These Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are super buttery and a delicious low carb alternative to your favourite mashed potatoes.
How to make cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Boil the cauliflower for eight minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower.
- Pulse in a food processor until blended.
- Place on a clean dishtowel or cheesecloth.
- Squeeze out any excess water.
- Cook with butter and garlic.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
- Garnish with chives and dig in!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cauliflower – you could also use frozen riced cauliflower instead of fresh cauliflower.
- Garlic – fresh or jarred minced garlic is best, but garlic powder could work in a pinch.
- Butter – olive oil or margarine would also work here.
- Sour cream – if you don't have any sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or milk would help give it the same creamy texture.
- Parmesan cheese – try nutritional yeast or leave the parmesan out altogether.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Chives – optional for garnish. You could also top with green onions.
How to thicken cauliflower mash
If you are replacing mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower, you will be disappointed if this dish turns out runny and watery. A few tricks will make the difference between a cauliflower puree and thick velvety mashed cauliflower.
- Squeeze out as much water as you can. Use a towel or cheesecloth. You can even put the cauliflower in a fine mesh strainer and press the water out of it with a bowl. Move it around and continue to squeeze out as much as you can.
- When you put it back on the stove top, don’t take it off until it reaches the consistency you like. If after a few minutes, it still seems runny, let it cook a bit longer to thicken it.
- Add a little more sour cream and cheese at the end to get a thicker consistency.
How long to boil cauliflower for mash
This is the one time it's okay to overcook your veggies. You want the cauliflower to be super soft before you blend them. I normally like to cook them in boiling water for eight minutes, so you'll get that nice creamy texture.
How many carbs in mashed cauliflower
Cauliflower is a great low-carb substitute for mashed potatoes. It will still give you the buttery, creamy flavor of your favorite comfort food, but with a much smaller amount of carbs. This recipe has such 16 grams of carbs – a lot less than mashed potatoes!
Storing and reheating
You can store this dish in the refrigerator for up to five days.
You can reheat this cauliflower mash in the microwave – you can either reheat as an individual serving or reheat the whole recipe at once in a large bowl. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
You can add fresh chives back on top to revive the dish and add some colour after you have reheated.
Freezing cauliflower mashed potatoes
Freezing mashed cauliflower is easy. After it has cooled, put it in a freezer bag and squeeze out all of the air. You can lay it out flat for easy storage.
It will last in the freezer for three months.
You can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. If you forget to thaw it in the fridge, you can thaw it quickly in the microwave or in a bowl of cool water. Reheat in the microwave from frozen for 6-7 minutes, checking it halfway through.
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More low carb cauliflower recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this recipe into your weekly lunches.
- I get all my grass-fed ground beef from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen
- Get some cheesecloth to drain the cauliflower
- Use these Ziploc bag holders if you're going to add the cauliflower mash to a Ziploc bag to freeze it
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months
Creamy Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes {Low Carb}
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower (about 4 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Chives, for garnish
Deconstructed Shepherd's pie (optional add on)
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups frozen vegetables
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
Cauliflower mash
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 8 minutes until softened. Drain, then add cauliflower to a blender or food processor. Pulse until fully blended.
- Drain cauliflower mixture with a linen towel or cheesecloth (squeeze out as much liquid as possible), then add cauliflower back to pot. Stir in butter and garlic, cooking over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat then stir in sour cream, parmesan cheese and salt & pepper. Sprinkle with chives then serve and enjoy!
Deconstructed Shepherd's pie (optional add on)
- If serving with the shepherd's pie mixture, start cooking it while the cauliflower is boiling. Brown ground beef in a large skillet over med-high heat, breaking meat up with a spoon. Add in onion and garlic, sauteing for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add vegetables and salt & pepper.
- Mix cornstarch, beef broth and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl until combined, then pour over ground beef and veggie mixture. Bring to a boil then cook for 2-3 minutes. Serve beef mixture with cauliflower mash on the side for a full meal.
Video
Nutrition
Calories are for cauliflower mash alone. If serving with the shepherd's pie add on, then nutritional info is as follows:
388 calories, 16g carbs, 35g protein, 21 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 6 g sugar
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