Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are a revelation! They have far fewer carbs than your usual mashed potatoes, but are just as smooth and creamy. It’s a creamy vegetable side that’s easy to prepare, and I share a secret for ensuring that they aren’t watery and bland. This recipe only takes 20 minutes to make!
I’m always a little suspicious of “lighter recipes” that are substitutions of classics, but mashed cauliflower is legitimately delicious. It’s certainly worthy of holiday meals like Thanksgiving alongside some Maple Glazed Carrots, Butternut Squash Soup, and Drop Biscuits.
The first time I made mashed cauliflower at home, I was trying to recreate the cauliflower puree I so often had at fancy restaurants. They always tasted similar to mashed potatoes, but with a silkier and lighter texture, plus more flavor. I have finally figured out how to make them flavorful, creamy, and rich, yet lighter than usual.
Why This Recipe Is The Best
Not watery – I will show you in the step-by-step below how to squeeze the cauliflower to remove excess water after steaming. This makes a HUGE difference and makes the end result similar to the consistency of real mashed potatoes.
Flavorful, not bland – Another benefit of squeezing the water out is that it lets us replace the excess liquid with a small amount of butter and cream. It’s not overly heavy, but still creamy and flavorful.
Make-ahead friendly – You can make the entire dish ahead of time, then reheat before serving, just like you would with regular potatoes.
Fully customizable – The beauty of this recipe is that you can try tons of different flavor variations. You can add garlic, butter, different kinds of cheese, chives, scallions, and more.
How much cauliflower do you need?
Because we will be squeezing a lot of the water out of the vegetable, you will need more cauliflower than you think. I usually do two heads for four people.
Step by Step Overview:
Cut the heads of cauliflower down into florets:
Steam or boil the florets until fork tender. I do this in my instant pot, but you can steam in a pan, in the microwave, etc.
Let the florets cool, then squeeze the excess water out using a kitchen towel:
Sometimes when I’m impatient, I’ll just twist the bottom using tongs. It’s very hot, so don’t touch with bare hands!
Also, don’t skip this step! I’ve tried other methods for getting rid of excess water, even pressing the cauliflower through a strainer, and it’s not enough. You really need the towel.
Combine the cauliflower with cheese, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper:
But really, you can do any sort of flavorings you want to.
To finish, you have two options:
- Mix it all by hand, and enjoy a chunkier texture.
- Transfer the ingredients to a food processor, and mix until smooth.
I personally like it with a smoother texture:
How to Serve It
This is a fantastic side for hearty, meaty dishes like Beef Wellington, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, or Prime Rib. It also makes for a beautiful “base” to the plate where you can place the meat on top and capture any sauce in the cauliflower mashed potatoes.
If you have any leftovers, I also enjoy spreading this over Sourdough Discard Flatbread.
Recipe FAQ and Tips:
Yes, so long as you’re okay with a chunkier texture, you can mash everything by hand.
Eh, kind of. I find the texture to be so much worse that I don’t bother, but it’s definitely edible.
Yes, just simply rewarm in the oven or microwave to serve again. The only downside is that I think that cauliflower is always a bit smellier once it has been refrigerated as leftovers.
This means you need to squeeze it a little better with the towel next time. I’ve tested it without the towel, just pressing as much water out as possible through a strainer, and it wasn’t good enough. The towel is important!
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Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cauliflower*
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 2.5 ounces by weight)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped chives optional
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower heads down into florets, then steam or boil for about 8-10 minutes, until completely fork tender and soft.
- You can also cook the florets in an , by adding 1/2 cup of water to the bottom, and placing the cauliflower florets on the steamer insert. Using high pressure, steam for 2 minutes.
- Let the cauliflower drain and cool, then squeeze in a kitchen towel to remove the majority of the water in the cauliflower. If you’re in a hurry, I’ve had success with using tongs or rubber gloves to squeeze the cauliflower while it’s still hot, just don’t use your bare hands!
- For a chunkier cauliflower mash, mix the cauliflower with the remaining ingredients by hand.
- For a smoother texture, puree the squeezed cauliflower in a food processor with everything but the chives, for about one minutes, until smooth.
- Mix in the chives if desired, or simply sprinkle on top to garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with new photos, writing, and tips in September 2018. Originally published April 2013. This post contains affiliate links.
130 Comments on “Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes”
I have been cutting carbs from my diet, but I really wanted some mashed potatoes. I tried this recipe and it worked out perfectly. It was my first attempt at using cauliflower. But it does take at least two whole heads. After re-reading just now, I noticed that you squeezed out the water before the food processor. I did mine after the food processor but before I added the other ingredients. That was an oversight on my part but I don’t think it made a difference in the outcome. I think the towel really helped. The recipe is quick, simple, and delicious! Thank you.
It really makes cutting carbs easier! Thanks Natasha!
Best cauliflower recipe out there. Thank you so much – this is life changing!
I’m so excited to hear that! Thank you Sonia!
Teenager Tested and Approved
I am so thankful to find this recipe! We had meatloaf, green beans and “mashed potatoes” and never missed the potatoes at all! Such a carb saver! Followed recipe exactly. I used my Ninja food processor.
I love to hear that! teens can be the harshest critics! Thanks Amanda!
Hello there!
I first tried your recipe for ‘Cheddar Bay Biscuits’ years ago. However, I was unable to cook for a while and forgot the name of your website. Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon ‘Fifteen Spatulas’ while searching for a cauliflower mash recipe! I collected multiple heads of cauliflower from my beds, grabbed churned butter, and sour cream, and followed your recipe for cauliflower mash. I served it with an oxtail stew topped with pickled fennel and a rainbow carrot garnish. The mash was amazing and creamier than any potato I’ve ever grown. Your use of a bread cloth to strain the water was pure genius. My family loved it and wanted seconds, so I’m glad I picked 4 cauliflower heads instead of the recommended 2. I also couldn’t resist including your ‘Cheddar Bay Biscuits’ in the meal, as they remain a favorite on our homestead. Thank you so much for the great recipes and tips!
Maria I am so glad you found us again and that your family loved the recipe!
AMAZING. I typically do not like mashed cauliflower, but made these for my husband. I am shocked at how closely these taste like mashed potatoes. I will be making them all the time. So so good.