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Easy Keto Recipes, Meal plans and Menu Plans, Low Carb, Paleo, & Gluten Free Recipes

Keto Recipes ⇨ Keto Side Dish Recipes ⇨ Cheesy Cauliflower Mash – Keto, Low Carb

Cheesy Cauliflower Mash – Keto, Low Carb

Created By: Mellissa  |  Updated:   |   658 Comments

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This keto cauliflower mash is better than mashed potatoes. Change my mind. Just kidding – you can’t. A bold claim, but I stand behind it. And believe me, nobody is more surprised than I am at how delicious this low carb cheesy cauliflower puree is!

If you’ve tried keto cauliflower mash or cauliflower puree before and found it lacking, I totally feel your pain!

I’be been on various low carb diets since the 90’s (1990’s – I’m not THAT old), and had heard many people tout mashed cauliflower as an acceptable substitute for mashed potatoes. I’d tried it a few times and always…..meh, not so great.

I think part of the problem for me is that keto cauliflower purees always seem too watery and don’t have that true starchy mouth feel of real potatoes. I had long ago put mashed cauliflower in the category of “better than nothing but nowhere near as good as mashed potatoes.”

Steaming or boiling the cauliflower always ends up in a watery, greyish, flavorless mess. If that’s been your experience, then I’m excited to introduce you to this keto cauliflower mash recipe – where I solved the problem by microwaving the cauliflower uncovered, which concentrates the flavors and also allows a lot of the liquid to evaporate while cooking, leaving you with a much thicker end result.

better than potatoes cheesy cauliflower puree

In addition to the consistency issue, my other problem with low carb cauliflower mash recipes has always been the funky, skunky flavor natural to cauliflower. The addition of a strong Irish cheddar cheese made all the difference! It embraced the funk and transformed it into a complex flavor that I couldn’t get enough of!

The naturally sweet flavor of the cooked cauliflower paired with the extra sharp cheddar in this cauliflower puree made regular mashed potatoes seem boring and one note by comparison. And I’m a person who loves mashed potatoes!

If you’re on the fence, and are worried about being disappointed yet again by another keto mashed cauliflower recipe claiming to replace mashed potatoes, then I implore you to scroll down and the read the comments of all the people who were skeptical at first, but had their minds blown when they gave this cauliflower puree recipe a try.

Then be sure to let us know what you think!

Tips for Making the Best Keto Cauliflower Mash

Be sure to watch the recipe video in this post to see how we do it, and how easy it is – even when making smallish batches.

First, try to choose a head of cauliflower that feels heavy, and has tightly packed florets. If the head is loose and there is a lot of visible stem, you will likely end up with a grainy cauliflower mash from the thick membrane on the outer stem. If using stems and they seem thick, peel them with a paring knife to get that membrane off and you will be rewarded with the creamiest cauliflower puree of your life.

Second, be sure to trim your cauliflower into pieces that are no more than 2 inches in size. If you cook the cauliflower and there are some tiny pieces and some huge pieces, you will inevitably be left with some that are overcooked and shriveled, as well as some cauliflower pieces that are left raw in the middle – that will also result in a grainy puree.

If you can’t get Irish cheddar, a decent brand of extra sharp grocery store cheddar (like cabot or Cracker Barrel) will do – but don’t use the cheapest brand, or anything pre-shredded, or you won’t get nearly enough flavor to balance out your cauliflower mash.

better than potatoes cheesy cauliflower puree

Which Appliance Makes the Best Cauliflower Mash

If you read through the comments you’ll find that people did not have great results with blending this cauliflower mash in a food processor. If it’s what you’ve got, then it’s better than nothing, but you’ll find that it will not produce a creamy, smooth cauliflower mash – it’s just not built for that.

My favorite way to make this cheesy cauliflower mash is in my Nutribullet because I can easily shake up the cup to redistribute the cauliflower pieces while blending.

When making larger batches, I have made it in my trusty Blendtec blender (and back in the day my Vitamix) with good results, but it can be annoying to have to remove the lid multiple times to stir the mixture with a spatula to get it to blend. Since we are looking for a nice, thick consistency to our cauliflower mash, we don’t want to add more liquid to make it blend too easily or it will be a very loose puree.

So for that reason my favorite appliance for making this recipe is the NutriBullet, or some other kind of bullet style blender.

More Keto Cauliflower Mash Recipes

Now you’ve got all of your keto side dishes covered, but if you’re in need of more keto dinner ideas to serve with this cauliflower mash, check out this post of keto dinner recipes next!

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Keto Cauliflower Mash with melted butter in a pool on top

Cheesy Cauliflower Mash – Keto, low carb

★★★★★

4.9 from 210 reviews
  • Author: Mellissa Sevigny
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
  • Diet: Diabetic
Print Recipe

Description

This Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Puree is so thick, creamy, and delicious, you’ll never miss mashed potatoes again!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 ounces Dubliner Irish Cheddar or other sharp cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Clean and trim the cauliflower, breaking it into medium sized pieces.
  2. Place in a microwave safe bowl with the cream, butter, and garlic powder.
  3. Microwave, uncovered, on high for six minutes.
  4. Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture. Microwave for another six minutes on high.
  5. Check that your biggest florets are fork tender, if still hard, microwave another 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from the microwave and spoon the cooked cauliflower and any liquid into a magic bullet or high speed blender.
  7. Add the cheese and puree until smooth.
  8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Keto Side dish
  • Method: microwave
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 cup
  • Calories: 148
  • Fat: 11g
  • Carbohydrates: 4g
  • Protein: 6g

Keywords: Cheesy Cauliflower Puree, Keto Cauliflower Mash, Keto Cauliflower Puree



 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Susiedoll.Face says

    I Just put this in my belly! So srum-dilly-umptious. Thank you for the well laid out plans so I could be the hero in the kitchen. I added Irish Beer cheese and used it on top of a Pub Style Shepherds Pie. Im checking out some of your other recipes. Thanks again for sharing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  3. Sarah says

    I just made this with half broccoli and half cauliflower and it’s awesome! Only cauli is delicious too, but if you’re short on cauli or just want to change it up a bit, add the broccoli. Oh yes, I typically only ever have frozen vegetables so I just cook it until plenty of moisture has come out. Thanks for the yummy, easy recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  4. Rhonda says

    I didn’t have the Nutribullet, but this recipe has amazing flavor. No leftovers…it was that good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  15. Lori Oostendorp says

    I’ve been looking for a good recipe for a substitute for mashed potatoes…..and this is it! As a prediabetic I am trying all sorts of recipes and this one is a keeper! Even my friends who love potatoes loved this one.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  17. Becky Doughty says

    The microwave seems to be the trick! I had just about given up on mashed cauli – thanks for the tip!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  18. Maggie Passarino says

    Wow, even my potatoe loving hunny loved these (he can eat potatoes in one form or another every day!

    ★★★★

    Reply

  19. Lynnae says

    I made cali mash before and it turned out horrible! However, your recipe is exactly what mash potatoes are like!!! Creamy, delicious and not a purée! I’m hooked! Thank you for your help with my journey!

    Reply

  22. karyn harding says

    I have to admit that I was a total skeptic about this the 1st time I saw it. Cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes ? No way! I finally got brave and tried it. OMG! Its amazing! Its so versatile and so yummy that it seems like I must be cheating, but I’m not! My friends tried it and love it and I fed it to my hubby who still doesn’t know he’s eating cauliflower. Cheesycreamybutterygoodness! Is that a word? It is now. I make this anytime I can find cauliflower….I live in the mountains and it doesn’t always make its way up the hill. Excellent recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  24. Jayne Lanier says

    I made these for our family holiday dinner last year and more people ate them than my aunt’s traditional mashed potatoes. Delicious!!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  25. Paul says

    I made this at Easter time earler this year and it was so good. You gave awesome steos and I had creamy cauliflower mash with no caul;iflower grains in it

    Reply

  29. Miranda Mays says

    This is one of the best recipes that I make on repeat! I love this stuff and I am so glad that I happened across your webiste so many years ago! This is a life changer and it’s so yummy! I can make a meal out of this alone!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  30. Joy says

    I don’t feel deprived of not having mashed potatoes anymore! This is the best replacement for mashed potatoes every time!
    Love this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  32. Pat says

    My husband used to love mashed potatoes but he enjoys this dish equally. We both enjoy low carb diet. Thank you for your delicious recipes

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  33. Lori Youngberg says

    This is a sure fire way to create a great side dish with cauliflower. It’s truly a bummer when you go through all the steps in preparation and the dish is flat… Enjoy this tasty side dish!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  34. Cheryl Voyles says

    I’ve made this MANY times! It is sooo good and way better than potatoes. Everyone who tries it loves it. Even the kiddos!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  38. Rene Hasselle says

    This cheesy cauliflower mash tastes like mashed potatoes, only better. I did add crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat . Delicious. All of your recipes I have tried are great. Thank you.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  39. Joy says

    I love cauliflower mash. This recipe looks like the easiest, quickest way to make it. Especially for small batches! Love this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  41. Lisa says

    I love this mashed cauliflower! My husband had no idea it wasn’t potatoes!! Thank you for all your amazing recipes!! You make Keto easy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  47. Siobhan Vandervoort says

    This recipe is great! I do love cauliflower and this is a very tasty replacement for potatoes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  51. Joanne says

    No one even knew I used cauliflower for this! Delicious; but will need to triple the recipe next time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  55. Inga says

    This is the best recipe! Not too much garlic, very creamy. I used mild cheddar and it worked just fine. I love the consistency. Made it twice already.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  56. l p says

    it sure looks good – hopefully it will be something a cauliflower hater would enjoy. cheese sure helps. thanks

    ★★★★

    Reply

  58. Mary Roszkowski says

    This recipe has been a game changer for me. I have not missed mashed potatoes since I found this recipe . . . simply the best out of the rest out there!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  59. Lisa R Matarazzo says

    This is definitely a favorite side! The cheese gives it such a great flavor and it couldn’t be easier to make!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  60. Sade says

    I’ve tried to is recipe but with a different cheese and I play around with some fresh herbs sometimes. Thank you for the recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  62. Sarah J says

    Love this recipe for mashed cauliflower! I’ve made it a few times with a few diff cheeses and it is delicious every time! Need to try the recommendations for some add ins… bacon, broccoli… the possibilities are endless :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  72. Colleen says

    So creamy and good! The closest I’ve tasted to actual mashed potatoes! Another great, flavorful recipe— thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  84. Kelly D says

    This is a delicious recipe. I never tried this as a puree before (only mashed) and I loved the flavor and texture of this even more.

    Reply

  85. Laura Frisch says

    This recipe even though it’s for me. Is the favorite in our house. My whole family asked me to make it all the time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  89. Robin says

    This is THE best cauliflower recipe IMO. Although I do admit (due to sheer laziness) to using frozen cauliflower rice in steamable microwave bag. And I probably use more than my fair share of garlic.

    Reply

  90. Janette says

    Better then mashed potatoes! My husband hates cauliflower and he loves this recipe! I have made these for family and friends and they swear I am teasing when I tell them it is cauliflower!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  92. Susan says

    This is hands down my go to side dish. It is so yummy the whole family loves it.
    I would give it more stars if I could cause it is so fast and so easy to make.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  94. Jeannie McCullough says

    I make these on the regular now. I’ve always been a fan of Dubliner cheese but had never tried it like this till I saw your recipe. Glad I did!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  99. Tracy Trentadue says

    Easy and delish!!! Never would have guessed it was cauliflower if I hadn’t made it myself

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  101. Mary Cronin says

    This is one of the yummiest side dishes I have ever had! It’s so good and easy to prepare. Definitely a winner!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  103. Tressa says

    I find the key is to have as little moisture as possible in order for my mash to look like this…So I use alot of paper towels to get out as much moistue as possible.The flavor I love and it’s easy

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  105. Christine Parr says

    This really is a good one. Certainly, many folks have their versions, but I really like the choice of cheddar in this one.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  106. Christina says

    This is a great recipe, I love cauliflower anyway so tried this and it’s easy and delicious. It goes so well with any kind of meat, and pairs well with steamed broccoli for example.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  109. Cheryl Medlin says

    This is quite literally my favorite keto recipe of all time. It is my go-to staple recipe. I’ve never found a masked cauli recipe that compares. And you can add whatever cheese is the flavor you want in the moment. My FAVE!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  110. VALERIE says

    I am eating it right now, and it worked! I didn’t get it perfect, but it’s satisfying. I am eating the cauliflower with leftover pork shoulder and beef gravy from earlier in the week.

    I have a Vita-mixer, but I knew it would be a pain in the neck to puree it to the consistency I wanted. I have a good stick blender, so I tried using that. I left some of the cauliflower bit bigger that I really wanted, but the taste and consistency is fine. The cheese really made a difference.

    I never did get to see the video. It did not play for me. Perhaps it was my ad blocker.

    Reply

  114. Kerry says

    Have you tried roasting cauliflower? I toss fresh florets in olive oil and roast until tender. I could easily snack on an entire tray of it. Also great to add salt, pepper and garlic before roasting.

    Reply

  115. Suzanne says

    The best I’ve had and the easiest to make! One bowl and a vitamix. Yummmmmm! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  116. Lisa says

    I was not ready to believe it, but oh my lord it is true. These are amazingly good. From a spud loving, former carb queen, you are my hero!!

    Thank you!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  117. Mellissa Sevigny says

    Mine never tastes sweet, so I’m not sure what you’re referring to – unless you just don’t like potatoes. I do think chives and sour cream will alter the flavor and I find that chives actually add a sweet taste to things. Also if you didn’t use a super sharp cheddar like the dubliner that might have allowed some of the natural cauliflower flavor to come through. Sorry this one wasn’t to your taste.

    Reply

  118. Amy says

    You are a genius!! All of your concerns about cauliflower mash are the same concerns that I had. I was about to give up on cauliflower mash altogether, until I found your recipe. This is the BEST cauliflower mash recipe EVER!!! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  119. Amy J. says

    This is delicious. The first time I made it, I only had parmesan on hand and used that, and it was fantastic. I made it with the cheddar the next time and used it to top off a low carb shepherds pie. This mash is just seriously SO GOOD with either cheese; delish! I could never get my cauliflower mash to not have a watery texture. Thank you so much for sharing! This will be a regular go to when I’m craving mashed potatoes! :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  122. Sarah says

    My husband and son claim to hate cauliflower but this recipe is loved by everyone in my house. It is so creamy and delicious. I never get complaints when this is on the menu! Thank You!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  123. Nancy Karamarkos says

    I love this recipe!! I tried to puree these in my mixer and found it difficult, since they are so thick. Now I use my emersion blender to break everything up first right in the bowl before adding them to the blender. So easy to make and a great side to just about any protein!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  124. Robyn Harris says

    Oh Mellissa,I never thought I would love anything other than mashed potatoes, but I do. Your “Better than potatoes” cheesy cauliflower purée is the bomb! My entire family loves it. We love all of your recipes. I follow each recipe to a T. Why mess with perfection?! Thank you for sharing! 💕

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  125. Breanna says

    Even better the second day! Exceeded expectations! My husband wasn’t able to tell but thought they were a little thin for potatoes. Then I discovered that like regular mashed potatoes, they dry out a little when refrigerated. When reheating mashed potatoes, I always have to add milk or cream. With the cauliflower, I think they became even more like mashed potatoes on the second day! I plan to make them the day before Thanksgiving which is a win-win!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  127. Katharine says

    So good! Made as instructed with the substitution of parmesan for the cheddar. Used the blender and came out nice and smooth. I loved it, and my son said it was delicious. Thanks so much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  128. BC Marks says

    An answer to the graininess some people are experiencing. I made this last night for company and it was absolutely wonderful. Everyone loved it. I followed the recipe to the letter. I put it in my food processor and it was very grainy. So then I put it in my Vitamix and in a matter of seconds it had its perfect creamy deliciousness. So maybe at least some of you are not getting the results from your food processor and should try the blender.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  129. Renee says

    Love this. The second time, I added a pinch of Xanthan Gum (Bob’s Red Mill) to thicken and less extra sharp cheddar for the ” just a touch of cheese flavor). Both times were great.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  130. Cheryl says

    Quick Question… Cauliflower heads are so so many different sizes… Which I feel can make a bug difference in a recipe… Do you by any chance know ‘approximately’ how many pounds for cauliflower you used for you Puree??? Thank You…

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  131. julie white says

    Thank you so much for this recipe. Am on keto, have missed mashed potatoes for so long. Not keen on the taste or smell of cooked cauliflower but this is absolutely delicious and cauliflower aroma free! I added 1/2 tsp English mustard powder and grating of fresh nutmeg – love it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  132. julie white says

    Ive tried this recipe using frozen cauliflower rice, its not good, very watery. Maybe try cooking frozen cauliflower in microwave, drain excess water in sieve and then add cream etc and microwave again before puree-ing

    Reply

    • Sam says

      As this recipe uses fresh cauliflower, you might want to find one that uses frozen if that’s what you want to use. You won’t get the same results no matter how you treat the frozen one, so you might want to find one that is adjusted for frozen cauliflower.

      Reply

  133. Teddi Bear says

    This is GENIUS! Goodbye potatoes!,,,, Just one BIG PROBLEM though!!! If you are making it for the family, you will need to at least triple the recipe…because just making one head of cauliflower, leaves no room for sharing.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  134. Tamera Porter says

    Hi Mellissa! I want to try this recipe tonight but I don’t have a microwave. What about steaming the cauliflower, or will that make it too wet? Should I roast instead?
    Cant wait to try! Your recipes are always a hit with my family!!

    Reply

  136. Natalie Strange says

    Love this one! I follow the recipe exactly and I use Kerrygold Grass Fed Reserve Cheddar in them. They always taste great. In fact, I really don’t like regular mashed potatoes that much anymore. I would rather have these. I use my VitaMix to do up a double batch. I also make extra so I can store them in single serve mason jars in the freezer. I just grab one in the morning and take it to work with me. It thaws out by lunch. So then I can either eat it as a side dish or I will eat it as a snack. It’s perfect and satisfying.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  137. Beverly Ross-Ford says

    I am still using the original recipe and it is absolutely delicious. I eat it with Keto chili – yumm! After the mess I had in my blender the first time, I now use my immersion blender. Always smooth as silk and easy clean up.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  138. Stephanie says

    I would give this 10 stars if I could! I had some arugula to use up, so I put a large handful on my plat along with my 1/2 cup of “potatoes” to reheat then some salt and fresh ground pepper on top and…YUM!!! I know it sounds odd, but I ate this for dinner every day this week! Have you tried freezing portions? Wondering if it gets grainy when thawed? Thank you for such an awesome recipe 👏🏻

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  139. Linda Landers says

    Third time trying a cauliflower mash and I ONLY did to keep o n the plan.

    BEST I ever tasted!!!

    I used Sharp Cheddar Cheese
    I did add a little Garlic Powder and Onion Salt, maybe 1/2 tsp each and then pepper.

    YUMMY!!!

    Thank you!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  140. Maria Fulton says

    I normally don’t comment on these things, but this was absolutely delicious & perfect consistency!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  141. BrianC says

    Tasted yummy but really grainy. I only used the florets and ran through the food processor for a long time and even added extra butter and cream. Back to the drawing board for me.

    Reply

  142. Moira Taylor says

    I have been in Jeri for three weeks. I was getting bored of big having some of my favorite food. I have just made this Cauliflower mashed potatoes. OMG. It’s amazing. I have something I really like.
    Thank you

    Reply

  143. Anne says

    Just curious as to the actual cooking time. In your story above you said 5 min, add cream and butter then 4 more min. But in the printable part of the recipe it says 6 min stir and another 6 mins with the cream and butter in there right from the start.

    Reply

    • BrianC says

      I was wondering the same. She mentioned in one of the updates that she changed the recipe for how she makes it now. I think she updated the print version but forgot to do the same up top. Either way, it looks really yummy.

      Reply

  144. LG says

    Finally! Really tasty cauliflower mash recipe. Not runny. Just made it to top my keto shepherd’s pie. Only trouble I had was that I couldn’t really get the cauliflower to move in the blender (and I have a very strong blender). Tried extra cream, extra butter, more cream, blending in smaller batches. Still could not get more than the bottom 1.5 inches of the blender to blend. Had to scrape the sides, poke, stir, and blend many many times. Nonetheless, this recipe is the bomb. Solves the runny, watery cauliflower problem. It’s a keeper!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  145. Marisa says

    I made this exactly as written and served it under stroganoff and there was no way to tell it was cauliflower- it’s amazing! I have tried cauliflower mash several times and it was always detectable. This is absolutely genius, I actually like it better because it didn’t give me a tummy ache, like potatoes do.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  147. Rebecca Halliday-Wells says

    After many months of trying and eating runny mash, I thought one last try!
    I deviated from the recipe slighty as I was in the throws of steaming my cauliflower and getting ready to press the hell out of it! During which time I came across this recipe and instantly yanked my white fluff ball from the pan and threw it into the microve, following the time and cream steps, added the cheese and put in the ninja bullet.. Whalla!! Amazing mash that I am so impressed with that, I am so excited for hubby to get home and try! My 3 year old tried and said yummy mash mummy so this is defo the winner for me. Thank you very much xxx

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Marisa says

      Maybe try baking it at 350 for 20 minutes? I roast raw cauliflower and it’s never watery. Just don’t boil it.

      Reply

  149. Tracey says

    Love love love this recipe…have made it many times ❤❤❤
    Has anyone ever tried roasting the cauliflower before making this…just a thought…
    still love it though by far my fave
    Making it today with Christmas Dinner!!🎄🎄

    Reply

  150. Kristy says

    I am JUST starting Keto and have always hated cauliflower and been a meat and potatoes girl. I tell you what, I tried this cauliflower mash recipe and was BLOWN AWAY!!!!!!!! I used grated romano cheese and only used the heads of the cauliflower florets, and removed the stems. This will become a staple in my household!!

    Reply

  151. Gianna says

    Thank you, Mellissa, this recipe is awesome!
    In autumn cauliflowers are very cheap in Italy and this puree is so yummy 😋!
    Easy to cook 👩‍🍳 and very appreciate by all my family members.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  152. Roisin says

    This was amazing! I was deeply suspicious as I’m not a big cauliflower fan but as I’m now trying a keto diet I needed an alternative to potatoes. This mash was super tasty and cheesy, no graininess for me. I had a cup of it with some veggie sausages and was full. Looking forward to the rest of it today.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  153. Janna says

    I just wanted to say THANK YOU! We’ve tried so many mashed cauliflower recipes on Keto and they’ve always been runny and terrible. This recipe wad PERFECT! I’m so relieved to finally have a tasty replacement (and easy!) for malted potatoes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  154. AngieNYC says

    Followed your recipe exactly except I used half & half (didn’t have cream on hand) and it was delish! This recipe is a keeper– thanks so much for sharing it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  156. L.B says

    Yum!!!! This was so good. You weren’t kidding when you named it “Better than Potatoes.” We made this for a dinner with friends, and they (who are not Keto) loved it, and asked for the recipe as well. So easy and quick and delicious! Will definitely be making this again, and again, and again :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  157. Tamera Porter says

    Hi Mellissa!
    I don’t have a microwave. Should I just steam the cauliflower? And then Should I let it drain for a long time afterwards to remove extra water? Thank you for your help! Love your recipes 💕

    Reply

  158. Annie says

    My PICKY PICKY fiance really misses potatoes. Made this recipe with some sharp white cheddar (extra, of course, he likes cheese) – added some minced garlic, 3 strips of bacon, a dash of bacon grease….and he is in LOVE. Thank you! He is so picky and it’s so hard for me to find things he loves!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

      • Denise says

        Im not on a diet, I have dysphasia and need puréed foods. Unfortunately I can never find a decent recipe for smooth, lump free non grainy mashed potatoes and I found this while looking! It’s an amazing recipe and fab taste. Sadly, I suck at cooking and for me it comes out very, very smooth. More liquid than mash consistency. Like a really thick soup. Any tips on how to get the lump-less, smooth texture in your photos? You’d make a very hungry girl very happy!

        ★★★★★

        Reply

  159. Amanda says

    This was amazing!! I used 4 oz extra sharp white cheddar because we love cheese. Put it in the food processor and it came out just like mashed potatoes. Served with steak and it was so satisfying. Can’t wait to make it again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  160. Sarah at Bacon and Cream says

    This has become a staple for our holiday meals, as well as any comfort food dishes we make! So simple, versatile, and tasty. I have yet to try it myself, but given the COVID-19 situation and limited access to fresh veggies, do you know if this would stand up well with frozen cauliflower at all? Thanks again for the great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Sheryl says

      This was SOOO good!!! I purposely didn’t tell my 6 year old that it was cauliflower. I just said it was “mash” and she LOVED it. Even had a second serving. Thanks so much!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

        • Enginerd says

          I love this site and all of the recipes. The cookbook is amazing, and I have gifted it many times. That said, this cauli mash is so good, and so many variations can be created. I use cauliflower rice, defrosted, to make the mash so I don’t have to make florets and stalk and make it easier on myself. Soo tasty. Thank you!

          ★★★★★

  161. Lori M says

    So my daughter and I had a Mother’s Day of feasting, using recipes out of your cookbook. This cheesy cauli puree as a base for the Shrimp and “Grits” recipe was awesome. The only real change I would do would be to quickly brown the shrimp then toss into the sauce. But the seasoning, cheesiness, was spot on. Being from Louisiana, shrimp and grits is one of the favorite brunch dishes. Now to just get a good low carb bloody mary, working on that one.

    The other recipe from the Keto for Life book was for a Margarita. I do not have a big sweet tooth, so it took three tries to get the lime/orange syrup perfect to our liking, hic. Those simple syrup recipes are on my lost. I’ll keep a few of these on hand at all time.
    KEEP IT UP!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  162. Rebecca says

    I made this and neither hubby nor I could not believe how good it was! I used 2 bags of riced cauliflower and have to admit – one stick of Kerrygold unsalted butter , the whole shredded Dubliner cheddar and just sloshed in enough cream to make it look like whipped potatoes! It freezes well under the oven braised beef with tomatoes and garlic making a 9 GM carb meal that my hubby can take to work. I love to just eat it as it is ! Thank you so very much Melissa as you have given us a “mashed potato “ we love !!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  163. Claudette says

    Melissa, you are a godsend. I’ve been 100% keto for the past eight weeks, my first time although I’ve done Atkins and similar low carb diets. I would like to echo Leighellen’s comments as I couldn’t agree more and have had the same experiences. I was actually a little shocked at how delicious these were as I have been so disappointed in the past. I am blowing through your recipes and this was my fifth. I have been really, really happy with the results every time. Thank you so much.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  166. Tracey says

    Best ever fauxtatoes…hands down legit, made these for Thanksgiving and hubby didn’t even realize they weren’t real mashed potatoes…love this, making them to go with my standing rib roast for Christmas dinner today…thank you thank you!!❤

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  167. Ginny kirk says

    I MADE this tonight with the original recipe and it was great. I did microwave the cauliflower a bit longer to make sure that it was soft and cooked through. It was a fresh head. I will definitely make this again. Wonderful flavor tasted like mashed potatoes. YUM

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  168. Sandra says

    Yum! Made tonight to go with the low carb swedish meatballs. So delicious. I didn’t have fresh cauliflower, so used a bag of frozen. Turned out perfect!

    Reply

  169. Kat says

    The cauliflower prices have hiked up like crazy in my city. To the other commenters (and maybe author if time allows!): what do you think could be a good replacement to mash instead of cauliflower for the same nutritional value? Thanks!

    Reply

  170. stephanie says

    Now that I’ve made this deliciousness several times, I’ve started taking liberties…..
    I smash the cauliflower with a whisk and I sorta …. double down on the butter and I’ve taken to adding sour cream as well. The cheddar is the perfect complement to the cauliflower and you’re so right that the combination of all these ingredients rivals the more traditional mashed potato. This dish really holds its own though.
    Nicely created, Melissa!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  172. Wendy says

    Absolutely, hands down, THE best EVER!!! And I AM a self proclaimed “authentic mashed potatoes” snob!!!!!! Good job! Perfect AS IS!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  173. Susan LaRiccia says

    Made this tonight to have with pot roast. I kept flavor tasting it as I whipped it up in the food processor and I kept saying… too sweet, kind of grainy. But I kept whipping. The final result was a creamy, stands up on its own mashed cauliflower. Yes, on its own, you can taste sort of that its cauliflower. It has a sweet nuttiness to it. But paired up with the pot roast, it is magnificent. It has a heaviness just like real mash potatoes and the mouthfeel is pretty darn spot on. The small cauliflower flavor when eating with a meat and a bit of gravy completely disappear. I’m glad this is the recipe I first decided to try this out with.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  174. Leigh F Martin says

    This is absolutely fantastic. Just a little bit of cheese does the trick to cover the cauliflower skunkiness and brings a nutty richness that is sooo satisfying! Served with pan-seared scallops. Delightful!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  175. Brenda says

    Best Cauli-mash ever. I was always underwhelmed by most cauliflower mash recipes as I thought they came out too bland and soupy, but this mash stands up! I think microwaving without covering is the key. The strong cheese adds a lot of flavor without overwhelming the taste. I have made this a couple of times now. It doesn’t hurt that it is a breeze to make too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Brenda says

      I forgot to add that I only coarsely chop the cauliflower before microwaving and then use an immersion blender to mash. Works perfectly.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

  176. MrsPookieJackjack says

    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.

    Reply

    • Marianne says

      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.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

  177. Leighellen Landskov says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  178. Katelyn regan says

    Made this tonight! Delicious! Reminds me of mashed potatoes. My fiance who doesn’t like veggies even liked this. Great recipe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  180. Miranda Kellum says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  181. Karyn says

    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!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  182. Bee says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  183. Amy Grisham Hill says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  184. Angela A says

    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 :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  185. Linz says

    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!

    Reply

  186. Cathu says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  187. Linda says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  188. Laura Cawthorn says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  189. Cat says

    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!

    Reply

  191. Kelly says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  193. Kristen Ansted says

    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!!

    Reply

  194. Nicole says

    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:)

    Reply

  195. Mellissa Sevigny says

    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.

    Reply

  196. Miss Christina Moody says

    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

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  197. louise says

    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 :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  198. Vanesa Storey says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  199. clew says

    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……..

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  200. Megs says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  201. Meg says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  202. Greg Rampinelli says

    I just made it today. Excellent! I think the combination of cheese and microwave is what does it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  203. Michelle says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  204. Patricia Tucker says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  206. Leila says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  207. Diane Davis says

    A friend of ours made this and It was so good. Can you use cauliflour rice instead of a head of cauliflour?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  208. JASON says

    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!

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      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.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

  209. Sophie says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  210. Holly says

    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.

    Reply

    • Kristene Rodrigues says

      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!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    • Mary Beth says

      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! :)

      Reply

    • Kevin Kruger says

      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.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

      • Holly says

        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.

        Reply

  211. Lesley Bergman says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Shawna says

      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!

      Reply

  212. Shari ann says

    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

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  213. Gizelle R says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  215. cjones says

    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.

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      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 :)

      Reply

      • Kristen A says

        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!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply

  217. PJ says

    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

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  218. Dave says

    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.

    Reply

  219. Shadow says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  220. Susan Lombardo says

    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!

    Reply

  221. Catalina Bunn says

    Sounds great, I´ll try it tonite, will switch cream for chicken broth (some lactose-intolerants invited).

    Reply

  222. Margot C says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  224. Penny R says

    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!

    Reply

  225. Lovelyred says

    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

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  226. Stephanie says

    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! :)

    Reply

  227. Devri Merryfield says

    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

    Reply

  228. Camille Karski says

    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!

    Reply

  229. Leigh says

    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

    Reply

  231. Jenn@KreativeKouple says

    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!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  232. Michell says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Jo says

      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.

      Reply

  233. Jo says

    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

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  234. Sharon says

    This is amazing! I was missing potatoes with my low carb lifestyle, but not anymore. Thank you for sharing this terrific recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  235. AO says

    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!

    Reply

  236. AS says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  237. Lois says

    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?

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Jo says

      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

      Reply

    • Stephanie says

      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!

      ★★★★

      Reply

  238. Hawkce541 says

    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.

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  239. Jennifer Alexander says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  240. Charlene says

    I just tried this recipe and it was divine! Thank you so much. Bye bye potatoes :)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  243. Ody says

    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.

    Reply

  244. Kat says

    So delicious! And my husband likes it too. I made it with frozen cauliflower and it tasted just the same. Very easy and quick.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  245. Alice says

    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!!!

    Reply

  246. Brenda Palmer says

    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

    Reply

  247. Kate says

    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!!!

    Reply

  248. Melynda says

    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!

    Reply

  249. Judith says

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  250. Faile says

    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!!

    Reply

  251. Kat says

    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?

    Reply

    • Gina says

      Kat, I realized I was out of sharp cheese tonight and used cream cheese instead, and it turned out AMAZINGLY well!

      Reply

    • Gina says

      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!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

  252. Cheryl says

    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

    Reply

  253. Katrina says

    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.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  255. Netta says

    I just made this. Can I say, AWESOME!!! Thank you soooooo soooooo much for this recipe. This was easy breezy

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  257. Kelsie says

    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! :)

    Reply

  258. Stephanie C says

    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!!

    Reply

  260. Mandy says

    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!

    Reply

  261. Nicky says

    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.

    Reply

  262. Rachel Horowitz says

    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.

    Reply

  263. Vicki N says

    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!

    Reply

  264. Christa Wagner says

    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!

    Reply

  265. Barb Young says

    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!!

    Reply

  267. Tami says

    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?

    Reply

  268. Elise Wormuth says

    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!

    Reply

  269. bleu says

    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!

    Reply

  271. Azure says

    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??

    Reply

  272. Susan says

    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 :-)

    Reply

  275. Tricia says

    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!

    Reply

  276. Jacqui says

    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.

    Reply

  278. Kim from FW says

    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! :)

    Reply

  279. Tina K. says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  280. Amanda says

    I don’t have a microwave. What would be the best way to prepare cauliflower for this dish then? Boiling? Steaming? Roasting?

    Reply

    • amcken3 says

      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).

      Reply

  281. Nicole says

    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!

    Reply

  282. Megan says

    Wow, I was not expecting how rich and creamy these would be! Served with ham and steamed broccoli. It was the perfect accompaniment!

    Reply

  283. Melody says

    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!

    Reply

  284. Ellie says

    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.

    Reply

  285. Nykii says

    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!

    Reply

  286. nequalone says

    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.

    Reply

  287. Dawn Miller says

    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….

    Reply

    • helene says

      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.

      Reply

  288. Cara M. says

    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! :)

    Reply

  289. Prue Morton says

    Thank you They were everything you promised
    Now if I could just find a substitute for pasta………………..

    Reply

    • helene says

      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!

      Reply

  290. Ashlee says

    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.

    Reply

  291. Dawn says

    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

    Reply

  292. Tony says

    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.

    Reply

  293. Alicia Thibaudet says

    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.

    Reply

  294. Mark Teleha says

    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.

    Reply

  295. Jan says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  296. Rosine says

    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! :)

    Reply

      • Rosine says

        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!! :)

        Reply

  297. Krissy McLean says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  299. Leslie says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  300. phil says

    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

    Reply

  301. Rachel says

    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!

    Reply

  302. Andrea says

    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.

    Reply

  303. Susan says

    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!!!

    Reply

  304. Laura says

    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.

    Reply

  307. Liza says

    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. :)

    Reply

  308. Liza says

    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:)

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  310. Jaime says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  311. Miranda says

    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!

    Reply

  312. Diana says

    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!!!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  313. Emily says

    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:)

    Reply

  315. Courtney says

    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

    Reply

  316. Daniella says

    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!

    Reply

  317. Jodi says

    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

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  318. C Dickershaid says

    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.

    Reply

  319. Trace says

    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!

    Reply

  321. Becky says

    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!

    Reply

  322. Angela says

    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.

    Reply

  323. vanessa says

    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!

    Reply

  324. Yvette says

    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!!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  325. Janet says

    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.

    Reply

  326. Amy says

    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!!

    Reply

  327. Sarah says

    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.

    Reply

  328. Barb says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  331. maddy says

    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!

    Reply

  332. rachel says

    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?

    Reply

  333. Amie says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  334. Darcy says

    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.

    Reply

  335. Anonymous says

    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!

    Reply

  336. Anonymous says

    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

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!!!

      Reply

  337. 2 sassy girls says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  338. cweb says

    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’??

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  339. Anonymous says

    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

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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!

      Reply

  340. Heidi says

    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 https://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

    Reply

  341. MediaBaron says

    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.

    Reply

  342. Unknown says

    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.

    Reply

  343. Lindsey Ashton says

    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 :)

    Reply

  344. Marge Burkell says

    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!

    Reply

    • Anonymous says

      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!!

      Reply

  345. Divadragon says

    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

    Reply

  346. Pelaymi says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  347. Lisle says

    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.

    Reply

  348. The Thrifty Granny says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny says

      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! :)

      Reply

  349. Selena says

    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! :)

    Reply

  351. Anonymous says

    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

    Reply

  353. TJ says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  355. Anonymous says

    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!

    Reply

  357. Artistry by Tiffany says

    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!!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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! :)

      Reply

  359. Yvette says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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. :)

      Reply

  360. Elana says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  364. Jill Smith says

    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. :)

    Reply

  365. Pamela R says

    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?

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  366. Annette says

    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!

    Reply

  368. P.Ramaeker says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  369. Kristen says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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! :)

      Reply

    • Kristen says

      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!

      Reply

  370. Barb says

    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.

    Reply

  371. Anonymous says

    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!!!

    Reply

  373. babychirps says

    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

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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! ;)

      Reply

  375. Anonymous says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  376. Anonymous says

    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…

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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

      Reply

  377. Carol says

    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!!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  378. Anonymous says

    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!!

    Reply

  379. Sherry says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  380. Pablo says

    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.

    Reply

    • Sugar says

      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.

      Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  381. Lacey says

    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

    Reply

  382. Mariah says

    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.

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

      • Pamela Rose says

        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?

        Reply

        • Mellissa Sevigny says

          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!

  384. AR says

    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!

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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!

      Reply

  385. Erica / Parker says

    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!

    Reply

  386. shirlbenn says

    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!

    Reply

  387. Sugar says

    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!!! :)

    Reply

    • Mellissa Sevigny (sevimel) says

      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! :)

      Reply

    • Sugar says

      :) 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

      Reply

  388. Shannon says

    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!

    Reply

  389. karen j. white says

    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 !!!

    Reply

  390. Shirley Williams says

    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.

    Reply