A keto cauliflower puree that’s better than mashed potatoes?! A bold claim! But I stand behind it! And believe me, nobody is more surprised than I am!
It’s day five in my week of low carb recipe posts, and my third day of strict low carb eating myself. Yesterday I wasn’t craving carbs, but I felt really foggy and knew I needed something other than protein in order to bounce back. I didn’t want to cheat so I decided to go with the mashed cauliflower, which is on my long list of vegetables that are “legal.”
Now I’ve done low carb diets before, and heard many people tout cauliflower puree as an acceptable substitute for mashed potatoes. I’ve even eaten 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.”
So yesterday I had a brainstorm on how to dry the cauliflower out a bit so the puree wouldn’t be so waterlogged. I cooked the cauliflower in the microwave, uncovered, for five minutes, and then another four – so a total of nine minutes.
I poured a little heavy cream and a tablespoon of butter into the bowl with the cauliflower and tossed them to coat after the first five minutes so they wouldn’t dry out too much.
Well it worked! I put them in my magic bullet and pureed them with a little more butter and cream and some Dubliner Irish cheese and they were amazing! The perfect starchy thick consistency that I had been missing in a keto cauliflower puree recipe!
So good that I tasted them and almost kept eating without taking any photos, reasoning that “I’d just make another batch for pictures later!” I came to my senses and managed to snap a few shots before I finished them off! ha ha! It wasn’t easy to wait though I gotta tell you!
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 this cheese made all the difference! It embraced the funk and transformed it into a complex flavor that I couldn’t get enough of! It made regular mashed potatoes seem boring and one note! And I’m a person who loves mashed potatoes!
One last thing of interest – I ate the keto cauliflower puree around 3pm and it was probably about 2 cups worth (1 smallish head of cauliflower). I never ate another thing for the rest of the day, nor did I feel hungry at all. I even made chicken pesto pasta for my husband and son and sat with them chatting at the dinner table while they ate it and never once felt hungry or tempted by the pasta!
This is not normal for me and I credit the high satiety factor of the Keto cheesy cauliflower puree. Had I eaten mashed potatoes in the same way I would have been starving a few hours later for sure!
Maybe there really is something to this whole low carb, high fat thing – it’s an interesting experiment at the very least. An added bonus? The scale showed a 2.5lb drop from yesterday. But even if you aren’t trying to watch your carb intake, you want to make this dish–it will change your mind about Keto cauliflower puree forever!
I bought two heads of cauliflower yesterday and I’m so glad I did because I’ll be eating this for lunch again today! It’s only 9am and I already can’t wait! Yum!
Update – Here’s a 60 second recipe video that shows the process and how easy it really is!
“Better than Potatoes” Cheesy Cauliflower Puree (Low Carb)
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
This Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Puree is so thick, creamy, and delicious, you’ll never miss mashed potatoes again!
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 ounces dubliner or other sharp 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 2 Tbsp of cream and 1 Tbsp of butter.
- Microwave, uncovered, on high for six minutes.
- Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture. Microwave for another six minutes on high.
- Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender or food processor along with the cheese. Puree until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can adjust the cream and butter to your preference.
Notes
To see a list of my favorite low carb products and brands that I recommend for sweeteners, flours, etc. you can check out the IBIH Pantry Ingredients Page!
- Category: Keto Side dish
- Cuisine: Vegetable
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 148
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Protein: 6g
*Update: I made this for lunch and I’m eating it now – bliss! I realized that Dubliner Irish Cheese may not be available everywhere so I made this batch with extra sharp white cheddar and it’s just as yummy! So if you can’t find the Dubliner or just don’t want to pay the extra for it, go for the extra sharp cheddar – easier to find and tastes great!
**2nd Update: I’ve made this cauliflower puree sooo many times now and still love it! Some posters have complained about graininess and that may be from your cheese not melting if your cauliflower is cooling off during the processing time. I’ve been popping it back in the microwave for a minute AFTER I blend everything together and it makes a huge difference. Try it!
***3rd Update: My sincerest apologies to those of you who complained about graininess of the cauliflower mash and I dismissed it as operator error! I made a batch yesterday and it was super grainy no matter how much I cooked or blended it. I’m positive it was from the membrane on the center of the stalk. I bought two at the same time (same brand, likely same farm) and when I checked the second one it had a hard, fibrous outside. I peeled it off and cooked it the same way I always do and it was perfect. Not sure if it’s age or what but next time check your cauliflower branch for a hard outer skin and peel that off before you cook it just to make sure you get the right consistency!
****4th Update: I’ve made some minor changes to the cauliflower mash recipe that represent how I make it for myself now, and it’s a significant reduction in fat and calories from the original. I find I can use much less butter and cream than when I started and I still love the flavor. Also, I’m posting the nutrition data since so many people have been requesting it.
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170
Day 4 on Keto…
Last night while taking a break from cleaning out the pantry and fridge of carb laden leftovers and recovering from the “keto flu” I discovered this recipe. I quickly whipped up a batch. I put the first spoonful in my mouth and my mind screamed, “No! This is bad!!” Then I realized no, it is ohhh sooo gooood! Ate it right out of the smoothie cup. Told my hubbie the next morning and he said, “Great, did you save me any?” Uh, no.
You’ve given me hope that this journey will be a successful one.
I am sorry to piggyback on this comment but I can’t find a way to comment on my own.
THIS. IS. AMAZING.
I am a picky eater and have always struggled with cauliflower. I have cauliflower mash manyv ways and never got past acceptable. This is a great recipe and as easy as it is tasty. Thank you so much for figuring it out and sharing it with me.
★★★★★
This recipe is absolute PERFECTION.
Years ago, I tried the Southbeach Diet. And they had a supposed “delicious” mashed potato recipe made out of cauliflower. It was disgusting. And I definitely knew it was NOT mashed potatoes.
Since then, I’ve tried several versions of “faux” potatoes in my quest for health and they have always fallen short. Until now.
This recipe is DELICIOUS. First of all, the texture is right. These really DO come out light and fluffy and creamy. They aren’t grainy or runny or wet like most cauliflower recipes. And the TASTE?!!? Delicious. The Irish cheese really does take out any sour cauliflower taste without the dish being overly gooey or heavy.
I have now made this with both frozen pre-riced cauliflower and with fresh cauliflower I have riced in my blender. Amazingly, they BOTH came out delicious. I think I slightly favor the fresh because it seemed a bit lighter. If using frozen, definitely drain it well after you microwave it.
No matter HOW you make this, it is delicious!! I am officially converted.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Leighellen! I still make this allllll the time and it never disappoints! So glad you loved it too!
How did you cook the frozen riced cauliflower for this?? I have a bag, but I’m nervous!
Made this tonight! Delicious! Reminds me of mashed potatoes. My fiance who doesn’t like veggies even liked this. Great recipe.
★★★★★
So glad it was a hit Katelyn! This is still one of my favorites too!
I tried this with riced (raw) cauliflower, and it came out of the microwave like melted cheese, totally liquid. I still stirred in the cheese and it tasted fine, but the texture was weird, like melted parmesan. I didn’t know riced cauliflower would “melt” in the microwave!
★★★
I recommend trying it again and following the recipe as written for best results.
I’m so glad that I found your recipe for these “faux” tatoes! I knew that you could use cauliflower to make fake potatoes before, but they always wound up too runny! I have made these twice in the last 2 weeks, they are absolutely amazing!! Even my youngest adult son, who is wary of anything “keto” or “healthy” that I cook or bake, loved these and ate them right up! So, many big thanks to you! I will probably wind up buying your book. I love your recipes!
I would love to start my own blog and/or website about baking and cooking, even though I’m not sure how to get it going, but if I ever did, I would love to link up with you!
★★★★★
I tweaked the recipe to match my favorite mashed potatoes that my husband makes and it shocked me how close to exact they turned out!!!! I just added a little garlic, dill and onion powder. AMAZING!!
★★★★★
I was looking for an alternative to the typical starchy side for lamb shanks. OMG, this WAS truly better than mashed potatoes. I already had Trader Joes “riced cauliflower” and just followed the directions for a test try. I added garlic and paprika to the seasonings and had mild cheddar and pepper jack cheese on hand. The result was a creamy cheesy goodness. Nothing grainy about it! Tomorrow for Vday I will be using a regular head of cauliflower. Hoping it comes out just as good. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Can’t wait to try doing different things with it. I feel like this could be a good base for a loaded “baked potato” soup.
★★★★★
I just made an improvement to this already yummy dish. I added a 16 oz container of ricotta cheese blended well with 2 eggs and a bit of Romano cheese. mix it in with the cauli mash and bake it. The eggs will make it rise a bit leaving you with a fluffier, creamier and more decadent dish!
★★★★★
sounds delicious Amy!
I make mine with a head of cauli, boiled and left to drain well for 10 mins. Then add a tbsp if cream cheese and black pepper. Then blitz with a hand blender. Then stir in a mountain of mature cheddar cheese. Totally amazing and actually better than real mash. Whoever thought it!! Keto ftw!
DELICIOUS! Fast, easy, filling. Can’t wait to make this again!
★★★★★
Wow! I’m in love!!! Keep the recipes and side notes coming!
Note: I steamed the head of cauliflower on the stove, boiled it in three inches of water in the pot, and even with only half a head, it was more than enough for me, I only needed up eating half!
**Changes to recipe**
-Boiled instead of using a microwave (mine started on fire one morning so I never replaced it lol)
-used coconut milk cream as my heavy cream when blending
-and added a dash of coconut oil as I was boiling the head
-sharp cheese recommendation: Asiago or Balderson aged white cheddar…mmm!
★★★★★
Simply Beautiful! Made this for the first time last night and it was a hit replacement for mashed potatoes. I used shredded parmesan in place of Dubliner cheese and it worked great. Put hot cauliflower and cheese into my nutribullet and blended it all to perfection; not pulpy or grainy just nice smoothly blended mash.
★★★★★
First I want to say, I never leave comments on anything; however, I found your recipe today and decided to give it a try for dinner tonight and it is AMAZING. I didn’t have cream so I put 3 tablespoons of butter when I cooked the cauliflower in the microwave and after I pureed it, I added about a tablespoon of cream cheese. This is by far the best cauliflower dish I have ever had and it even has the texture of mashed potatoes I have been missing so much on the keto diet. Thank you for this incredible (and incredibly easy) recipe!
★★★★★
I know I am about 5 years late to the better-than-mashed-potatoes-cheesy-cauliflower-purée party but OMG! This stuff is ridiculously delish!!!!! I can eat it plain right out of the bowl, top it with your balsamic roast (another winning flavor profile!), top with Greek yogurt (homemade), green onions, bacon bits and more cheese, the list is endless. I did find that my stick blender produced the smoothest purée, beats the food processor or bullet blenders hands down. Thanks soooo much for making this keto journey a lot easier and more delicious!
Ive made several times but I always need to add chicken stock because way to dry to blend. Any thoughts?
★★★★
I have found the age of the cauliflower has something to do with this. It seems that the older the cauliflower, the drier it is and the harder it is to get a creamy texture. Just my experience. Now if I could only figure out how to tell if they’re fresh before buying them :)
★★★★★
Have you made this recipe using frozen cauliflower florets? If so, how much did you use?
I know this is an old post, but it’s a new recipe for me, and it is wonderful! Made them last night, added some fresh chopped chives from my garden, and the only problem was that I had to seriously restrain myself from eating the whole batch. Easy, very tasty and satisfying, less calories than many cauliflower mash recipes, great texture, and perfect for my ketogenic diet. Thank you!
★★★★★
Amazing! Finally a recipe that truly mimics mashed potatoes!!!
★★★★★
Holy Moly!! My family, which consists of me, my SO and our 4 kids, just started keto last week. Ive been trying to find yummy substitutes for all of our fav foods. These were SOOOOOOO good. I don’t think they actually “taste” like mashed potatoes, but they look and feel like them. They have their own flavor and it is FANTASTIC. We all loved them, my 2 yr old especially. He gobbled his up, then tried to steal everyone elses lol. If you happen to have a great pancake recipe that actually taste good, I would greatly appreciate it. We have tried 2 and…yuck. THANKS:)
So happy to hear everyone is loving this recipe as much as I do Nicole! Try my snickerdoodle crepes – they are thin but we all love them and they are usually a hit with the kids too!
I’m SO sorry. I really wanted this to work. I read every comment and made this as closely as possible – fresh cauliflower (no ‘old’ stalk issues), microwaved again just before serving … but it was still really grainy. The amount of cream, butter and cheese wasn’t anywhere near 3nough to flavour the cauliflower enough. I tried more seasoning, more butter and cream … it just didn’t work. Cheese? I wish that had worked too. It was bland and really grainy, whatever I tried.
Adding the cheese before blending really doesn’t help as it’s cold … it will always grain up. Maybe melting down the cheese, butter and cream first might help? I was so disappointed – I’ve yet to find anything close to a mashed potato replacement. Sadly, this wasn’t the one.
★★
Blending with piping hot cauliflower is always enough to melt the cheese and butter so that I get a smooth consistency – it’s possible your microwave didn’t cook it long enough, or if you’re using a food processor it’s never going to get really smooth. That being said, while others have had great results with this recipe and I’ve made it over 100 times myself because I just love it, I’m sorry you didn’t have the same good experience.
I used a hand blender and turned it up on high until the cauliflower was smooth. I ended up reheating before serving to melt a pat of butter on top of our individual servings. 2 of us mowed down on the entire medium-sized head! I had a few spoonfuls leftover because I was stuffed. Very rich and delightfully filling. My husband loved it too and he is very picky because he’s a great cook. We will definitely be making this recipe over and over again!! Thank you Melissa!!
I am doing the 3 Day Kick Start Keto Ibreathimhungry, and just adore this recipe. My question is about portion size…..is it 1 cup? As it would be very easy for me to overdo it!
ie. Day 3. Easy Cajun Chicken, Cheesy Cauliflower Puree, and Spinach
★★★★★
Today is the last of my 3 day Keto kickstart. I have enjoyed every minute of it.
I couldn’t always get the ingredients as I live in rural France, chili peperes are pretty exotic here. So I made my own Franks’ sauce for example.
Tonight I had Cajun chicken and this cheesy mash. It was fabulous. Ok I had to make my own Cajun seasoning – a tablespoon of garlic powder? No even in France one teaspoonful is enough. I made the garlic and onion powders this morning.
Ok so the cheesy mash is deliciously creamy Nd I enjoyed every bite. I think in America you must have very small cauliflowers. I used one head and it looked more than in your video so I added half as much again cream, butter and cheese. After eating my fill I am just putting the rest in the freezer measured out in cups. I have 5 cups left over. Imagine how creamy it will be next when I triple the other ingredients.
Great recipe, thanks.
Now for a gin and slimline :)
★★★★★
Not my thing. I tried it but i didn’t like the structure and taste.
★
I have made many IBIH recipes, but this is the one I make the most. It is fast, easy, and so good. A never fail recipe.
★★★★★
I have been on Keto for one week. I am a vegetarian and it has taken sooo much time -MATH- and research. I write down everything about everything(making sure to get healthy and sure to do it all right) and truly have been overwhelmed. Most of the recipes i have found and tried on the internet have been blah or bad. I have been so discouraged -How to make this a part of my life????
BUT today i found this recipe-expecting it to be unedible. OHHHHHHHH- I almost cried – i actually had tears in my eyes. IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD………. I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH.
THIS WILL BE ON MY REGULAR MENU FOREVER……..
★★★★★
Thanks so much, I was worried when I started reading your comment ha ha – so glad it had a happy ending!! If you’re looking for vegetarian keto recipes, have you tried my cauliflower falafel? It’s pretty legit and gets rave reviews even from sworn cauliflower haters! Working on a huge collection of vegetarian keto recipes to post soon so stay tuned!
Followed the recipe exactly and found it to be wonderful. Creamy all the way and not grainy or watery at all. We’ve been Keto for a couple months now so when I served this to my husband, he took a bite and startled me by asking what is this? I couldn’t tell at first weather he liked it or not. These aren’t potatoes are they? I finally realized that he thought they tasted too good not to be real potatoes and thought I’d taken us off the Keto wagon. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Looking for advice! What would be the best way to prepare this in advance to bring to a BBQ? Should I just triple the recipe and microwave it when I get to the party? Will the consistency hold up?
Thanks for your help!
★★★★★
Yes you can definitely reheat this in the microwave just before serving!
I just made it today. Excellent! I think the combination of cheese and microwave is what does it.
★★★★★
Thanks Greg, glad you enjoyed it!
Delish! I made it to go with my Mississippi Roast and I didn’t miss the mashed potatoes at all! Thanks for the easy recipe!
★★★★★
This is so delicious. I’ve started having some for breakfast with some sauteed greens and a fried egg on top. Fantastic! And very keto. Thanks.
★★★★★
This was sooo yummy! Also so easy to make.
★★★★★
This recipe sounds absolutely delish and I’ll be trying it out this week. My question is: can I freeze it and have it just as tasty? I’m trying to find recipes I can make in large batches and then portion out and freeze for future consumption.
★★★★★
I’ve never tried freezing it Leila – theoretically I don’t see why not though!
I freeze mashed cauliflower all the time! :-)
A friend of ours made this and It was so good. Can you use cauliflour rice instead of a head of cauliflour?
★★★★★
I was wondering the same.
I used cauliflower rice yesterday and it was really nice! I guesstimated the quantity.
I’m about to make these and can’t wait to try them. Any luck with using sour cream instead of heavy cream? If so, how much sour cream? The same as heavy cream? Thanks!
Hey, I didn’t have any heavy cream so I just added a splash of milk. First time making it but worked like a charm :-) I think it ended up making it thicker because there was less liquid than cream. It was delish! I am lucky I have a great fine blender though… I can see others struggling with the blending. It was so tasty- My boyfriend asked if I snuck potato in it! Hehe.
★★★★★
So I made this and before I served it (to my husband who HATES that I’m making low carb meals!) I tried a little bit straight from the blender. I was ready to be disappointed and just taste microwaved cauliflower but no! It was delicious, cheesy goodness! Yes the strong cheese is masking the cauliflower taste but so what? Who doesn’t love cheesy mash. Mine came out a little thinner than the pictures but I did add a little more cream and my microwave is very powerful so maybe I cooked it a little too much. Will just tweak next time, because there will definitely be a next time!
★★★★★
They were pretty good, but, honestly, every low carb or Paleo recipe that claims to be better than the real thing has left me really disappointed. Much more so than ones that say that it’s a decent substitute, or ‘almost as good as’. Even that one’s a stretch.
Again, it was pretty good. But potatoes are creamy while cauliflower can be water, grainy, or even almost stringy. Potatoes have a neutral flavour, while cauliflower has a strong taste and smell that we’re trying to cover up with all of the add ins. You could wave a magic wand and still cauliflower wouldn’t come close. Saying it’s better than the real thing, for me, comes across as disingenuous.
As a carb addict reaching for something, anything, to satisfy the comfort food pull, it gets my hopes up and then inevitably disappoints.
I could hardly wait for my husband to try these…followed the recipe but had to adjust for a humungeous head of cauli. Used grated sharp cheddar, heavy cream, and Kerrygold butter. My husband, after tasting a spoonful, delared he could not tell these were not mashed potatoes…they tasted the same as potatoes to him. He who hates all veggies, and especially cauliflower! I’m a believer in this method…it works!
★★★★★
Hooray! Another cauli hater won over! 🙌🏼
Thank you! I’m on day 1 of your three day Keto meal plan. After reading the reviews I had to make day 3 my day 1.
The cheesy cauliflower is simply delicious – I roasted my cauliflower and loved it! I can’t wait to try the rest of your recipes. I hope I see the amazing results others have!
★★★★★
I bet this was amazing with roasted cauliflower Karen! I might try that next time myself!
I have found that steaming the cauliflower and then “wringing” it in a clean kitchen towel reduces the watery issue with this veggie…it’s my go to with about any recipe using cauliflower now! :)
If your cauliflower is ” water, grainy, or even almost stringy” then you’re not prepping it correctly. Cauliflower has virtually no insoluble fiber so it will purée very smoothly. Make sure there are NO leaves or leaf pieces – remove all during prep.
★★★★★
I don’t leave leaves in there, or even much of the core. I have tried steaming, boiling, microwaving, simmering in milk, and roasting. I have tried wringing it out, drying it in a pot on the stove, and leaving it to drain for a long time. I have tried mashing, pureeing in a blender, using a stick blender, and the food processor. I have tried cooking longer and cooking shorter. I’ve tried using fresh cauliflower cut in big florets, in small florets, riced, and even frozen. I have tried I don’t know how many recipes, and read countless tips for how to cook it. And, every time, it has been runny, or grainy, or stringy.
Just made these for dinner and they were fantastic. I am doing a low carb diet and I find it very difficult as I hate salads. This is the 2nd time I have found something that changes the whole ball game for me and these are definitely 1 of them. The other is the cloud bread which lets me have sandwiches to bring to work for lunch. With this in the repetoire I will not miss potatoes anymore and you given me a side dish that I really missed. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Can’t figure out how to do my own comment. But this is the BEST low carb replacement recipe I have made including every category of substitutes. It has all the starchy goodness of real mashed potatoes and requires less work to boot. I used regular orange sharp cheddar and didn’t even need salt/pepper. I ended up eating almost the entire batch and that was dinner, the BEST one I’ve had in 2 months of this low carb stuff! I seriously wouldn’t have believed it until I tasted it. POTATO HEAVEN!
Forgot to rate the recipe
★★★★★
Dear Melissa,
I have tried about every cauliflower mash out there, and I was disappointed every time. I guess I am just a big baby about mashed potatoes and decided that if I couldn’t have them the way I wanted then I would just pout and not have any at all.
I recently acquired an Instant Pot and immediately came to IBIH because I love your style of writing and your recipes are fabulous. I saw the Easy Balsamic Pot Roast recipe and decided to make it. What really caught my eye were the mashed “potatoes” shown in the photo accompanying the recipe. They looked so silky yet substantial… not the slippery goo I had experienced in the past. I loved the way you described the dish, “The perfect starchy thick consistency that I had been missing in a cauliflower puree recipe!”
I was sold.
Well I went shopping, bought the roast, spices, balsamic… and 2 heads of cauliflower. I couldn’t wait so I made a batch of “Better than Potatoes” and OH MY GOSH – excuse me while I get up and dance – These are legit absolutely delicious!! I could have stood in my kitchen and ate the entire batch right out of the food processor! I had to force myself to walk away.
Melissa you are a genius! You hit upon the perfect technique and gave me back what I’ve been missing. I shall mourn mashed potatoes no more.
You’re a Goddess :)
Kindest Regards – Shari Ann
★★★★★
I gotta tell you that I was nervous when I started reading your post – I wasn’t sure it was going to end well ha ha! But I’m thrilled that you loved them and they go SO GOOD with that pot roast right???? Thanks for letting me know they were a hit!
I have tried several Mashed Cauliflower recipes in my life. These are BY FAR the ABSOLUTE BEST I’ve ever had. The whole family enjoyed this recipe and we were practically scraping the bowl. Thank you for this magical deliciousness!
★★★★★
Good stuff. We must always embrace the funk.
★★★★★
I added a bit more butter and half-n-half. I also added a good tablespoon dollop of jalapeno cream cheese.
I tried my blender, but that didn’t work. So switched to the hand stick blender which works great.
★★★★
thank you so much for this review … I was just wondering which of the two would work best considering we don’t have a food processor – I can’t wait to test this recipe :)
You can use a blender, then turn it up on high. I think this is better than using a food processor. Our first batch was excellent!!
★★★★★
Hi, I absolutely love this recipe and so did my family. I’m thankful for innovative low carb food bloggers such as yourself and that’s why I gave a shout out to this recipe and your blog in a blog post I wrote. I hope you check it out. Keep those recipes coming! http://www.thetenfootjourney.com/2017/05/15/cauliflower-rice-and-peas-a-twist-on-a-jamaican-classic/
Thank you for this wonderful recipe . I never thought Cauliflower would taste so different!!
As an add on, i added some red bell peppers to the mix. They absolutely rocked.
Thanks for the dish!
Peace
-PJ
★★★★★
Where I live (Milwaukee) you can buy pre-grained cauliflower, in a bag. Might be worth checking if your local grocer has it. Woodmans in Wisconsin does. Saves a step and also keeps consistency in the quality.
I bought a food processor for this recipe. It’s still in the box. But I’m thinking it’s time to take it out and give it a try! I’m only half as healthy as I should be so I plan on adding some sour cream and bacon!
★★★★★
This was perfect, quick, and easy. Used it with beef stew. My stick blender worked great and got this to the right “mashed potato” consistency. Added just a bit of cream cheese, as I usually put that in mashed potatoes. Dubliner cheese makes this taste wonderful! Thank you!
Sounds great, I´ll try it tonite, will switch cream for chicken broth (some lactose-intolerants invited).
If you omit the cheese and also replace the cream with chicken broth then it will definitely not be as thick or creamy – just so you know.
Really? You make this seem pretty easy (and I have the Dubliner Cheese). I have tried to make mashed Cauliflower, and mine was not great. I’m trying your method.
★★★★★
Wow this sounds so good. And there are so many great reviews on this. I must try these.
Yummy with the Dubliner cheese, getting ready to try with extra sharp cheddar and will pair with your balsamic pot roast. It’s really smelling good in here!
I absolutely HATE mashed potatoes. Ok so I made this.. added more heavy cream and more butter. I also used some fresh garlic. I used the mild and sharp cheddar cheese. I can not begin to describe how good this was. The consistency is so smooth. I could’ve eaten it has a dessert haha.. I will never try to eat mashed potatoes again. I made this to go along with roast chicken and steamed broccoli. Definitely 5 stars
★★★★★
I made this over the weekend and WOW! The best mashed cauliflower ever! Even my bf who is really not a fan of cauliflower loved it.
Thanks for the awesome recipe! :)
Has anyone done this in the oven? I don’t have a microwave ***gasp*** and need to know how to do this in a regular oven. I also don’t have a steamer.
Thanks
I just made this for my very fussy mother and he absolutely loved it! I added a glove of garlic as well and it worked perfectly. This one is definitely going to be a favorite!
I don’t have a microwave. How do you suggest I cook the cauliflower? If roasting is next best what temp and for how long? Thank you
This was very good. I used leftovers to make cauliflower fritters. Unfortunately, I used 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and coconut flour –so not entirely low carb. I dipped the fritters in a mayo aioli sauce, yum. Do you have something similar that you can add a link to your site? Do you have leftover column?
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ok, tried this and everyone thought it was mashed potatoes…YES!!! ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!
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I have had this recipe on my “to make” list for a while now, and I the only bad thing I can say is that I regret not making it sooner! I was a skeptic that these could be tasty, much less better than potatoes, but WOW, I am putting them on my weekly menu! Thank you!!
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Seriously, cauliflower heaven. I used muenster cheese because when I told hubby to pick up a few ounces of it at the store that translated into the entire freaking block from the deli counter. So we are living on muenster. And cauliflower mash ;) This stuff is amazing. I threw it into my ninja and let it do it’s thing and it whipped up all creamy and dreamy. I served it with your bangers recipe (ALSO super amazing!!!) and everyone raved. Even the boy who started the whole ban on cauliflower.
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I used my ninja and can’t get a smooth consistency 😭😭 I’m thinking maybe I didn’t microwave long enough? I’ll try again and either use less cauliflower or microwave longer.
So good! I love this site, everyone here is supportive, creative, generous. This recipe is good as-s and the option to add tweaks (bacon bits, topping for shepherd’s pie, fish pie, bangers and mash etc) makes it just a killer go-to. And so quick to make. I have been fighting the deadly carb monster for years, and I know a lot about keto eating, how to manage myself, how and when I do better, and so on, , but still I don’t always win the battles! This has just been added to my artillery! The more options I have, the more equipped I feel. There’s a balance between my tendency to think I am “missing out” and trying to replicate the carb and calorie high foods, and keeping it simple, wiht a few good basics that I can modify. I need at least one food for every “feeling”. I do tend to comfort eat and in winter I struggle. These recipes mean I am prepared with the required foods, which are delicious and do not feel like “substitutes for the Real Thing”. Love it.
Thanks, Everyone :)
Jo
★★★★★
This is amazing! I was missing potatoes with my low carb lifestyle, but not anymore. Thank you for sharing this terrific recipe!
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Tried the “Better Than Potatoes” cauliflower puree….did not turn out as hoped. I even triple checked that I didn’t have the weird membrane thing. Very disappointed. :( Thanks anyway!
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Wow not kidding. This was beyond all expectations. What a juxtaposition – cauliflower in microwave stinking up the entire house then eating this delicious dish that doesn’t taste any thing like the sour smell in the house. Ate a half a head of cauliflower myself. Will go on my weekly rotation for sure. Love it in summer when I don’t have to use my oven. Really sensational!
What a great comment. Bang on. Made me laugh :)
My 5 year old hates cauliflower but loves this recipe. I did not follow the quantities but just the ingredients and concept and am so glad she is eating this healthy veggie.
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Looks great and I want to try it. I don’t own a microwave, so I will need to play around with the process a little. Has anyone got any tips on how to make this using a regular stove?
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I did. I just cut the cauli up and steamed it on the stove top. I use a steamer basket thing so the veggies don’t sit in the water which makes them soggy. While steaming I just measured out the cream and butter and cheese. When it was cooked (I kept it a bit firm as I don’t like soggy veggies of any kind) I put the cauli in the food processor a few florets at a time so as not to jam the blade. I did have to keep moving it with a wooden spoon but no big deal. Then when it was all broken down I just added the other ingredients and mixed again. Came out perfectly.
PS if you don’t have one of this steamer basket things, just a pan with water will do. I just keep the water minimal – watch it so it doesn’t burn – and keep the lid on the pan. That’s the thing. Don’t boil with the lid off the pan.
Best of luck,
Jo
I didn’t use the microwave. I boiled the cauliflower until it was soft enough to mash with a fork. Then I put the ingredients together and used my hand mixer. It was all good!
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The first time I made this it came out perfect. Nobody, not even my picky daughter, knew that the dish wasn’t potatoes. The last three times, it has come out with the right texture, but the taste is strong cauliflower to the point of being almost bitter. I can’t figure it out.
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Could just be an issue with the crop – it’s hard to say, I’ve had some that were amazing and others that tasted funny or had a strange texture every once in awhile!
I hate cauliflower, but these are awesome. I think any ingredient you might add to mashed potatoes could be used in this preparation. It’s really the cooking technique that keeps the veg from being so watery & allows you to get a smooth puree that makes the difference. I used sharp yellow cheddar, sour cream, and pureed roasted garlic, and they were amazing. Another bonus is that the prep time is really quick, especially considering you’re working with raw veg. Super fast, super easy. I also used mostly just the cauliflower florets and left out much of the stems (hard to get fresh enough produce here) and had zero problems with texture. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate your work on this recipe.
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I just tried this recipe and it was divine! Thank you so much. Bye bye potatoes :)
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I don’t use a microwave, what are your suggestions to cook the cauliflower?
This is amazing, better than potatoes!!
Someone may have recommended this already but I have found roasting cauliflower gives it a richer flavor. It takes a bit longer than the microwave but the flavor is worth it if you have the time. I typically spread it out on a cookie sheet, place an ice cube or two, cover with foil (this speeds up the cooking a bit), uncover when almost tender and roast until golden brown. My cauliflower hating husband requests this purée on a regular basis.
So delicious! And my husband likes it too. I made it with frozen cauliflower and it tasted just the same. Very easy and quick.
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This was super delish!!! I am on week 3 of low carb eating, and needed something exactly like this to keep me on track!! Thank you so much!!!
I have seen recipes for this around and bought a caulie today to try it. I liked your idea of keeping it dry. The only thing I did different was to add some ground garlic and a little chilli. Delicious. I added some of the leaves too. Hate to waste them😊
Thank you
Brenda x
YUMMMM!!! Thanks so much for this recipe!!! I had it with some sausages tonight and it was just what the doctor ordered! Went down a treat!!! I didn’t do EXACT measurements, and I used Parmesan cheese, but it was delish!!! Now to try and stop myself eating it all at once ……… ;-P
Thanks again for all your great recipes!!!
I’m a recently-diagnosed diabetic new to eating low-carb and I’ve made four of your recipes in the last week!
These came out amazing. I used Bird’s Eye Steamfresh garlic cauliflower with Extra Sharp Cheddar and also threw in a tiny bit of cream cheese (which I will probably leave out next time). It was so good!
I was apprehensive at first about going low-carb but I’m enjoying it so far and that is in no small part because of your recipes so thank you!
Hi, thanks so much for this idea it’s great. Just a note my cauliflower head was about 3 lbs from a farm nearby.
Thus, I needed to adjust the recipe to 1 cup cream, 1 cup water, 1 cube butter and about 9 oz cheese. Weight on the standard amount in your recipe of the cauliflower might help others.
I also needed nearly an hour in the microwave — probably due it being harder due to freshness and even then it was still a bit “grainy” but who cares as it tastes great!
Thank you!
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I am so glad I found your website! The food is great and I loved this recipe! Cannot wait to try even more things ! I honestly feel that this will be a lifestyle change not just a weight loss tactic! Thanks so much!!
These were a hit at my Christmas supper last night. Doing them in the vitamix they had no chance of being grainy :-) However, I did overcook them somewhat and they were watery. Put them in the oven uncovered hoping to have them dry out a bit, but didn’t quite work, although did create a nice crust on top. Overall though, they still tasted great. Will do them more closer to your suggestion next time. Thanks!
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This looks yummy! Just wondering if you’ve tried it with cream cheese instead of sharp cheddar? Is the texture of the cheese a big deal?
Kat, I realized I was out of sharp cheese tonight and used cream cheese instead, and it turned out AMAZINGLY well!
I’ve had this recipe pinned for ages and finally decided to try it out after picking up a few cauliflower heads at the store. My wife dislikes mashed cauliflower by principle, so I made her a separate side dish to go with the baked chicken thighs we were having for dinner.
Those poor green beans went neglected, and I received the highest of fives along with a “can you PLEASE make this again?!”
This puree is a dream come true: close enough to the consistency of mashed potatoes to feel like true comfort food and so delicious that you’ll find it very hard to put any leftovers away. We’ve finally found a reliable cauli mash for our low carb repertoire!
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Do you think you could post a picture of the “membrane” that you say caused a problem with the cauliflower tasting gritty? I looked online and I can’t find any other discussion of the membrane but I would like to know what it looks like so I can avoid it myself. Thanks
It’s really just the hard coating on the outside of the lower stalk Cheryl!
I am addicted to Kerrygold Dubliner cheese, but had never used it in a recipe before. I happened upon this recipe when looking for a mashed potato substitute and knew I had to try it out. It is so good! It is a little more gloopy than normal mashed potatoes, and does have some tanginess, but is really good to satisfy that craving for mashed potatoes. Great alongside roasted pork loin or other entree meat. Thank you for this recipe.
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just made your mash recipe.
Suffice it to say i am in love!!
thank you :)
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I just made this. Can I say, AWESOME!!! Thank you soooooo soooooo much for this recipe. This was easy breezy
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Great recipe indeed. I had to simmer mine in a pan with the cream and butter as the microwave went to heaven last weekend. I added some freshly grated parmesan and nutmeg and used a potato masher and it was DEVINE ! Thank you so much for the recipe :)
I just made these…sitting here eating as I type. Holy crap these are good.
I know right?!?!? Still blows my mind sometimes!
This was by far the BEST cauliflower mash I’ve EVER had!!!!!!! I have a big family to feed so I doubled the recipe, and what I did was for the first batch I microwaved it the second time around for only 4 minutes and after putting it in the processor it was like a lumpy consistency. The second batch I made I pureed and the texture was peeeerfect! Just like the best mashed potatoes ever without the calories…my Dad is a super picky picky man and him AND my husband RAVED about them! I have converted our house officially!! Thanks for sharing! :)
Thanks so much for letting me know Kelsie – always thrilled to have new cauliflower converts on my hands! ;)
First of all, I never review any recipe, ever…. With that said, I simply had to write this review.. I have tried many mashed cauli recipes and this is by far the best mash I have ever had. I used frozen cauli, added a half tablespoon more of heavy cream, and used cabot extra sharp white cheddar. I threw it into my ninja and oh my goodness.. I wanted to eat all of it right then, but I made it for your bangers and mash… I never in my wildest dreams thought that “dieting” could be so fulfilling and yummy…Thank You!!
This is delicious, and is amazing as the topping on a creamy fish pie!!
Thanks for your recipes!
Oh yum!!!! I have been doing a ketosis diet for a few months and stumbled across this. I am in heaven. I live in UK and couldn’t get dubliner so used good old cheddar. My 2 sons also tried it and wow they liked it. What’s even more wow is that my 16 yr old does not like mashed potatoe but he really liked mashed cauliflower . Yippeeeeee!
I make this a lot since first coming across the recipe over a year ago. Last night, my fiance asked if we could change the seasoning of it; I usually use a medium to shard cheddar in it. We bought smoked Gouda and used that. It came out better than with the cheddar! He loved it, and when we were cleaning up, he said about the bowl used to puree everything, “I just want to smell this all night”. lol.
I’m making this for the third time now, and I’ve got to say, I LOVE this recipe. It’s tasty, and the easiest method of making a cauliflower mash that I have ever come across. This is actually the second time this week that I am preparing this. Right now, it’s to go along with your Beef Stroganoff Meatballs that I made last night. I doubled the Stroganoff recipe, after making it once, and kicking myself for not making a double batch then. (I despise the process of frying meatballs, but the recipe is really yummy, LOL)
The first time I made this mash, I used a sharp white cheddar, but this week I have Dubliner cheese to use. Wow, the Dubliner is awesome — it’s like cheddar and parmigiana reggiano had a baby, LOL.
I’m new to this – only nine days into it and I finally found something that’s low carb that I LOVE and I can make easily. I’m not much of a cook, so I was delighted to find this. I made mine with 2/3 cauliflower and 1/3 broccoli and it was DELICIOUS!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I was getting so discouraged trying to find a good “Cauliflower Mash” and this is it!!! It is soooo very close the the real thing! LOVE IT!
My daughter and I had the pureed cauliflower last night for dinner. I’m the one on the low carb diet but she loved them!! I also want to mention she’s a very picky eater so that’s testament to your excellent cooking skills! The only thing is she doesn’t like cheese so I made half with and half without cheese. I also took my leftovers for lunch today and you’re correct – they’re tasty re-heated too. New favorite side dish for us. Thank you, thank you!!
Prep Question – do you shred the cheese or melt it or what?
I’ve always cubed it. Start pureeing while everything’s hot, and it will melt in right away.
OMG made these for dinner tonight. I am in Heaven!!! Thick and flavorful. I can hardly wait
to make them again. And no more sitting around the table at holiday time wishing I could eat the mashed potatoes. Why did I not try this sooner?
Made it fr the first time tonight — and everyone (including the dog who needed a little fiber) loved it! I think my head of cauliflower was a little larger than normal, because I wound up adding a little more cream and butter while I was processing it. But not a touch of wateriness at all. Thanks — great recipe!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
I have made mashed cauliflower before quite a few times and always I was missing the creaminess. OMG this is amazing. I did do 3 times of 6 minutes for mine but my cauliflower head was really large. I added colby cheese as it was all I had, but it was mild and just added to the creaminess. I ended up putting in another tablespoon of cream while it was in the food processor. This is just revelatory for me. THANKS AGAIN!
Trying these tonight!! Can’t wait!
Just made this tonight…so glad I have leftovers, even though I want to eat the whole thing! So good!! Why haven’t I been eating this for years??
I made this last night – 2nd awesome cauliflower recipe that fooled my cauliflower-hating husband! Next time I might cut back a bit on the cheese and add in some chives or spring onions or something, as suggested by some of the other commenters. I’m off to find the next recipe to try :-)
What blade do you use on the magic bullet? Would the whipping blade (flat blade) be best?
Love your recipes and would like to be notified by email of new posts.
I’m on day 3 of keto and all I could think about today was mashed potatoes–one of the things I miss the most when doing lo carb. This recipe saved my life! Or at least it got me through the afternoon, ha ha. I used sharp white cheddar and they were fabulous! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Great recipe! Thanks. I steamed my cauliflower while the garlic that I crushed and peeled was roasting in a little olive oil, which took about the same amount of time. I added them both to the food processor and warmed some heavy cream, half and half and a bit of butter in the pot I used to steam the cauliflower. Then I added some salt, a bit of fresh grated nutmeg and Parmesan cheese to the food processor, put on the lid and poured in the warm cream through the top while whirling away until it looked to be about right. I ended up needing to heat it back up in that same pot, which is when I could have added the cheese, but I like how it was so smoothly incorporated in the food processor. Was so yummy! This is going to be my new go to! But next time I’ll try cheddar. So delicious! Thanks again.
These were great. I actually ate all four servings, which probably defeats the purpose, but oh well!
Wow! I just made your cheesy cauliflower puree and all I can say is…wow! Soooo good! I’ve been on the HCG protocol, and just entered into Phase 3 of my second round…I have missed mashed potatoes so much, and this really hit the spot! I could have gotten the Dublinger cheese, but opted for extra sharp white cheddar. I also added an ounce of a soft queso cheese. It was delish!! Thank you for your research and diligence in creating this recipe! I’ve also been perusing your dessert recipes and plan to get to some of them soon! :)
Oh MY! Oh, my, my, my, my, my!! I just found your site because I was looking for a mashed cauliflower recipe. Tried this one, and…OH MY! Had I not made them myself and known it was cauliflower, I would swear I was eating creamy mashed potatoes!! Followed the recipe except our microwave is broken, so I boiled the cauliflower until tender, about 15 min. I used only the florets. Then I blended in my Blendtec with the cream and butter and a little garlic salt. Put back in the sauce pan and added the cheese and a bit more butter along with salt and pepper to taste. I used Basque cheese from Trader Joe’s. It was perfect!! Thank you so much! My new go – to recipe! And now that I found you, can’t wait to try all the other recipes! Have been off sugar two weeks now, trying to lose the last 60 lbs. Feel so much better. Thanks again! By the way, I think I have perfected a low carb mini choc. cake recipe!
Welcome to IBIH Tina and I’m so glad you liked these! I still make them all the time when I’m craving comfort food and they never disappoint! I’ve never tried them with the Basque cheese (which is one of my VERY favorite cheeses of all time – so nutty and delicious!) but I’m going to try it now that you’ve given me the idea. Just have to find some – hopefully they’ll have it at Costco next time I go! Hope you enjoy the other recipes as much as this one! :)
I don’t have a microwave. What would be the best way to prepare cauliflower for this dish then? Boiling? Steaming? Roasting?
She said steaming…I was hoping SOMEONE would weigh in on how to do this recipe with a stove top method…because of SERIOUS health issues I won’t use a microwave oven (I’d rather fail to the safe side in all I do).
Just made this in preparation for your “Bubble and Squeak” recipe for tonight. Absolutely delicious! I had to add extra garlic, as we love it! Thankfully I had 2 1/2 cups and only needed 2 for tonight. My son and I ate the leftovers for lunch and then used a spatula to clean out the ninja, not a smear was wasted! My husband, 12 yr old son and I have been low carbing for a month now with great success. The best part is we are never hungry and NEVER feel bloated after eating. I stumbled across your site a week ago and love your recipes! I have been craving potatoes since we started, and am thrilled that these taste just like them (without the bloating). Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have some friends at church who are struggling to eat low carb, so will be sure they all know about this angel who makes eating fun again!
Wow, I was not expecting how rich and creamy these would be! Served with ham and steamed broccoli. It was the perfect accompaniment!
I’ll admit…I was skeptical. I *love* mashed potatoes (ok, anything carb) and I’ve tried the various faux potatoes with less than pleasing results. Yes, I like cauliflower but it was always kind of ‘watery’ grainy without that fluffy potato texture. Until now. I used a 14 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets (put them out to thaw while I was preparing the rest of the dinner). They were still half frozen when I stuck them in the microwave. With my attention spread across the rest of the meal, I just plopped in the butter and cream and stuck it in the nuker without stirring. I did stir before the second 6 minutes. Dumped it into the Cuisinart with some salt and pepper and let it run for about 45 seconds, stirred down the sides and pulsed it 3-4 times. PERFECT! Even my son, had a small bit (but covered his with the gravy from the salisbury steak) and he hates cauliflower! As a diabetic who eats less than 25gm of carbs a day (and only in non-starchy vegies)…this will be a lifesaver for me!
This recipe is delicious on its own — just made it today — but it makes WONDERFUL substitute for the mashed potatoes in a shepherd’s pie. This batch was enough to add a satisfying layer of mash to an 8×12 baking dish and fed six people as a part of the pie. The cauliflower browns beautifully in the oven — even better if you cut up an extra 1 tbsp of butter and dot the top with it before baking, but it’s not necessary to do. I did encounter the graininess referred to in the comments and notes, but the baking (35 minutes at 375F) took care of that as well.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for the recipes and all that you do! I don’t know if you posted this already above, but what were the original cream and butter amounts you used? As a keto-er I am looking to get a very high fat to carb ratio, so I’m interested to know how the original recipe compares. Thank you!
These are amazing! Thank you for keeping me on my diet plan. I bought your book and we love to make fried fish and tarter sauce. We also use the breading to make chicken nuggets. Tonight for the first time I added a tiny pinch of minced garlic and OMG. SO GOOD. Please make your next book in a paper version. I hate turning pages on my kindle while cooking.
Ha Ha! I am such a dork! I have been lovin your recipes this past 2 weeks….but didn’t have anything in this recipe except cauliflower and butter. So whats a girl to do? Improvise! No HWC/half and half or milk in the house…triple the butter! No sharp cheeses? Cream cheese and sour cream! Throw in some green onions…food process it to smithereens…voila! Perfecto in every way! I am bowing to your greatness….
i have found sour cream. heavy cream, butter and coconut oil seem to be interchangeable. Im sure its not in all recipes, but i havent found it yet.
We are total potato people, my husband and I. I started Keto about three weeks ago and made this for the first time last night (we had pork rind and Parmesan breaded pork chops too!) and, WOW. I put a drizzle of garlic olive oil as I was blending this and it added a subtle garlicky flavor. I really want to try this with truffle oil. Hubby loved these too! Thank you for yet another tasty low carb recipe! :)
I love garlic oil in regular potatoes and I can image that it tasted awesome in this as well! So glad to have made you guys cauliflower mash believers! :)
Thank you They were everything you promised
Now if I could just find a substitute for pasta………………..
I honestly like spaghetti squash better than spaghetti now. I never was a big noodle or pasta twists eater but I miss mac & cheese, homemade w/wholewheat elbows MMMM or macaroni salad homemade w/WW elbows and also tuna & egg slices MMM—>but not enough to mess with my system by eating wheat or up my carbs by eating rice elbows (which I dont know if they even MAKE brown rice pasta OR if they’d be any good…).
Keep at it, you’ll lose ur interest in wheat products as you increase ur veggies and keep at a consistent high (fibrous) veggie intake. Just like you lose your interest in sugary crap and chips, pop etc. It Does Happen!
I just made these and I will serve them tomorrow with dinner. I am not going to tell my kids they aren’t real potatoes and see if they notice. I hope they re-heat well, as I like to cook a couple meals at a time and then eat them through the week. I think they will be fine.
I had my doubts about this recipe since I had tried other mashed cauliflower recipes but I was truly blown away, they are fantastic and everyone who I have had try them agree, Thanks so much for this recipe
This recipe, while good and tasty, pales in comparison to the traditional potato mash. I made these and as expected my family balked, they are spoiled by having several chef’s in the family. An A for effort though! Yes, I did have the tried and true back-up which they applauded.
Thanks for the feedback Tony, sorry this wasn’t a hit with your family. How fortuitous that you had a backup plan!
Just a trick I have found…I started buying bags of frozen cauliflower and it has saved me so much time when making mashed cauliflower. The pieces are already chopped and you just pour the contents of the bag into a pot to cook, drain and then puree. I now keep 5-6 bags in my freezer at all times.
You mentioned the “mashed potato/cauliflower” thing, being watery and whatnot. The way I cook it is to steam it with garlic. If you don’t have a steamer, I put a cooling rack in the bottom of a deep pan (I usually cook corn on the cob in it) and fill the pan to just under the rack, put a couple tablespoons of chopped garlic and some diced onion, and then cut up the head of cauliflower and drop that in, put on the lid and turn up the heat. When a knife slides into the cauliflower easily, I put it into a food processor with olive oil and a little butter and puree it. Mashed potato consistency, and add some salt and it rocks.
I had this recipe recommended to me by someone on the UK Diabetic web site forum and tried it because I am a newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic and I was looking for low carb meals. I followed the recipe exactly and the resul was really nice, however later that night I was crippled with severe indigestion and felt sick for several hours. I had to sleep sitting up. I think it must have been the quantity if cheese that did it. I can usually eat cheese with no problem, but perhaps not cooked in this way. I haven’t tried it again , as I thought cutting out a lot of the cheese would no longer make it like mashed potato.
Hi Jan, and welcome to IBIH! It’s possible that the high sulfur content of the cauliflower was the culprit and not the cheese if you can usually eat cheese with no problem. Sorry to hear you didn’t feel well after eating it! Hopefully you’ll have better results with the other recipes! :)
Hi Melissa!
I followed your recipe almost to the T (I made a half batch using half of all the ingredients except butter which I kept at 1 Tbsp) PLUS I added 1 vache qui rit cheese triangle, added garlic powder (1/4 tsp) and a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese – and it came out DIVINE! Texture – ON POINT. Taste – AMAZING. SO RICH & CHEESY! Goodbye cauliflower rice.
I know I can easily recreate this dish and have it on the side w/ chicken/shrimp or beef. BUT I feel the taste of the mash specifically the strong but subtle cheesy flavor from the Dubliner (which was pricey but SOO WORTH IT!!!), may be too overwhelming with certain protein dishes.
Any recommendations on what other, even MILDER cheese I could add to preserve the richness & texture but tone down on the cheesy flavor? Cream cheese? Mozzarella? Provolone?
Thanks! :)
I have definitely used other cheeses when I don’t want it as strong – I use the mozzarella for the pepperoni pizza casserole, and the colby jack for the jalapeno popper casserole! Pretty much any cheese works – you can alter the flavor in so many ways and even add some chopped herbs to further enhance it! Have fun and be sure to share any of your awesome experiments with the rest of us! :)
Cream cheese works really well for mild flavor.
THanks Melissa and Rachel! Next time I make it I will DEF try with mild cream cheese if I’m pairing it w/ a strong flavoured protein. I love the cheese by itself too SOO GOOD. I will never make it with Extra Sharp cheddar, but I will def try with Havarti & Mozarella in the very near future!! :)
I should have read through ALL of the comments before I tried this. Especially yours Melissa about frozen cauliflower. Next time I will do as you stated,
“A few people have tried with good results! Thaw and drain it first, then cook it in the microwave (alone) for 5 minutes and then drain again. THEN add the cream & butter, cook for another 4-5 minutes until soft and blend with the cheese. I haven’t tried it that way myself yet but a few people commented here and on facebook that it worked well! Let us know! Hope you like it!”
Also, my blender was a nightmare to work with. These things just kept getting stuck so I finally had to add more cream. This resulted in a mushy texture. The flavor was good but the kids weren’t crazy about the texture, although the 2 year old and my hubby loved them! Go figure.
We have just this week began our walk on this low-carb lifestyle and are following your 3-day Keto menu plan to a T!! It is very nice having recipies for every meal and snacks all laid out for me!! I have enjoyed all the recipes thus far and have been full, satisfied but not once have I felt that lethargic feeling that I usually feel when eating my usual carb-laden foods. Thank you thank you!!
You have a new blog follower in me…and I introduce your blog to a friend who loves it too!! :) I will post about my 2nd round of Caulimash soon.
Hi Krissy! I have found that I get the best texture out of my magic bullet for this recipe – my vitamix seems to overprocess it and then it gets gummy and I do tend to have to add more moisture to keep the blade moving as well. A food processor could also work though I haven’t tried that. Thanks for spreading the word about the blog and meal plans – keep us posted on your progress! :)
Is it possible to freeze the puree as there is only one of me and its difficult to make a small batch
I don’t see why not Lesley!
Okay..so I made this tonight…added onion powder and garlic powder to the batch…
Soooooo divine.! I served braised beef over top the cauli….
…also …thanks so much for your lovely site…it’s a go to for me as well as your three-cookbook package. Thanks for the personal touch and making it feel like I’m sitting at your kitchen table.
Thanks for this Leslie, I love the idea of having my readers at the kitchen table (hopefully with wine, lol!) I bet it was delicious with braised beef over it! I will caution you that if you are on a strict low carb plan that onion and garlic powder have a surprising number of net carbs in them so to be aware of that when using them! Thanks again for the comment! :)
hi just made it as per instruction, with mature cheddar cheese, and it was great and smooth. before i o/d on it, 4 carbs, how much of a portion is that
thanks
Phil
You’ll find the serving size at at the top of each recipe under the title for future reference – on this one it’s 1/2 cup! Enjoy!
Had to come back to this post to say that a different appliance has improved this recipe when i make it. With a traditional food processor or blender, it always turned out like cheesy grits..still loved it. Got a Ninja blender (the least expensive one), and now it is just like mashed potatoes, only better!
My magic bullet works great to get it nice and smooth too Rachel – and that’s definitely the BEST!!!
YUM! Great taste & great texture. I added some garlic powder this time and I’m contemplating other combinations. I want to try your bubble & squeak version next.
I LOVE the bubble and squeak! It’s been ages since I’ve made it – let me know what you think if you try it!
I made these tonight and WOW!! These are by far the closest thing to a mashed potato that I have ever made!
Used a sharp white cheddar and blended until really smooth with my immersion blended.
Definitely a keeper! THANKS!!!
Thanks Susan, never thought of using an immersion blender for this! Great idea! Glad you liked them!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have tried cauliflower “mashed potatoes” before and they never came out quite right. These were excellent and now I’m thinking of other ways I can “enhance” them (I see people have mentioned cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, bacon, etc). I did add a little extra butter and a bunch of salt (personal preference) to mine. I could have eaten the whole batch! :)
For anyone who is scared of buying a head of cauliflower (like I was) – don’t be! If I can do it, you can. It didn’t take long to cut and pull off the florets. I may have tossed out more than I was supposed to but it worked well for my first time.
Oh, and I used my magic bullet which worked like a charm. I started with about 1/3 of the cauliflower and added more as it pureed.
Thanks for weighing in Laura and I’m so glad you liked it! Be sure to try the Jalapeno Popper Casserole that uses the puree as a base – it’s a huge favorite!
I love these “potatoes”!! I admit I did add a little cream cheese too and they were delish!
Can you believe I’ve never gone the cream cheese route? MUST TRY because I love the stuff. Maybe this weekend! Glad you enjoyed them and thanks for commenting! :)
Would frozen cauliflower work for this recipe and if so, any changes in directions?
Frozen cauliflower will work fine Carissa, just be sure to get as much moisture out of it as possible to get a nice thick texture!
One more thing: you can boil the cauliflower till soft and that works great as well. Just make sure to squeeze out as much water as you can prior to blending. Mine comes out nice and creamy in my blendtec blender. :)
Also try adding some garlic (roasted in the oven first) and blend it with the cauliflower. It really gives it the authentic garlic mashed taste. I also like to add cream cheese, parmesan cheese, a little creamer and butter…so yummy and creamy. I was in shock that it tasted just like garlic mashed potatoes!!!
Next time I will try it loaded with cheddar, bacon, and sour cream:)
Does a food processor work as well as the magic bullet or should I invest in a magic bullet?
A magic bullet is always a good idea Angela! I don’t know what I would do without mine! Why not enter the giveaway and maybe you’ll win one! ;) A food processor just won’t get it as smooth as a blender or bullet, but it will work in a pinch, as long as the cauliflower is cooked until really soft and you blend it on high for a couple of minutes! I don’t mind a few lumps in mine anyway, it still tastes great! :)
I am interested in what food processor you use. I have a cheap one and I have achieved an excellent taste with these, but the texture is lumpy and full of chunks.
For these I use my magic bullet and it works great every time. The key is to make sure your cauli is really really soft. Sometimes it takes up to 20 minutes in the microwave depending on how big the head of cauli I start with is. If the cauli is really soft even a cheap food processor or blender will get it smooth. Hope that helps!
I have made this and it was really good, consistency and all. Although, I could not find a Dubliner, so I crossed my fingers and went with smoked Gouda… and it was good but whew it was very potent! I will definitely find a less extreme cheese to go with next time!
I’ve made mashed cauliflower in the past and it’s always been a huge failure – way too grainy and doesn’t come together like mashed potatoes at all. I realized, for me, it was because I needed to cut as much of the stem off as possible before cooking and using a blender helped a LOT.
I just made your recipe above for the first time and it was by far the best version I’ve tried. I had already started to boil the cauliflower on the stove when I was reading your recipe so I immediately stopped, pulled it out of the water and put in the microwave for 5 minutes (did not add cream or butter).. then I just kept microwaving it for 4 minutes at a time until it was really soft. The last 2 minutes I add a little butter and cream and tossed. Then I dumped in small batches into the blender and added small amount of cream to help it blend. Dumped in a bowl and microwaved for 1 minute because I think I added too much cream then I added salt & pepper, sharp cheddar cheese and a little butter. Mixed and that was it. SO good and the same consistency as regular mashed potatoes. Next time – loaded with bacon, sour cream (instead of the heavy cream which gave it a slight sweetness) and chives.
Thank you!!!
Thanks for the feedback Diana! I do think microwaving or cooking with dry heat is the key to removing that liquid and getting a potato-like texture! Glad this worked out for you – you’ll have to try my pepperoni pizza version too – I eat it at least once a week now! :)
I made this tonight as a side for dinner and it was amazing! It came out so light and fluffy. My whole family agreed that these are better than mashed potatoes!
Thanks for the great recipe:)
Can you boil the cauliflower instead of putting it in the microwave?
Yes but you have to drain it really really well or it will be soupy and not really thick and starchy like real potatoes.
Hi Mellisa and everyone-
Yes, I have been on a IBIH spree! I just found the web site after 10 days on the 100. I have been literally starving, as in tired, weak and irritable.
Finding these recipes, and having gorgeous replacements for the foods I crave is changing all of this around.
These Cheesy Cauliflower ‘potatoes’ are unbelievably good!
I confess that it was more work than I thought to get the water out. I’l have to come up with a better system.
I think I am going to make a huge batch of the cauliflower and dry it and store it in something airtight in my fridge. That way I have the cauli ready to go through the week.
I made these without the cream, only because they were creamy enough for me. I used lovely Irish butter and Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp White Cheddar. Some white pepper and sea salt. YUM.
All of you are right that is about the drying. As I said, I have to find a better system. PS, I don’t have a microwave and I had no trouble getting the cauli steamed in a basket high above boiling water (15 minutes so that it was all uber soft)
This weekend, I had the General Tso’s sauce on ginger pork meatballs, the chocolate mousse and two separate hot servings of these Cheesy “potatoes’.
Delicious. Each bite was delicious. (the avocado-chocolate idea was new to me and I am astonished at how good it is!)
Tonight is Roasted chicken with Greek olives, rosemary, lemon, olive oil and feta over the cauli ‘potatoes’ with feta instead of cheddar.
Thank you Mellisa!
Courtney
Hello from the Netherlands,
I always hated this vegetable, but now I think it’s delicious.
I used milk instead of cream.
Thank you for posting this recipe!
I made this last night and I was thrilled with it! It was thick and creamy and the texture was exactly like mashed potatoes. I absolutely loved the ease and the decreased amount of wait time. I used almond milk and 2 wedges of the laughing cow garlic and herb cheeses, along with 2 cloves of roasted garlic, for one head of cabbage. 1/2 half of the entire serving was only 120 calories, for 1/4 would only be 60 calories. That is incredible. Thank you for this amazing way of getting a quick healthy comfort side dish. YAY
Sounds delicious Jodi, thanks for sharing your “hacks!” I haven’t bought laughing cow wedges in years but I can see how they would add amazing flavor to this! I’ll have to look for them on my next shopping trip to try this out! :)
I have recently fallen in love with mashed cauliflower. I’ve been experimenting with a few recipes. This week I used southwest cream cheese, and a little butter. I put them in the bottom of the bowl and the hot cauliflower on top. I let it sit for a minute to soften up before I used the mixer. It came out great.
I just had this for dinner and it is superb! Many thanks for the recipe and all the tips. I don’t particularly like cooked vegetables and have been struggling to keep my diet balanced on low carb, I’m sick of salad.
This recipe is a definite keeper and yes it IS better than potatoes!
Any advice on baking the cauliflower? No microwave. Thanks! Can’t wait to try a non-micro version.
Mashed cauliflower is AMAZING! Instead of using heavy cream, I use chicken broth. I steam my cauliflower in chicken broth and then add a little of the leftover broth to thin out the cauliflower. It is a Rachael Ray recipe. The cheese she suggests is the garlic and herb laughing cow. I end up using 4 of the triangles. I would love to try it with the cheese suggested here as well!
I have made this probably a dozen times now and love this recipe. Last night I decide to blend in about 1/2 a jalapeno for a little kick. It turned out great too.
Thanks for the recipe! You rock.
I love your jalapeno idea Angela, can’t wait to try it – thanks for sharing!
Can I just say THANK YOU for this recipe? I’ve tried the mashed cauli faux potatoes before and they just have made me miss carbs more than i did before I tried to replicate them. This dish is AMAZING. The mouth feel is so potato-like and full-bodied. I used cabot 50% reduced fat sharp cheddar (one of my faves) and an extra splash of cream when blending. Thank you!
Thanx for sharing this dish. I really enjoyed it , and my hubby – king of the mashed potatoes- tasted a little spoonful – forcefully mind you, and of course didn’t like it. However….I caught him eating the rest out of the bowl after supper!!! Success!! I had to microwave mine about 6 minutes longer to get soft and I used my magic bullet but needed to add extra almond milk (and patience) so it would actually blend. I used gruyere cheese/almond milk combo with salt & pepper. Yummy!!
Glad you (and your husband though he’d never admit it apparently!!) enjoyed this, Yvette! :) I love Gruyere cheese and haven’t had it in awhile – might have to buy some so I can try it in my next batch of cauli mash! Sounds yummy!
These were great. I’ve had mashed cauliflower before and never really thought it tasted remotely like mashed potatoes. These are definitely different – passed for the real thing. Thanks so much.
Girl- I GET what u mean about adding the stinky funk cheese! The stinkier the better. It TOTALLY gets rid of the sweet cauliflower taste. I followed yr recipe and add herbed feta cheese on top and mixed it in- on original cook then after I heat it up. I don’t recommend adding it before you reheat. It makes a HUGE difference. You are amazing and thank you for being so generous with your recipes, you are truly a gem!!
This is a GREAT dish. We just had it as a side with a slow pot roast & it was terrific at soaking up the juices – something I miss doing on a low-carb diet. I think cauliflower will now be a staple in our house. Yum.
Have you ever tried making it a non-savory dish?
I think it might work really well as a substitute for hot cereal in the morning. I’m thinking: keep the cream/butter to cook it in, but instead of adding savory cheese, add breakfast cereal type ingredients. Say, a bit of vanilla, cinnamon, peanut butter for smooth consistency, almonds. I”m going to try it.
I have been loving this recipe for awhile now. I usually just add cream cheese to the cauliflower. Last night I tried steaming instead of microwaving. Then wrapped in a clean dish towel for 5 min. to absorb all the moisture. Then processed in the Ninja with cream cheese. Worked great! Such a treat on a low-carb way of life!
So glad you’re enjoying it Barb, I bet the cream cheese adds a nice thick texture!
Can you use low fat plain yogurt instead of cream? Anyone?
I don’t see why not – it would definitely alter the flavor though. Not necessarily in a bad way, but the yogurt has a discernible tang to it so not sure how that will play with the cauliflower. Let us know if you try it and how it comes out!
going to try them with Blue Cheese and a tablespoon of Laughing Cow Cheese
Sounds yummy, hope you like them! :)
Ahhhhhhhh!! Delicious! We just got through eating these tonight and we actually like it better than mashed potatoes. We added a little more butter than called for, and cooked them a few minutes longer than called for but other than that we followed your recipe and they turned out perfect! We are going to be adding cauliflower to our vegetable garden just so we can have this dish often. Thank you for sharing this and your other recipes. We have also tried the cream cheese pancakes and had the same reaction. Your recipes have definitely helped us stay on our low carb track!
My first try was pretty good. I used frozen cauliflower and it came out thinner than I wanted. Maybe I didn’t drain well enough, maybe I processed it too long. I had a hard time getting the cheese to process, I think I should shred it first next time. Or it could be that my food processor is older than me (from the time when all kitchen appliances were off-white with fake wood grain accents). I could still detect the cauliflower taste. Any spices or other things you recommend that might help cover that cauliflower taste?
HI Melissa!
I’m new to cooking but really want to try your recipe! Can you tell me how many servings this makes? I’m making it for 7 people for Thanksgiving tomorrow.
Thanks!
One batch with a large head of cauli will make about 3 cups which technically would serve 6 people at 1/2 half cup each. But it’s so good that most people will end up eating more like 1 cup each so I would definitely make a double batch, if not a triple, for seven people. That also depends on their appetites, and how many other side dishes you are making. If you have leftovers they keep well so I usually err on the side of too much rather than not enough. Hope it’s a hit! Enjoy!
I have a feeling I will be printing every page of your blog. If you can ever get a print option on your blog, please do so. I love me my hard copies. Oh, I guess I should say thank you for blogging and this recipe. I’m not a fan of cauliflower and detest the mock mashed potatoes. I hope to this recipe suits my taste buds. I can handle cauliflower fried, a bit like hash browns but so far, that’s the only way.
Hope you liked this Darcy! The redesign is coming along and will have a print feature and also a way to save the recipes in a folder. Stay tuned!
I have found a heathfull addition that really helps texture in many foods, including cauliflower mash — flax meal. I grind golden flax seeds and add small amounts to many things that tend to be too soft. I don’t have exact measurements, but it doesn’t take much!
Cool idea, thanks for sharing!
Mellissa, I too can relate to your jumping off the wagon post. Thank you so much for being so honest. It helped me enormously to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t do my diet regimen perfectly. Your wonderful recipes (and others on the net) are helping me stay on track much longer now, since I feel like I’m eating “normal” food every now and then!
Oh, and I did finally test this recipe for freezing, and it did great! So, I’ve just finish making a double batch to take to a Thanksgiving gathering. I put it in a Food Saver vacuum bag, threw it in the freezer, along with the dressing I was assigned to make, and my Turkey Day stress is pretty much over! That morning I’ll just thaw everything out, nuke or heat in oven, and done! It’s going to be really nice to have so much done ahead of time.
Thanks so much again for all you do for us “weird foodies!”
Mary
Thanks so much Mary! And thanks for letting us know that freezing it works, I’ve yet to have enough leftovers to freeze, but now that I know I can, maybe I’ll make a huge batch so I always have some on hand!!!
Have made these 3 times using frozen cauliflower according to your directions and they were absolutely incredible! (with the dubliner cheese…YUM) Made last night with 1/2 of a ridiculously large head of fresh cauliflower, and I wayyyy prefer the frozen! Just stocked up on frozen cauliflower and will be making these again and again. I can’t wait to try more of your amazing recipes!
Also, just read your post about falling off of the wagon and can SO relate. I have just gotten back to low carbing after a LONG falling off of the wagon (or jump as you put it!) It was so hard to get back on, but after finding your blog, I am so into it now and feel better than I have in months of carby eating! THANK YOU!
Thanks for this! I need to make the switch to frozen cauliflower because when I buy fresh sometimes I get busy and it sits in the fridge too long and gets gross and I end up tossing it. I HATE that! Frozen would solve that problem and I’d have it whenever I felt the urge to make this – which is often! Especially now that the weather is chilly and I’m in need of more comfort foods! So glad the recipes are inspiring you and helping you feel great while reaching your goals! Welcome back to the wagon! :)
Trying this tonight with my G-free hubby and toddler son. Hopefully both will enjoy! Can you steam if you dont have a microwave??? How will I know when it is ‘done’??
Hope the family liked these! Let me know how it turned out with steaming it – in theory other than possibly being too wet it should have worked ok as long as you cooked it until really soft!
Oh my, Mellissa, you have saved my Thanksgiving! I’ve got lots of health issues that require, among many other restrictions, a low-carb diet. I eventually fall off the wagon, in part because I crave something “good.” I’ve been wondering how I would do this holiday season, and now I know! Made this last night with the Dubliner cheese, and it was fabulous! I thought I was eating mashed potatoes, and when I got to my second helping I said, “This is going to get me through the holidays!” And so easy, too — I cut up part of the cheese into the right sized pieces for this recipe, so holidays, bring it on, I’m ready for you!
One question — Do you know if this recipe will freeze? That would be too perfect for words! xxoo Mary
Hey Mary, so glad you loved this one! I don’t know if it will freeze or not, I never have any leftover ha ha! I don’t see why it wouldn’t though, let us know if you try it and how it works out!
I just made these today, and what I did was follow the instructions on how to “rice” cauliflower from Big Red Kitchen’s Blog at http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2012/05/the-fastest-way-to-rice-cauliflower-video/
Once I processed it through my blender, I strained it as she showed, and then used my hands to ring it out tightly one handful at a time. I put it in a microwave safe dish and microwaved for 5 minutes, checked to see if there was liquid in the bottom of the dish (there was not), and then I added my cream, butter and seasonings. I then microwaved an additional 4 minutes. I then added the cheese, combined, and then pulsed thru my blender once again to get it creamy. The ricing trick she shows would work well to make rice subs, or the oatmeal consistency needed for the Cheesy Cauliflower Tater Tots recipe at http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/01/cauliflower-tater-tots.html
I am so glad I found this recipe. I only used grocery store brand extra sharp cheddar, and it was very good just with that. Now if I can trick hubby with these at dinner time, it will be a win-win… that is, if I share them and they’re not all gone by the time he gets home! LOL
That video by Big Red Kitchen was so awesome – I use her method all the time for other cauliflower recipes! Glad you liked it and I hope that your husband did too! :)
Finally got around to making this tonight and it was great! I even screwed-up and tossed the cheese into the bowl with the cauliflower, cream and butter into the microwave so there was some cheese loss due to plastering the cooking bowl. Still was delicious. I’ll remember to add cheese later in the food processor next time. Wasn’t grainy, I made sure to take off any tough parts. A keeper and hard to believe it’s so low in carbs. Went well with some cajun salmon I made.
I put it in my My Fitness Pal recipe log as Cheesy Cauliflower Smashed Faux-tatoes.
Glad you liked it! Cajun salmon sounds delicious too!
I hate cauliflower. I have tried it fried, in a gratin, and mashed and until my husband made this tonight as a keto friendly side dish I thought I would never like this vegetable. This method made them taste exactly like homemade mashed potatoes! Heaven! Thank you so much for your recipes.
Hooray! Another convert! :)
Loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing. I noticed mine was grainy when I used the high speed mixer, but then I put it in the food processor and it made a huge difference. There are so many different things you could do with this recipe depending on what you’re trying to accomplish :)
I agree Lindsey! I eat this all the time and in many combinations – never gets old! :)
I couldn’t understand all the recipes I am finding that have cups of chicken broth, etc. I just read yours and am going to try it the way I originally thought made sense, to me.
I am going to just cook the cauliflower in the ziploc steamer bags, then treat them like potatoes, adding half and half, butter and in this case a cheddar cheese while mashing them!
Sounded good to me before I started my research and after your post I think I am on the right track! Fingers crossed!
I agree with you on the chicken broth Marge! Hope you liked these – let me know how they came out!!!
I’ve overcome the texture issue by using my peeler to whip away the stalk outer layers. works a treat! Kids were not fooled, but no one complained either. I did lower cal version, low-fat milk and low-fat mozzerella and 2 teasp of super aged parmesan. Yummo! Cauliflower going in the garden this year for sure!!
Glad you were able to get it by the kids – this is still one of the few dishes that I can’t get my husband to eat! The hatred of cauliflower is strong in that one! :)
Made these tonight, and oh my goodness they were awesometastic! I cooked them for twice as long because I wasn’t sure if the stalks were soft enough and used my food processor. Came across your lovely blog on r/keto, and I will definitely be making several of your other low carb recipes in the next few weeks :D
Thanks so much Diva! Love your word “awesometastic” – might have to steal that one! ;)
Hello! I love your blog. I have tried making cauliflour mashed “potatoes” 3 times now. I have not once had them come out nice and fluffy like yours! It turns into runny baby food mush. It’s more the texture of apple sauce than thick fluffy potatoes. I used a blender… we don’t have a large enough food processor. But in your recipe it says you use a blender too. Please help me and my faux-tatoes!
Hi Pelaymi! Sorry you aren’t having good results with the recipe. It sounds as though you might not be cooking them long enough, the only time I have a texture problem is if they are still underdone. One other time I had an issue with the fibers on the stalk making it kind of gritty – now I trim it off and I don’t have any problems with it. If it won’t get smooth, try adding a little more cream. Then reheat it because it’s also possible that your cheese isn’t melting enough and that’s causing a texture issue. Hope that helps – when it works it’s amazing so I really want you to get to experience it! :)
When making mashed cauliflower last, I tried to put the cooked (I steamed them.) florets through a ricer instead of using a blender. The florets wouldn’t go through the ricer, but what happened was a significant amount of liquid was pressed out. I squeezed the entire batch, not too much, then blended in food processor and the mixture was dry enough to add milk, cream, cheese or whatever, and keep a very thick consistency.
I have a ricer and I’m going to try this out Lisle – thanks!
I loved the microwave technique in your cauli mash recipe took mine about twice the time (I had a large head and only 900 watt mini-microwave). My question is about the fat. I was reading the comments and isn’t removing the fat contraindicated if one is following a low-car plan. Don’t we need the fat to counter the protien? We served ours with a dollop of full fat sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped bacon. I loved the texture and will be making this again. Problem is, eating too much!
It depends on the low carb plan you are on, a keto or atkins style doesn’t restrict fat, whereas a Dukan or South Beach plan does so it’s really a matter of what plan you are following. Personally, I load mine up with butter, cream and cheese! :)
We had a slow-cooking brisket in the oven and I was so wanting some potatoes to go with it, but being on a low carb eating plan, that was a no go. Somehow salad just didn’t sound right and then I found your recipe on pinterest…O.M.G.!!! I have tried the mashed cauliflower in the past and it was a disappointment, your recipe was divine!! Next time I’m adding roasted fresh garlic…oh yum! You have a new follower! :)
Thanks Selena and welcome! Just the words slow cooking brisket made me hungry! Glad you liked the cauli mash – sounds like an amazing dinner!
You can also add almond meal to thicken them up. That makes them really good too.
Cool idea, thanks Christina!
Amazing! I’m eating a big bowl of this right now and WOW. Having a true mashed potato substitute makes staying low carb a lot easier. Thank you!
~ k
Right??? I love them! I have a head of cauli in my fridge right now and I think I’m going to make some for my dinner tonight! :) Glad you liked it!
I will surely try this!
Let us know what you think!
So yummy! My vegetable-despising husband loved it! I didn’t have any unflavored almond milk, so I used water and a pat of butter. Blended the cauliflower with goat cheese and minced garlic. A little seasoning salt…PERFECTION. I usually mash by hand, but we got a food processor as a gift, and I wanted to give it a try. It totally changed the dish. Thanks for such an awesome simple recipe that is so versatile!
Thanks TJ so glad you guys liked it – especially your “veggie despising” husband! I can totally relate as my husband is the same way! :) I love goat cheese, have to try that in mine next time!
How many servings does one batch make?
It depends on the size of your cauliflower but I usually get about 2 cups per batch so you could call it four 1/2 cup servings. I give the nutrition information for the entire batch at the bottom of the recipe so you can divide it by however many servings you divide it into. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I used unsweetened almond milk and a small dallop of brummel and brown yogurt spread when I cooked the cauliflower. I also added a healthy dallop of plain greek yogurt and used swiss cheese. This is divine!
So happy that you liked it!
Ditch the cream and use lite philly, garlic and rosemary. Yum. Lo carb and lo fat.
Sounds tasty but I’d still probably use full fat cream cheese! ;)
I am always trying to cook healthier for my husband, but he refuses to eat any vegetable besides lettuce, corn, and canned green beans! And he is a huge fan of my cheesy, buttery, garlicy mashed potatoes which are in no way healthy at all! Well, I made these last night with pork chops with dijon herb sauce from Skinnytaste and told him they were mashed potatoes. I followed your recipe exactly (used extra sharp white cheddar) and sat back and watched him finish a huge helping! It is not unusual for me to ask him if he liked everything and if he had any constructive critism. He said the “potatoes” were more plain than usual (I think it was the lack of garlic powder), but that they were still good! When I told him that they weren’t potatoes at all, that it was cauliflower, he was pretty shocked! I will definitely make these again and next time will add some garlic powder and maybe a little more cheese! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!!
Hey Tiffany, it sounds like maybe your husband and my husband may have been twins separated at birth! ha ha! My husband still won’t eat the cauli puree but I think it’s on principal now and just to be stubborn. He did eat the cauliflower brownies and faux-lafel though so maybe I should see if he’ll give the puree another try now! Glad your husband liked them, thanks for sharing! :)
I don’t have a microwave–anyone try this boiled or steamed and have advice?? Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!
Adi I would try steaming as opposed to boiling, just because it preserves the nutrients and won’t be as waterlogged and soupy when you puree it.
I just made this and it is DELICIOUS!! I steamed my cauliflower in my steamer and heated up the heavy cream and butter in the microwave and added it all to the food processor!
Glad you liked it Yvette! And I’m glad you got a good consistency in the food processor, some people said it was too grainy – I think the key is to make sure you cook the heck out of it so it’s nice and soft. :)
Outstanding! I used “Cabot Seriously Sharp” Cheddar. Before I salted it, I took a portion out for my 11 month old who gobbled it up excitedly. I just served the seasoned batch to the non-babies of the family, and everyone LOVED them! Great work! Thank you for sharing!
Glad the whole family liked them! I used the Cabot Seriously Sharp too – it’s my next favorite after the Dubliner! Good for you for getting your toddler eating their veggies early – so happy that it was a hit!
Let me just say, this is heavenly! I could eat this every day!
Thanks Doc! For my first couple of weeks doing low carb, I practically DID eat this every day! Just made a batch last night, still love it!
Thanks Guylaine, glad you guys liked them! I still get a grainy batch every once in awhile and it doesn’t really bother me either!
thank you so much for sharing such a delicious recipe! we cooked the cauliflower the old-fashion way… and even if a bit grainy, we totally loved it. this is a keeper. cheers to you!
These were so good!! I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical. I had these in a restaurant a few years ago and well meh, just ok. Mine ended up grainy like some said, but my flower had been in the fridge a while. I’ll be including this on my blog tomorrow!! Oh and I didn’t have any sharp cheddar so I used a hunk of pecorino-Romano I had on had-totally yum!! We’ll be adding these to the rotation. :)
Thanks Jill! I don’t blame you for being skeptical – I’ve yet to have really good ones in a restaurant yet! Glad you guys liked these!
Yumm this looks amazing!! I always hated that watery aspect of mashed cauliflower so I love that you addressed this! I am wondering however if there is anyway to do this on the stove? I love how this is so healthy but I’m a firm believer that the microwave zaps nutrients! What’s your take?
Pamela, one way might be to just cook them with the cream and butter on low in a covered pan until soft, then puree, then cook a bit longer with the lid off until more of the steam evaporates out and they are nice and thick, then stir in the shredded cheese until melted. Let me know if it works!
Low Carb High Fat is better for weight loss. when you cut back on carbs your body benefits from higher fat to burn rather than protein. Also low fat products contact more sugar content. Trust me done the low fat low carb and didn’t lose weight often gained now I’ve lost 30 lbs in 3 months on low carb high fat. check out the Diet Doctor from Sweden and the Wheat Belly Book by Dr. Davis. changed my life! PS I make this recipe real creams and butter it is yummy!
Thanks Annette and congrats on your weight loss!
(That said, I’m saving this recipe and looking forward to trying it!)
Hope you’ll report back!
I didn’t go through all the comments, so I’m sorry if I’m repeating, but I do think regular, non-cheesy ‘mashed cauliflower’ can be quite delicious. There is one essential step, though, and despite being a bit effortful it is essential and quite gets rid of the consistency issues; allows one to add plenty of butter and milk or cream; and absolutely rules out the use of any food processor. You have to cook the cauliflower really thoroughly. And you have to press the cauliflower through a ricer. You must do it slowly, pressing out first all the water- all of it. Only then do you rice the cauliflower into the mixing bowl.
I love my ricer and I use it for all kinds of things – can’t believe I’ve never tried the cauliflower though! I’ll have to experiment with it because I’m skeptical that it will be as smooth as pureeing it though – but I will definitely try it! Thanks!
This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing. I’m going to be making this for dinner this week. Quick question, what is something you suggest serving with it? I was thinking some sort of chicken (I dont have a grill in my apt, so something baked/skillet) and wanted to see what your advice would be. Thanks!
Kristen I’m sorry I didn’t reply to this sooner – if you’ve already made them I hope they turned out well! If not, a simple baked chicken sounds great – I like mine seasoned with cajun seasoning and drizzled with olive oil, and maybe some asparagus or your favorite veggie! I ate it for a quick dinner last night with just a slice of provalone cheese melted on top and it was delicious! :)
They turned out awesome, thank you so much for this receipe! I will be making this any time i get the chance. I paired it with some mojito lime marinated chicken and steamed green beans. Perfect! :) Thanks again!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! for sharing this recipe! I have seen many mashed cauliflower recipes online, but yours sounds delicious-Dubliner cheese-yum! and your pics are making my mouth water…looks like REAL mashed taters! I’m on a low carb diet too and let’s face it, things can get a bit boring, so I’m always looking out for new things to try. I saw your recipe on Pinterest and just had to pop over for visit. I’ve added your blog to my Feedly, so I can keep an eye on what you’re eating! Oh! And all these comments with variations…ahhh! BONUS! Thanks again and I can’t wait to try this.
Thanks Barb, I hope you like them! I’ve tried a lot of cheeses with good results but the Dubliner is still my favorite. Welcome to IBIH and I hope you enjoy the recipes! :)
I gave up potatoes for lint and have been craving them SO BADLY. This was a PERFECT and DELICIOUS fix!! THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE!!!
You’re welcome!
Sweet heaven, these ARE bliss. Thank you!
Right? Glad you liked them! :)
Dear Melissa,
Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe.
My 5 and 3 y/o are inhaling it (That good!!)
Only substitution was the cheese for low Fat Mozzarella (I’m on South Beach)
Thank you again for bringing healthy food to my table
Hooray that your kids are eating it! Cauliflower is surprisingly healthy for you which I only recently learned so it’s great when we can get our kids to eat it. Thanks for the comment!
I can’t wait to try this – looks AMAZING! BTW, you know that the word is “smorgasbord”, right? :D
Hey Mel, hope you like it! It’s funny that you mention smorgasbord because I was just going back and forth on Reddit with someone from Sweden who mentioned it the other day and I told them they are the first person who has ever brought it up. They said if you spell it with a “g” in Sweden it means castle. I had looked it up when I first used it and it’s commonly used with a “g” these days in the US so I went with it. Now that a second person has mentioned it I may have to actually change it to the official Smorgasbord spelling even though I like saying it with a g better for some reason! Although it may be moot because I’ll be updating the site soon and changing some features, most likely including the description! Thanks for keeping me on my toes though – way to be on top of it! ;)
I have been making “mashed cauliflower for years for my husband is type one diabetic (potatoes cause his sugars to elevate too much). This year, trying to get a new flavor, I added turnips, Delicious! Also, sometimes I add one Yukon gold potato to get a more mashed potato consistency.
My mom HATES turnips – it’s one of the few things that she didn’t make for us when we were kids so I didn’t grow up eating them. I love them though and have been wanting to experiment with some recipes. Never thought of mixing them with the cauli – thanks for the idea!
This looks great but I’m not understanding how much of the ingredients to use…it lists 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter, but then in the directions says to use 1/3 cup of cream and the tablespoon of butter, and then later to add the rest of the butter and cream…
THANK YOU! I recently added an update that I adjusted the levels of cream and butter down to reflect how I eat it now which is just as delicious but less calories. Unfortunately, I didn’t read carefully enough through the instructions and they did not accurately reflect those changes. The correct amounts are shown in the ingredients list and I’ve adjusted the rest of the recipe to match. Of course you should use as much or as little cream and butter as you like! Again thanks for letting me know about the discrepancy! M
Oh my goodness, I am so glad that somebody put this link on Pinterest! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is so creamy and velvety and so easy!! Made it with unsweetened almond milk, aprox 1 teaspoon of butter, and Romano cheese (from sheeps milk). I haven’t had anything this creamy/good for years! Made it 3 times already in a week. Makes the most amazing milk free tomato soup by stirring a nice big spoonful into a mug of blended canned tomatoes. Add a splash of ume plum vinegar and garnish with Romano. Thanks again for sharing!!
Carol I love your tomato soup idea! I’m totally going to try that this week since I have a TON of cauli in my fridge that needs to be used up! Thanks for sharing and I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying the recipe so much!
I can’t wait to try this!!! i am doing the low carb as well. One change I will be making is to sub the butter with spray butter. Spray butter is awesome…no fat and no carbs!!!!! No sure of the measurement but probably just 2 tsps!!
Enjoy!
The first time I tried cauli mash, thought my husband would hate it (Southern man; “If it ain’t fried it ain’t cooked”), but he likes them better than potatoes. I’ll bet he’ll like your recipe even better. If you eat out from time-to-time, try Ruby Tuesday, they have great cauli mash.
I didn’t know RT made a cauli mash! I’ll have to request that next time! I was there recently and got the grilled salmon with the zucchini and spaghetti squash which wasn’t very good so I’m happy to know they have a cauli mash side now – thanks for sharing that tip! Hope your hubby likes my version!
This is an outstanding recipe. I’ve done mashed cauliflower before and it just didn’t pop, but this really works. It’s a great blank canvas too. My first round was great, but on the first reheat, I worked a bit of horseradish in. Fantastic. I’m seeing roasted garlic and maybe some wasabi in this recipe’s future, not to mention an aus jus drenching.
You’ve done a fine service to humanity here, Melissa. Thanks.
P.S. Still not really better than potatoes, but close enough to satisfy the palate.
This is TOTALLY LUSH!!
Hey Pablo..I did just that tonight! I added garlic to the cauliflower with cream cheese, butter and cheddar. I paired it with a roasted beef dinner and I made an au Jus and it was all to die for! The wasabi sounds wonderful and can’t wait to add that next…or maybe even a little pesto sauce? Funny, I luv them better than potatoes. Enjoy all tho possibilities.
ha ha! Never thought of myself as a low carb humanitarian but thank you Pablo! :) I have used these as a blank canvas for a lot of recipes to sub in the potatoes and haven’t found one yet that didn’t work! I still love them even more than potatoes too Sugar! Val – Lush is the perfect description for them, which I’d thought of it when writing the post! Thanks for all of your comments and for sharing your ideas guys, I love reading them all!
The one thing I really haven’t missed while on Atkins is the potatoes, but I always feel left out when my family of 5 is eating something starchy like potatoes or rice, and I just have a heap of vegetables. So I decided I would try these so at least my plate looks similar (just a brain trick, finding I need lots of these on atkins lol.) But the flavor I just love, it doesn’t exactly remind me of potatoes but it is delicious. I am making these for my second time tonight. We buy cheddar/mozzarella blend from our Costco that I use in the cauliflower. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Lacey
I totally get the tricking your brain thing! I do it all the time and it really helps! Glad you liked them!
Tried this for dinner last night- so good! I used almond milk, and only about 1 tblspn of butter. I also used less cheese than called for, and cut up some garlic and some parsley to put in it. Both myself and my boyfriend loved it! Will definitely be making this again.
Thanks Mariah – I wondered about the almond milk because it’s so low carb it would be a perfect low fat sub for the heavy cream but I hadn’t tried it yet. Going to make my next batch that way thanks to your recommendation! Glad you guys liked it!
Mellissa do you think this would work without cheese?
I see that Mariah used almond milk which is what I would use, but I don’t eat cheese.
Also could the cauliflower be steamed instead of microwaved and still get the right consistency?
You can make it without cheese, and you can steam it as well – but you definitely won’t get that thick, rich texture. The microwave removes excess moisture which thickens it, and the cheese further thickens it making it so much like potatoes. Not saying it won’t be good – just saying it won’t be this recipe! Enjoy!
How many servings were you able to get out of this? And how big were they?
Its different every time depending on how big the cauliflower is but on average I probably get about 2 cups so four 1/2 cup servings. Or two 1 cup servings. Or one 2 cup serving. Or eight 1/4 cup servings. Or thirty-two 1 Tablespoon servings.
LOL! :)
And thank you!
You’re welcome! :)
I’m so glad I found Shannon’s question (& Mellissa’s answer) in the comments! This recipe (which I found on Pinterest) looks utterly perfect, and I meant to try it out once before taking the leap to make it for my family’s Thanksgiving feast tomorrow, but it completely slipped my mind, & I was just afraid of messing up serving amounts. THANK YOU!! :)
Sharon you can never have too much of this, trust me! Hope your guests love it!!!
OMG! SO good!
I found this on Pinterest and tried it tonight…it will be one of my staples now!
I used skim milk and added a little garlic powder (can never get enough garlic), worked like a charm.
I can’t stop eating it!
I have a batch in the microwave right now and already can’t wait to eat it! :) I still haven’t tried the garlic powder, going to add it to this batch and see how I like it! Thanks for the comment – so happy you are enjoying it too!
YUM! I wasn’t looking for anything like this, but wow, so excited. Just made it and I am resisting eating the whole bowl before dinner time actually comes. Love that it is low carb (a plus) and love that people have tried a lower fat version. I hesitate to take out ALL the fat as a little fat helps to stave off the hunger :) I’ll try it soon! Thanks!
Thanks Erica, glad you liked it! I agree that it needs some fat even if it’s much less than this recipe because the fat also mellows the natural sulfur in cauliflower that gives it that skunky taste I don’t like!
I am in my final week (week eight) of a carb detox and I have made this several times…..and I have to say it will be a keeper! You should try cheese crusted pizza! Was great!
Shirl it’s on my list of things to try for sure! Good for you on 8 weeks of low carb – way to go!
Cream cheese works well too! I looooove “Faux-Tatoes” and make mine a little different but can’t wait to try yours as well. But here’s what I am thinking for “Twice Baked Loaded Faux-Tato Skins”…..roast a portabello mushroom (for the potato skin), top it with the cauliflower, bacon, chives and sour cream! And to go a step further, add some sauteed shrimp and garlic to the cauliflower! YUMMM!!! :)
That sounds totally over the top – in a delicious way! Love the idea of putting it into the mushroom as the “skin” – very fun! Also adding the shrimp – yum! Is your name really Sugar? Because if it is and you’re doing low carb eating I love the irony! :)
:) LOL! That IS too funny right? My name is Lysa “Sugar” Davis but everyone calls me Sugar, or at least my family, best friends and fans. I am a professional singer and have been on Atkins for 2 weeks and lost 13 pounds! I’m luvin’ it! I’m making your recipe tonight for dinner with a slow roasted round of beef…hubby can’t wait to try it! I LUV your blog by the way!
http://www.LysaDavis.com
http://www.Masterjam.us
These were so much better than my last attempt at caulimash (fluffy goo), thank you for the awesome recipe, and I just love your site! My nine year old son has type one diabetes, so I am so appreciative of your creativity with low carb cooking. As many others have said, you rock!
Thanks so much Shannon! I’m glad you and your son are enjoying the recipes! Stay tuned, I’ve got a lot more low carb recipes in the works! :)
Today I started the South Beach diet, and since cauliflower, cheese and butter are allowed, I am definitely going to make this !!! I’m already a huge cauliflower fan, so I know this is going to be amazing !!!
Good for you Karen – hope you rock it! Also hope you like the cauli and it helps you stay on track! I eat it a LOT and it feels like cheating even though it isn’t! :)
I saw this on Pinterest and tried it for my diabetic hubby. We both loved it. I just used my hand mixer and it was just right. I added a bit of onion powder, garlic powder and chopped parsley. Added grated cheddar and monterey jack. We were totally satisfied.
Thanks for the feedback Shirley, glad you guys liked it! chopped parsley sounds good too – I love fresh herbs in my potatoes so I bet this is yummy!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this blog! I’ve been low-carbing as well, and your plethora of recipes and witty humor have been a lifesaver. Made the cauliflower again tonight because I loved it so much the first time. For a change of pace I threw in some horseradish – it was heaven in a bowl. I seriously wanted to lick the blender blades clean (wisely refrained). So just wanted to send on my thanks for this amazing and versatile recipe!
Awww…you think I’m witty?! *sniff* Thanks Bernadette! :) Horseradish!!?? Why didn’t I think of that??? I just bought a huge hunk of it for cocktail sauce and I a totally grating some up and throwing it into my next batch! I’ve been planning to make some braised short ribs and I’m going to have it with that! Thanks for the great idea!
On the back of this, something I used to put into real mashed potato was cheddar cheese (check) and English mustard (the yellow stuff). You got a real kick there. Pep up that green avocado cauli mash I presented above with some wasabi?
I like the wasabi idea, yum!
IT WAS FABULOUS !!! WE ALL LOVED IT!!! Thanks
Laughed at the all caps – guess you guys really DID like it! :) Thanks for the feedback – I’m glad it was a hit!
They worked in my CusinArt blender. I didn’t have to add extra cream, just had to move the chunky bits around here & there, and had some patience. I know it wouldn’t have worked in my regular blender, though…
It can be a pain in the blender and I feel bad that some posters are having such a hard time! Glad it worked for you, I agree it takes patience – but it’s so worth it!! I usually make mine in the magic bullet now and it works like a charm because I can shake it up while it’s blending!
Mellissa,
I’m eating this divine bowl of cauli creamy goodness flower!! It’s my 1st time making this and will not be the last.
Thank you for sharing all your creations, I’ll be dining this upcoming week with recipes from your blog!
Thanks from the bottom of my tummy,
Anna
Anna I’m so glad you are enjoying it! I still eat it at least several times a week – the ultimate low carb comfort food! Let me know how you like the other recipes! Thanks!
I made this tonight and it was possibly better than potatoes!!! After reading reviews and seeing how many calories were in these I replaced the heavy cream with low fat plain yogurt! I did have to add some extra skim milk while blending it because it was too thick.I also substituted Pepper jack cheese and some parmesan cheese for the sharp cheese. It added a little spice to it, which my husband and I both love! This recipe will absolutely make the weekly rotation!!! Thank you!!
Glad you guys liked it Janelle and thanks for sharing your “hacks” with us! Pepper jack cheese sounds like it would be awesome in there – totally trying that in my next batch! :)
So yummy I made it with yogurt spread and 2% milk – tasted awesome thanks for the idea!
Sounds good! Happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Haha! Here’s some fun!
After finding cauli and avocado make perfect partners (see: https://picasaweb.google.com/107179421315824659117/Cuisine#5703522500787808130) and having such success with cauliflower and cheese to make a mash, you know what’s coming … yes, cauli avocado mash!
https://picasaweb.google.com/107179421315824659117/Cuisine#5704280259374449314
Granted, green mash might not be everyone’s idea of heaven but boy, this is good! Like a solid guacamole. Oh, and feta works so well at drying the avocado first. So, feta and avocado, blended, then add in the steamed and dried (but still hot) cauli with mild uncoloured cheddar. Blend. Serve out.
The pictures looked interesting! Some of my favorite ingredients in that mash so I can only imagine it’s delicious! Totally trying that next time I buy avocados! Thans for the idea!
My husband loves your buffalo wings! He’s so happy he can have them on a low carb diet! That’s how I found your site and then I saw the recipe for the mashed cauliflower. I had heard that people used them as a mashed potato substitute but they always sounded a little gross, so I never made them for him. I thought I would give yours a try today and they are pretty darn good!I will give them to him tonight, but I do keep sneaking bites of them! I think he will like them. These aren’t runny at all. We’ll see how they are once they cool off and then are re-heated. I am really happy I found your site!
Hey Tina, I’m happy you found me too! So glad your husband is enjoying the recipes! Let me know if the cauliflower made the cut! :)
Just tried some at a friend’s house the other day and they were runny! Sounds like something I will have to try. Saw this on Pinterest
Just say no to runny cauliflower! Made it again tonight and it was delicious – I just can’t get enough of it lately! Hope you like it and will report back. Oh and share the recipe with your unfortunate friend – ha ha!
Secrets I have found: garlic salt and feta(even fat free feta) the feta adds a starchy flavor the garlic salt—just makes for a more flavorful potato taste :o) happy mashing
I love feta so I’ll have to try that! Thanks!
I have been doing low carb off and on for +15 years, and this is simply the best mashed cauliflower I have ever had. We had it with braised short ribs, our 7 year old son asked to try some so we gave them to him. He finished the cauliflower and left the potatos we had made for him on the plate. Bravo!
Yay! I know how hard it is to get kids (and husbands!) to eat their veggies so this is definitely high praise! Thanks so much – I’m really happy that you all liked it! And your comment reminded me that I really need to make some short ribs soon! Love them!
glad you liked it Crystal! It totally replaced my potato urges and I eat it all the time. I am literally eating a bowl of it right now for dinner! So good, I’ve probably made it 15 times by now and I love it just as much as the first time!
Awesome! Just made this and love it! I think it could replace my mashed potato urges. Thank you!
I just made this tonight, and my 17 year old asked what kind of potatoes they were! This is the closest I’ve gotten to a potato substitute. I was suprised how rich it tasted.
That’s great! I’m glad your family likes them too – sometimes it’s hard when you’re doing low carb (or any diet) and have to cook one thing for the fam and something else for yourself – a win win if you can get them to eat (and like!) what you are eating! As for tasting rich, hello cream, butter and cheese! One of the perks of low carb that offsets the cravings for sugar and bread so I figure why not enjoy it! :)
My kids loved this, as did my wife. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Thank you Leroy – glad your family enjoyed it!!!
I make several versions of this. I’m doing the Whole 30 right now so no dairy but on day 31 I’m doing my favorite version. Mexican crema instead of whole cream, Ford Farm Coastal Cheddar, 2 peeled poblano peppers. This is my mexican side dish I server instead of rice.
That sounds really delicious!! Do you roast and chop up the poblanos and add them to the mash or do you stuff the mash into the poblanos? Either way I’m going to try this! I love all of those flavors – thanks for the idea!
Ahh! LOVE <3 I’m a potato girl but watching the calories and carbs lead me to your post. I did some sub’s fat free half & half for heavy whipping cream, light butter spread, and reduced fat sharp cheddar. Fan-tab-ulous. Thanks for sharing :o)
SanLynn so glad you liked it! I’m going to try the low fat version since a lot of people say it’s great – definitely wouldn’t mind reducing the calories some! Thanks for the feedback!
Has anyone ever tried making this with frozen cauliflower florrets? I have a large bag in my freezer and was wondering if it would work? This sounds good!
A few people have tried with good results! Thaw and drain it first, then cook it in the microwave (alone) for 5 minutes and then drain again. THEN add the cream & butter, cook for another 4-5 minutes until soft and blend with the cheese. I haven’t tried it that way myself yet but a few people commented here and on facebook that it worked well! Let us know! Hope you like it!
AMAZING!!! If in doubt, MAKE THIS!! I just made some, and am eating it as I type! I did use organic SKIM milk instead of cream and you would never know the difference, it’s so creamy and delicious. I was never a huge fan of cauliflower mash, only because I used a mixer and it never turned out creamy and I ended up just wanting real potatoes even more, I promise this does the trick! I will crave this and potatoes will be a thing of the past!
Thanks Jessica! I’m so glad you liked it! And it’s awesome to know that the skim worked instead of cream for all of my low fat peeps out there! I know exactly what you mean about cauli mash having been a disappointment in the past and just making you miss potatoes more! I’m thrilled this did the trick for you! :)
I saw this on Pinterest – I’m doing Dukan so low carb, but low fat. So I used Fat free canned milk, butter flavored pam spray, fat free cream cheese and fat free cheddar cheese – Oh YUM!!! What a treat. And my husband liked them too! I dressed them up with some chopped green onion and fat free sour cream. I will be making these all the time. Totally got my ‘gotta have something starchy’ craving taken care of!
Thanks for the comment! Glad it worked for you even in a low fat version! I wondered if it was all the fat that made it taste so good – good to know it’s still delicious even without it! :)
Hey A, I’m sorry it was a disappointment for you! I’m pretty sure I know why and hopefully this helps. A mixer no matter how strong will never get a perfectly smooth puree. You have to use a blender, magic bullet, or a food processor on high. The mixer will break it up some but then just moves it around, it won’t bread down the clumps enough. Try it again in one of the other appliances I mentioned if you have one and let me know how it works out! Don’t give up after this one mishap – it’ll be worth it! :)
I had the same problem and the blender I was using wouldn’t move it around. It just kept getting jammed up in the bottom. I’ll try the Magic Bullet…don’t have a food processor yet.
That said – the taste is great! so I’m still eating hte lumpy stuff today :)
Michelle
Mine is lumpy, too–but that’s because I made a newbie mistake and didn’t cook my cauliflower long enough! I kept thinking it was burning up in there–so mine’s a little lumpy, BUT it’s STILL GOOD. That’s how good this mash is.
I am not sure what I did wrong but I put my cauliflour in for much longer and it still wasnt very soft and still did not mash up. I have newer microwave that works good and I have a kitchen aid commercial mixer. I have no idea mine was chunky.
Yay! So glad you loved it! I do love it most with the dubliner cheese too when I can find it!
Just stumbled upon your website looking for some new and exciting ways to expand my low carb recipe repertoire. Oh my! this was amazing!! I’ve made cauliflower mash a few times and tried to pass it off as a substitute for the old fave but… it’s still just mashed cauliflower. Tasty because I love cauliflower but doesn’t quite satisfy that comfort food mashed potato thing. This IS IT!!!! My new favourite mash. I happened to have some Dubliner cheese (which I just discovered last summer-love it) and I used half & half cream, veggie salt and freshly ground pepper. Whizzed it all up in the Vitamix and went straight to veggie heaven. So simple- so delicious. Thank you so much!
Thank you Mellissa! I also, made an small change to the recipe and I used non-fat cream cheese and non-fat butter, which work wonderfully!
I Love goat cheese! I wondered how it would taste but hadn’t tried it yet! Thanks for the idea, I’m going to try it in my next batch! Just ate some for dinner and yesterday I had it for breakfast! Can’t get enough of the cauli mash lately!
I used goat cheese and a little ricotta and it was amazing!!
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!
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.
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.
For those who want texture but no dairy, how about avocado? It is worth the try!
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.
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! :)
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
Sounds delicious Helene, thanks for sharing!
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! :)
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.
I AM IN AUSTRALIA. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HALF AND HALF IS PLEASE. THANK YOU
It’s a product containing half milk and half cream typically – you could also use light cream.
Thank YOU Peggy! I love getting feedback on the recipes and I’m so glad you loved it! :)
I have to say I just made this and it is amazing!! Starches are not my friend, and I really, really miss mashed potatoes when I’m trying to eat healthier. I used low fat cream and old/sharp cheddar cheese. Delicious! I’m so stoked!!! Thank you Mellissa!
Thanks for the feedback Erin! More cheese + bacon added?? I’m in! Glad you liked it!!
I just made this with a couple of modifications and couldn’t believe how fabulous it was. My modifications included adding one piece of crumbled up bacon and a tablespoon or so of a 3 cheese mix (parmesan, asiago) in addition to the sharp cheddar. I will never be missing potatoes again.
Sounds delicious, but certainly not low in fat/calories…close to 900!
That really isn’t a factor when you are on a low carb high fat diet. The goal is getting your calories from fat and moderate protein instead of carbs and sugar. This allows your body to use your fat stores for energy. If it was actual potatoes the starch and carbs would raise your blood sugar, in turn your insulin drives the sugar into your fat cells and tells them to store it instead of releasing the fat for your muscles and organs to burn which causes your body to respond by triggering your hunger levels to get you to eat more.
nicely put!
I’m thinking a vintage white cheddar and chives, omg
thank you for that nice “English” translation of the process! much appreciated
Melissa, what a wonderful, short, to the point explanation why calories and fat don’t matter! Need to memorize it..:)
Thanks but that wasn’t me! Some other knowledgeable person (probably from r/keto) added that tidbit which I appreciated very much!
not sure where you get 900 calories from. 2 tablespoons of heavy cream is 100 calories. 1 tablespoon of butter is a hundred calories. The cheese is 200 calories. And the coliflower is about 48 calories.that’s a total of 448 calories in 4 servings or 112 calories per serving. so pretty much bang on what her numbers were. Where did you get 900
If you look at the updates, and the original date of the recipe, you will see that the recipe has been tweaked to reduce calories since 2012.
No but if your eating keto you need high fat and most don’t count calories.
★★★★★
900 calories? This is the problem with people. Gross overestimating the weight of fat because it is demonized for ages now. The cream is 100 calories (a tbsp at 50 calories), the butter is 100 calories (1 tbsp of Kerrygold Grass Fed butter is 100 calories per tbsp). The cauliflower should be 50-75 calories. The 2 oz of cheese is ~25-30 calories. And the garnishing is maybe 5-10 calories. All in total, this is a 300-310 calorie dish.
By the way, thank you so much for this dish. I loved it. I didn’t puree it to mashed potato texture because I loved it without that step. I ate it as a vegetable entree with two Mama Lupe Low carb tortillas and it was a brilliant meal. I believe this gives me the idea to try this with various other ‘solid’ vegetables for entree purposes.
★★★★★
Maxivida I bet you’re right! Or gruyere! They have that foot funk thing going on too so would probably work great with the cauliflower flavor! Embrace the funk! It’s my new motto! ;) Let me know how they come out if you try the swiss!!
I bet this would taste even better with Appenzeller Swiss cheese (no Dubliner where I live and I’m not a big fan of cheddar). Cauliflower is now on the top of my grocery shopping list!
Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Heidi! The microwaving thing really works for a nice thick texture – of course the cheese doesn’t hurt! Cheese makes everything better! Well almost everything! :)
Yummy! I love mashed cauliflower – not really as a replacement for mashed potatoes(because I love them too!) but I’ve always liked them just as their own dish. The texture of yours looks perfect though! I really have to try adding cheese to mine some time, that sounds awesome :D
Instead of parmesan cheese try nutritional yeast, it tastes like parmesan cheese and is very healthy. Check it out on google. I am goiig to try this with butter mixed with coconut oil. I can’t wait to get my cauliflower:)
Bacon! Holy Toledo why didn’t I think of that!? Sounds yummy – if you post it send me a link to the recipe! I’m working on cauliflower tater tots next I think!
Oh wow! I’ve had the same issues with mashed cauliflower. I can’t wait to try these. Im thinking of a twice baked potato casserole with bacon, chives and cheddar. And a little sour cream. Yum! Thanks for the recipe!
You have officially changed my life! These WERE better than mashed potatoes. I used yogurt instead of cream, coconut oil instead of butter. And I added a dash of Better Than Bullion, mushroom flavor. OMG!!!! No mushiness, no grittiness. Just PURE HEAVEN!! Thank you!
You’re so welcome Louise!!!! Happy to introduce another person to the joys of cauli puree! :)
Was wondering if you have tried this left over, heated up the next day in the microwave?
All the time, it’s great!