistros and fine dining restaurants!
So here’s how I make Cauliflower Mash taste as good as mashed potato – without using an entire block of butter! 😂
How to cook cauliflower to taste like mashed potato
The secret to make cauliflower taste like mashed potato is the flavourings. You can’t just boil up a big pot of cauliflower and mash it!
Here’s what you need. There are options – to make it dairy free, vegan (sour cream/cream cheese is optional), and also what you’ve got on hand or your personal preferences.
TIP: Make sure the cauliflower is cooked until soft, to ensure it purees smooth. Getting hard little rice-like bits in your cauliflower mash is not very pleasant!
Creamy – or chunky!
Make your Cauliflower Mash smooth and creamy, as I have done, or chunkier if that’s your preference. My preference is smooth because it makes it seem richer and hence more like mashed potato. If it’s chunky, you get juicy bits of cauliflower – which sort of reminds you that you’re eating cauliflower instead of creamy mashed potato!
What to serve with Cauliflower Mashed Potato
Serve Cauliflower Mashed Potato with anything that you’d ordinarily serve with mashed potato – and devour without guilt! Here are a few ideas:
Crispy Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast – LOW CARB!
Garlic Chicken Thighs, Sticky Baked Chicken Thighs or juicy Marinated Chicken Breast
Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce or Roast Pork with Crispy Crackling
Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce or Garlic Thyme Butter Basted Steak
And that’s just the tip fo the iceberg. Have a browse of my Dinner recipes for more ideas!
~ Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2lb cauliflower florets (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , peeled, whole
- 2 tbsp (30g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (25g) parmesan cheese , shredded
- 1/4 cup (55g) sour cream , optional
- 1 – 3 tbsp cooking water
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Garnishes (optional):
- Melted butter, parsley, pepper
Instructions
- Cut the larger florets in half or quarter so they’re all about the same size.
- Add cauliflower and garlic into a large pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until very soft.
- Scoop out a mug of cooking water.
- Drain well, then transfer to food processor.
- Add remaining ingredients, starting with no water, blitz until smooth. (Use handheld blender stick if you don't have food processor)
- Use reserved cooking water to adjust consistency to taste and help puree smooth.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste
- Transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with melted butter and garnish with parsley if desired.
- Serve as a side with anything that you’d usually serve with mashed potato!
Recipe Notes:
- Butter – sub with extra virgin or ordinary olive oil
- Parmesan – 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Vegeta or vegetable stock powder (for “umami” flavour that parmesan provides)
- Sour Cream – 60g / 2oz cream cheese
- Cooking water – milk (any dairy or dairy free)
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Sweet little puppy golden retriever, recent addition to the gang of Golden Retrievers that Dozer runs with! I thought I’d try her on for size…. and I think she looks great on me!
Also thought Dozer might get a little jealous….but…
….. no. There was no sign of jealousy at all. 🙄
I forgot to put the butter in and this was still lip-smackingly good.
Hi Nagi.. Could this be made with frozen cauliflower?
Thanks
Jax
Yes 100% Jax!! N x
Really very good and easy thank you for the recipe
Hi Buddy,
I love your recipes and the way you detail them with pics, This is just a gentle reminder to share Sweet Potato Mash. 😁
Was a bit sceptical about this but – OMG you’ve done it again ! Love this. Thanks Nagi
Could this be any yummier? My hubby and I loved this. Though my picky eater 9yo said, I prefer your old way of doing mash potatoes.
Out of all the recipes I have tried I like this one the best. It’s easy and very good. I did make a few changes as I went along. I added chives, more butter, more garlic and more parm. Since I am on a KETO diet I did not use the sour cream. Thank you for posting this.
That was just the bomb!! Even the husband loved it!! Thank you!!
Hi Nagi – In an effort to cut down on carbs I made this tonight … OMG it was amazing and best of all leftovers for tomorrow. Thanks for all your hard work and amazing dishes.
That’s great to hear Jacqueline, I’m so glad you loved it! N x
Hi Nagi, I’m preparing dinner for a weekend away and wanting to know if the mashed cauliflower would keep (refrigerated) for a day and a half please? I’m so pleased I found this recipe 🙂
Hi Lyn! It will be fine 🙂 See the storage note at the bottom of the recipe – you’ll find it on almost all my recipes (and if you don’t, tell me and I’ll update the recipe! N x)
Thank you Nagi, Yes, you have it in your notes. My apologies.
Hi Nagi. This looks delicious but I’m wondering what to do without a food processor? Perhaps a stick blender or potato ricer for the cauliflower and then stir in all the extra ingredients? Cheers. Brian.
Stick blender will work a treat Brian! Cauliflower is so soft it will blend super smooth. Will add that tip in the recipe! N x
Thanks so much Nagi. I’ll be making this tomorrow night with the slow cooker beef stroganoff 👍🏻
Thank you for all of your yummy recipes. This recipe takes cauliflower mash to another level, I have learnt so much about cooking because of your fun and creative blog. Kind Regard, Louise
That’s great to hear Louise!!
I’ve made cauliflower mash before using nothing but cooked cauliflower and olive oil. I thought it was good until I tried this recipe. Amazing! So creamy, tasty and buttery. Yum! 😋
This Cauliflower Mash was FANTASTIC! I made it along with the Pork Tenderloin w/ Honey Garlic Sauce and the Amazing crispy Parmesan garlic roasted Brussels Sprouts also from your site — everything together was spectacular and so simple to put together! You’ve got a new Canadian fan, Nagi!!
Hi Nagi, is there a dairy free substitute for the sour cream?
Hi Zubie, I haven’t tried with a dairy free substitutes sorry!
The cauliflower mash was really easy to make and it tasted nice but …..
(so sorry) I have to be honest – I still prefer good ol’ fashioned mashed potato !
Oh Maria – Me too, me too!! BUT this is a really tasty low carb alternative!! N xx
I have made other recipes for mashed cauliflower before and my family turned up their noses. But tonight I made your recipe to serve with your recipe for chicken with creamy sun dried tomato sauce. It was a huge hit! I subbed in yogurt for the sour cream, because that’s what I had. I used chicken stock powder for the parm. I couldn’t believe that I would enjoy this as much as mashed potatoes, but I did! I cooked the cauliflower and cloves of garlic for 5 minutes in the instant. It was such a fast and delicious meal. You are my dinner hero!
Good heavens girl!! You have outdone yourself with this!! Sooo good!
Thanks so much Anne!
This cauliflower cream is divine. Being a carb addict I didn’t think this cauliflower cream would be a substitute for mashed potato, OMG it’s delicious. When I make it again I may substitute sour cream with Greek yoghurt but loath to “fiddle” with perfection.
I’m so glad you loved it Colleen!!
I never would’ve believed it… this is just like mashed potatoes!!! Especially because of the “add-in” flavors. We love it! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m so glad you loved it Karie!!