Mashed Cauliflower

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Cauliflower:

You can chop a whole head of cauliflower, buy a bag of precut florets, use frozen cauliflower florets, or even use riced cauliflower (either fresh or frozen cauliflower rice). My recipe goes by weight — you’ll need 1.5 pounds of cauliflower:

Any of these options give you about 2 cups of cauliflower mash, or four 1/2-cup servings. I’ve covered ways to cook the cauliflower below.

If you have a small to medium head (4 cups of florets), use about 2/3 of the other ingredient amounts.

Other Ingredients:

• Cream Cheese – My secret ingredient that adds a silky texture and makes the mashed cauliflower flavor more neutral. For the 2 tablespoons in the recipe, use 1 ounce by weight (1/8 of an 8-ounce block). Cut it into chunks before using. I typically use plain cream cheese, but you can also use flavored, such as garlic and herb. For a dairy-free option, swap in almond milk cream cheese.
• Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter and add salt separately to taste. Feel free to use salted butter and just reduce the amount of salt. Feel free to use ghee for a paleo option or either olive oil or butter-flavored coconut oil for a dairy-free option (I’m not even dairy-free and still think it’s amazing).
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic has the best flavor, but the kind from a jar is fine to save time. You can also substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (add it directly to the food processor).
• Olive Oil – Just a little for sauteing the garlic. You can also use avocado oil or even a little extra butter.
• Sea Salt – Feel free to add some black pepper if you like, too.
• Garnishes – This is optional, but I like to add some fresh chives or fresh parsley. Some more butter to melt on top is also delicious.

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Ways To Cook The Cauliflower

Whether you’re using fresh, frozen, or riced florets, you’ll need to cook them before using it in my mashed cauliflower recipe. I often get people asking if they can do this in different ways, so here are all the ones I’ve tried and how to do each.

If you’re using frozen florets, no need to thaw them first, but these cook times may take an extra few minutes. Go by tenderness rather than fixed time.

• Boil: The first method I tried and still do it often! Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the cauliflower, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until very soft. Drain well. Boiling adds the most water, so drying afterward is especially important. I don’t recommend this method if you’re using cauli rice, but it’s great for florets.
• Steam: My go-to method these days, as the cauliflower mashed potatoes turn out firmer. Bring water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket, with the water level below the basket. Add the cauliflower, cover with a lid, and cook for 10-15 minutes, until very soft. See my steamed cauliflower recipe for more details.
• Microwave: I go for this option when I’m in a rush and don’t want to babysit boiling water. Place the florets into a large bowl with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the top with plastic wrap and microwave for 10-15 minutes, until soft and crushed easily with a fork. Drain the water afterward.
• Roast: If you love the flavor of roasted cauliflower, you can roast it before mashing. I find that steaming or microwaving makes for a more soft, creamy mashed cauliflower, whereas roasting makes it thicker. To roast, just toss the florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and arrange on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees F, tossing halfway through, until very soft. (Note this is longer than you’d typically roast cauliflower — you want it extra soft!)
• Stir fry: This method works well with cauliflower rice, either fresh or frozen. Just stir fry with a little oil, but beyond the usual rice texture. It usually takes 7-10 minutes for mine to get extra soft.

How To Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

Once the cauliflower is cooked until it’s nice and soft, here is how I make a mash with it…

1. Saute the garlic. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic with a little oil, just until fragrant. I skipped this step in older versions of my cauliflower mash recipe, but now highly recommend that you do this. (You can see some of the older reviews mention that the garlic flavor is too strong, which was from raw garlic. Sauteing gets rid of this issue.)
2. Blend until smooth. Add the warm, drained cauliflower, garlic, butter, cream cheese, and salt to a food processor. Puree until completely smooth, scraping the sides as needed.
3. Garnish. Transfer the cauliflower puree to a bowl, and add any toppings you like. I like a little pat of butter, a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper, and a sprinkle of fresh chives. But I’ve included more variations and toppings for your cauliflower mashed potatoes below!

How To Fix Watery Or Grainy Mashed Cauliflower

Already made your cauliflower mash and the texture isn’t quite right? You can often save it! Watery mash needs less moisture, while grainy mash usually needs softer cauliflower or more blending:

If It’s Watery:

• Cook off the extra water. Stir the mash in a wide, uncovered pan over low heat until it thickens.
• Add more cream cheese. If the texture is only a little thin, blend in extra softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon at a time. It gets richer and tangier, so taste as you go!

If It’s Grainy:

• Puree for longer than you think you need. The first, easiest thing to check! I keep my food processor running for a good few minutes to get the cauliflower mashed potatoes extra smooth. Scrape down the sides to get everything through the blades.
• If the little pieces are firm, cook them more. Press a piece against the back of a spoon. If it won’t crush easily and you haven’t blended yet, you can steam or microwave again to soften. For blended mashed cauliflower, warm it in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until the firm bits soften. Then, blend again while warm.
• Strain tough fibers through a fine-mesh sieve. It’s a little extra work, and you’ll lose some mash, so I only recommend this after most of it is blended very smooth.

Flavor Variations

My version here is one of the most basic mashed cauliflower recipes (like a blank canvas for any meal), but there are many ways you can upgrade it:

• Loaded – Swap half of the cream cheese with sour cream. At the end, stir in (or just sprinkle with) shredded cheddar, sliced green onions, and chopped cooked bacon. I make bacon in the oven most of the time, but air fryer bacon or microwave bacon are great for making it quickly.
• Cheesy – Add your favorite cheese (check out my keto cheese list for ideas!) to the food processor. I love cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda, or parmesan cheese. If you prefer melted cheese on top, you can transfer the mash to a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake to melt.
• Sour Cream & Chives – Top your cauliflower mashed potatoes with a dollop of sour cream and fresh chives. So good!
• Pesto – Add 2 tablespoons to the food processor. Store-bought works just fine, but it’s even better with my homemade basil pesto.
• Lemon Herb – Stir in a teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, thyme, or chopped rosemary. I prefer zest over lemon juice so it doesn’t thin out the mashed cauliflower.
• Veggies – Sometimes I fold in sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, or sun-dried tomatoes.

Serving Suggestions

Any recipe that goes well with mashed potatoes will go well with mashed cauliflower. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Chicken – Mash goes with any chicken recipe, but especially those that have a sauce to drizzle over it, such as my pan seared chicken breast (mine has a pan sauce), creamy mushroom chicken, sweet honey garlic chicken, 5-ingredient pesto chicken, or easy chicken marsala.
• Beef – Cauliflower mashed potatoes are the perfect pairing for a steak, such as sirloin, filet mignon, or New York strip. I also love it with braised or slow cooked meats, such as Crock Pot pot roast or Instant Pot beef short ribs. Or make my low carb meatloaf for the ultimate combo!
• Pork – My favorite pork option is smothered pork chops, because the mash soaks up the sauce, but you can also serve it with my saucy Crock Pot pork chops, baked pork chops or pulled pork.
• Fish – Try it with pan seared halibut (the bright lemon butter sauce I make with it is amazing over the cauliflower, too!), simple baked salmon, or baked cod.
• Swaps In Recipes – Some recipes call for mashed potatoes as an ingredient, and you can easily swap in mashed cauliflower instead! My healthy shepherd’s pie is a great one to start with.

More Easy Cauliflower Recipes

Cauliflower is one of my favorite low carb vegetables. I love the flavor itself, but it also makes such an easy replacement for traditional carb-filled dishes (like cauliflower hummus, cauliflower pizza crust, and this mashed cauliflower, of course). Here are more of my comfort food recipes with it:

Cauliflower Mac And Cheese

Cauliflower Potato Salad

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Cauliflower Fried Rice