This keto cauliflower mash is better than mashed potatoes. Change my mind. Just kidding – you can’t. A bold claim, but I stand behind it. And believe me, nobody is more surprised than I am at how delicious this low carb cheesy cauliflower puree is!
If you’ve tried keto cauliflower mash or cauliflower puree before and found it lacking, I totally feel your pain!
I’be been on various low carb diets since the 90’s (1990’s – I’m not THAT old), and had heard many people tout mashed cauliflower as an acceptable substitute for mashed potatoes. I’d tried it a few times and always…..meh, not so great.
I think part of the problem for me is that keto cauliflower purees always seem too watery and don’t have that true starchy mouth feel of real potatoes. I had long ago put mashed cauliflower in the category of “better than nothing but nowhere near as good as mashed potatoes.”
Steaming or boiling the cauliflower always ends up in a watery, greyish, flavorless mess. If that’s been your experience, then I’m excited to introduce you to this keto cauliflower mash recipe – where I solved the problem by microwaving the cauliflower uncovered, which concentrates the flavors and also allows a lot of the liquid to evaporate while cooking, leaving you with a much thicker end result.
In addition to the consistency issue, my other problem with low carb cauliflower mash recipes has always been the funky, skunky flavor natural to cauliflower. The addition of a strong Irish cheddar cheese made all the difference! It embraced the funk and transformed it into a complex flavor that I couldn’t get enough of!
The naturally sweet flavor of the cooked cauliflower paired with the extra sharp cheddar in this cauliflower puree made regular mashed potatoes seem boring and one note by comparison. And I’m a person who loves mashed potatoes!
If you’re on the fence, and are worried about being disappointed yet again by another keto mashed cauliflower recipe claiming to replace mashed potatoes, then I implore you to scroll down and the read the comments of all the people who were skeptical at first, but had their minds blown when they gave this cauliflower puree recipe a try.
Then be sure to let us know what you think!
Tips for Making the Best Cauliflower Puree
Be sure to watch the recipe video in this post to see how we do it, and how easy it is – even when making smallish batches.
First, try to choose a head of cauliflower that feels heavy, and has tightly packed florets. If the head is loose and there is a lot of visible stem, you will likely end up with a grainy cauliflower mash from the thick membrane on the outer stem. If using stems and they seem thick, peel them with a paring knife to get that membrane off and you will be rewarded with the creamiest cauliflower puree of your life.
Second, be sure to trim your cauliflower into pieces that are no more than 2 inches in size. If you cook the cauliflower and there are some tiny pieces and some huge pieces, you will inevitably be left with some that are overcooked and shriveled, as well as some cauliflower pieces that are left raw in the middle – that will also result in a grainy puree.
If you can’t get Irish cheddar, a decent brand of extra sharp grocery store cheddar (like cabot or Cracker Barrel) will do – but don’t use the cheapest brand, or anything pre-shredded, or you won’t get nearly enough flavor to balance out your cauliflower mash.
Which Appliance Works the Best
If you read through the comments you’ll find that people did not have great results with blending this cauliflower mash in a food processor. If it’s what you’ve got, then it’s better than nothing, but you’ll find that it will not produce a creamy, smooth cauliflower mash – it’s just not built for that.
My favorite way to make this cheesy cauliflower mash is in my Nutribullet because I can easily shake up the cup to redistribute the cauliflower pieces while blending.
When making larger batches, I have made it in my trusty Blendtec blender (and back in the day my Vitamix) with good results, but it can be annoying to have to remove the lid multiple times to stir the mixture with a spatula to get it to blend. Since we are looking for a nice, thick consistency to our cauliflower mash, we don’t want to add more liquid to make it blend too easily or it will be a very loose puree.
So for that reason my favorite appliance for making this recipe is the NutriBullet, or some other kind of bullet style blender.
More Delicious Cauliflower Mash Recipes
- Bacon & Smoked Gouda Cauliflower Puree
- Cheddar Leek Cauliflower Mash
- Garlic and Chive Cauliflower Mash (Dairy free and SCKC friendly)
- Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Mash Casserole
- Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Mash Casserole
Now you’ve got all of your keto side dishes covered, but if you’re in need of more keto dinner ideas to serve with this cauliflower mash, check out this post of keto dinner recipes next!
Cheesy Cauliflower Mash – Keto, low carb
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Puree is so thick, creamy, and delicious, you’ll never miss mashed potatoes again!
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ounces Dubliner Irish Cheddar or other sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking it into medium sized pieces.
- Place in a microwave safe bowl with the cream and butter.
- Microwave, uncovered, on high for six minutes.
- Add the garlic powder and stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture. Microwave for another six minutes on high.
- Check that your biggest florets are fork tender, if still hard, microwave another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the microwave and spoon the cooked cauliflower and any liquid into a magic bullet or high speed blender.
- Add the cheese and puree until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Keto Side dish
- Method: microwave
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 148
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 6g
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You can also download all five of my ebooks, loaded with tasty original low carb recipes in a special bundle for just $19.99!!!
Anonymous says
I used goat cheese and a little ricotta and it was amazing!!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
I think any of the things you mentioned would work instead of the heavy cream though I couldn’t personally vouch for the flavor and texture. Another person recommended silken tofu which would add protein and the smooth texture you get from the cream – with less calories for sure! Let us know if you come up with a yummy low fat version!
amcken3 says
Soy is evil…linked to lipomas in rats and dogs…It messes with your hormones in a BAD way…a LOT of tumors are estrogen dependent (look into fibroid tumors and breast cancer research and eating soy). I will never eat it again.
Debbie Lieber says
I agree with you about the Soy,hormone and breast cancer connection. I am a 15 year BC survivor and my Oncologist advised me not to take the Soy supplements that were very popular back then for chemo related hot flashes, as well as any other type of soy because of the way soy acts in our bodies, very much like the hormone Estrogen. Took his advice and stayed clear. Better to be safe than sorry I felt.
rsaferriell says
For those who want texture but no dairy, how about avocado? It is worth the try!
NativeDallasite says
This sounds yummy and friends of mine have talked up the the “mashed cauliflower.” I too must watch my carbs, so I’m definitely interested. My only concern is that it calls for heavy cream. I try to limit my dairy intake for a couple of reasons, one being the calories. That said, do you (or anyone reading) have any non-dairy, lower fat/calorie substitution suggestions?? I’m thinking maybe an unsweetened almond, soy or even coconut milk.
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Yay! I love new followers! Thanks KA and welcome to IBIH! The cheese definitely takes the mash over the top – hope you like it! and the Cauli-tots! :)
KeatingAround says
brilliant!! i’ve made cauli mash with cream and butter for a while now, only way to get the right consistency, as you point out. cauliflower isn’t my fave but i never turn down the mash or roasted florets with parm. how is it i’ve never thought to add cheese to the mash?! looking forward to learning about cauli tots! love your blog. you’ve landed a new follower!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Great Tina! Let us know how you and your husband liked it! And check back, I made the cauliflower tater tots this week and will be posting it soon – they. are. Awesome!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
I’ve done that too Murlene! No good for a low carb diet unfortunately which is what led me to the all cauliflower recipe. So glad it did though because I love it! Hope you will too!
Murlene Brown Watkins says
I have made mashed potatoes using equal parts potatoes and cauliflower (I think it was a WW recipe) to cut the starch in half, but have never tried eliminating the potatoes altogether! Must try!
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Hey Csilla, now that you mention it, I never did have a problem with bloating after eating this – and I have in the past! I wonder if the high fat content diffuses whatever triggers the bloating or if it’s because I’m not eating other carbs that might have been making it worse. It’s a great question! Do me a favor and report back on how it turns out and if you have any bloating problems or not! Thanks for the comment!
Paula says
It seems that caulflower actually does that for many people, including me, but I eat it anyway because I love it so much! This recipe looks great, and I’m definitely going to make it! Mellissa, have you tried the cauliflower soup that Giada De Laurentis makes? If not, you should! Here is MY version of it:
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 large green onion, chopped
1/4 t. thyme
1/2 t. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
3 cans chicken broth
1/4 C. Half and Half
Directions: Throw all of this except Half and Half into a big pot and boil till tender. Remove from heat and puree everything till smooth and stir in Half and Half. Use grated cheddar cheese and bacon bits as topping, if desired.
If you like this, feel free to share with your followers, as it is another good low-carb recipe.
helene says
I made this with 2 stalks celery and used a qt of chicken stock and i had 4 stalks only of broccoli laying around so i chopped them up too and threw them in. Then I added 1/2c cream and stick blended. Topped with bacon crumbles and some cheese….OH MY!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds delicious Helene, thanks for sharing!
Allyson says
Sounds delish! If you want to add a little more protein & a lot less fat, replace the cream with silken tofu & stick blend. I HATE tofu, but you’d never know that’s what thickened this fabulous soup. Works for any cream soup & it’s super tasty & guilt free! :)
helene says
I would feel guilt eating the tofu as soy is not a human food IMO. Also I want the pure fat to keep me satiated and not raise my protein intake so it turns to glucose as I’m trying to burn fat.
Annie says
I AM IN AUSTRALIA. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HALF AND HALF IS PLEASE. THANK YOU
Mellissa Sevigny says
It’s a product containing half milk and half cream typically – you could also use light cream.
Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says
Thank YOU Peggy! I love getting feedback on the recipes and I’m so glad you loved it! :)