The Best Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are so smooth, creamy, and flavorful. You won’t miss regular mashed potatoes at all once you master this easy carb-free recipe! The perfect amounts of butter, cream cheese and parmesan make this side dish supremely satisfying.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Whether you’re avoiding carbs or just trying to sneak more nutrients onto your plate, mashed cauliflower is the way to go! It’s a low carb alternative with the same rich texture and creamy goodness that you would with regular mashed potatoes but with none of the carbs. Plus, cauliflower is loaded with vitamins, minerals, folate, fiber, antioxidants and so much more.
What makes the mashed cauliflower so good is the cream cheese, butter, parmesan and seasonings. The consistency is thick and rich while the medley of seasonings (that you can of course adjust to your liking) create the most incredible flavor. You’ll forget that what you’re eating is even on the healthier side! Recipes like this one make veggies so much more exciting than they may seem.
Don’t tell the little ones at your table that this is actually cauliflower. They’ll have no clue! This fluffy cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe is a great recipe to plate with weeknight dinners for picky eaters because they always love it and don’t realize they’re eating a good portion of veggies. When you need to be sneaky with your vegetables, this is the ultimate recipe to utilize.
Simple Ingredients You Will Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best mashed cauliflower! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cauliflower – Cut a whole head of cauliflower into florets before cooking. If you have any left over, use it to make the very best baked cauliflower mac and cheese!
- Butter – It can be salted butter or unsalted butter, we used salted for this recipe. You can also use olive oil, if you prefer.
- Cream Cheese – I prefer using regular cream cheese (with the full fat content) for the best thick and rich consistency. You can certainly use low fat, but it may not be as thick. If you prefer to use sour cream instead of cream cheese, add it at the end and stir until the desired consistency.
- Parmesan Cheese – For the best flavor and consistency, use freshly shredded parmesan cheese right off the block.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt and black pepper create the best flavor! Feel free to measure these all with your heart.
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make the very best mashed cauliflower recipe! You can do this easily without the need for a food processor. For more detailed step by step instructions, just scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cook the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower florets to a large pot of salted water. Place the lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Keep cooking until the cauliflower is fork tender (this should only take about 10 minutes). Drain the excess water and transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Alternatively, you can steam the cauliflower using a steamer basket.
- Blend. Break up the cauliflower using a potato masher until chunky. Using an immersion blender really helps with this step!
- Make it creamy. Add the butter, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic powder, onion, salt and pepper to the cauliflower puree. Use your immersion blender to puree for a smoother texture. Top with chopped green onions or fresh chives.
We love using this cauliflower mash recipe with our favorite main dishes like to top our Shepherd’s Pie, spoon alongside Oven Roast Chicken or serve with beef bourguignon.
Storing, Reheating and Freezing
Allow leftover mashed cauliflower to cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. In the refrigerator, it’ll last about 3-4 days. Frozen, it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to date and label!
Let the mashed cauliflower slowly defrost in the fridge for a few hours prior to reheating.
You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through. Or, reheat the entire dish in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until warmed all the way through.
Check out more of my favorite cauliflower recipes!
- Easy Cauliflower Rice…..THREE WAYS
- The Best Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe
- Cauliflower Rice Tabbouleh Salad
- Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks
- Stir Fried Beef with Cauliflower Rice
For more veggie side dish ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- 1 bowl
- 1 potato masher
- 1 stockpot
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower to a large pot and cover with water.
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring the water to a boil. Continue to boil until the cauliflower is fork tender, approximately 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Using an immersion blender, break up the cauliflower until chunky.
- Add the butter, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic powder, onion, salt and pepper to the cauliflower.
- Puree the cauliflower until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve.
2 Comments on “The Best Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes”
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