The secret to making the BEST mashed cauliflower is adding lots of flavor, including fat. Salted butter, half and half, and a whole pile of fresh herbs make an appearance in this easy recipe. My other trick? Boiling the cauliflower in chicken stock (or veggie stock) with a generous pinch of salt amps up the flavor of the cauliflower before adding anything else to it! As it cooks, it absorbs all of those delicious flavors, giving this recipe a great base to work with. It’s absolutely delicious, and I promise you (and your kids!) will fall in love with it.
Does mashed cauliflower taste like mashed potatoes?
A lot of people will substitute mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes if they are on a low-carb or keto diet. But I think this mashed cauliflower deserves better than to be only second to a potato. Don’t get me wrong- I love me some mashed potatoes. But I LOVEEEEE this mashed cauliflower, too! It fulfills much of the same purpose as mashed potatoes, and will soak up any delicious sauces or juices from steak, gravy, etc. But the texture and taste is much different than mashed potatoes. If you want the texture to be more similar to potatoes, you can puree the cauliflower using a food processor or blender. I always avoid this if I can, because I hate cleaning those appliances. I just used a potato masher.
What should I serve with Mashed Cauliflower?
Mashed Cauliflower can be served with anything you’d normally serve with mashed potatoes. You can serve it with turkey and gravy, steak and browned butter pan sauce, or anything with a yummy sauce to help soak all of it up. We had it with honey mustard chicken. YUM. It’s also great as an alternative to mashed potatoes in shepherd’s pie!
Can you freeze mashed cauliflower?
Yes! You can easily freeze mashed cauliflower. It’s probably best to put it in a gallon sized freezer bag and try to get out as much air as possible, but an airtight container will also do fine. You can freeze it for up to three months. When you defrost it, keep in mind- some of the liquid may separate out from it and pool up. Just give it a good stir and it should be fine!
Finally, this recipe is so easy to give it your own twist. I’ve seen mashed cauliflower recipes made with garlic, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and plenty of vegan or dairy free versions. You can easily make this one vegan, paleo, or dairy free by using vegetable stock instead of chicken, a plant-based milk or coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and olive oil instead of butter.
If you like this mashed cauliflower recipe, try these other delicious low carb sides:
Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia) Roasted Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Raisins Mexican Roasted Zucchini Five-Minute Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon
