Mashed cauliflower makes a fabulous stand in for potatoes in this classic French side dish. Elegant and keto-friendly Duchess Cauliflower!

Giving yet another shout out to the ever versatile cauliflower. I’ve got a wonderful new keto recipe for you and it’s a perfect and elegant holiday side dish.

Newcomers to keto tend to struggle finding keto side dishes sometimes. If you’re a meat eater, the main dish is pretty easy to figure out. But healthy low carb sides can be a struggle.

It’s just too easy to get stuck in a rut. A fresh green salad one day, some roasted broccoli the next, maybe some cauliflower rice. Rinse and repeat. Yep, I get it. I’ve been there too.

But these keto duchess “potatoes” are bound to shake things up a bit!

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

I’m not going to lie to you and pretend that mashed cauliflower tastes just like mashed potatoes. It doesn’t and quite frankly, it never will. But done right, mashed cauliflower can be as delicious in its own special way.

And it’s a whole lot healthier and less carbalicious than those potatoes!

I have a couple of delicious mashed cauliflower recipes I love. This easy Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower is so rich and creamy. And Ranch Mashed Cauliflower is tangy and delicious.

And so I figured that with a few tweaks, mashed cauliflower would be wonderful in these keto friendly Duchess Potatoes. But I am struggling because “Duchess Cauliflower” just doesn’t roll of the tongue that well.

What are Duchess Potatoes?

Have you ever heard of this tasty side dish? Let’s be honest, it’s really just a fussy way of making making plain mashed potatoes look pretty. And you know only the French could come up with such a thing.

But they really are much more attractive than a mound of potatoes on your plate. Piped and swirled, with a delicious brown crusty exterior and a creamy center.

The potatoes are mixed with egg yolks, butter, seasonings, and sometimes cheese. Then they are piped into fancy swirls and brushed with butter, so that they brown on the edges.

I wasn’t entirely sure I could get them to hold up with cauliflower, since it has less starch and much more moisture than potatoes. It took a bit of experimenting but I am delighted with the results.

How to make keto duchess “potatoes”

This is a great way to jazz up your mashed cauliflower routine. Here are my best tips for getting it right:

1. Steam the cauliflower and garlic together until fork tender. This tenderizes both of them so that they can be blended up together. You want to drain them well before proceeding to the next step.
2. Cauliflower has much more moisture than potatoes do, so it’s important to use both cream cheese and the coconut flour for stability. Otherwise they will simply run out of the piping bag onto the pan.
3. You want the mixture to be thick enough to pipe and holds its shape. It should hold peaks as you stick a spoon or spatula in and pull it away. If it doesn’t do so, blend in a little more coconut flour.
4. Line the pan with parchment paper. These would stick badly to an uncovered pan. It also helps to lightly grease the paper, to lift them off later. I just brushed mine with a little avocado oil.
5. Use an open star tip for piping. You can make your mounds as big or as small as you like but the cooking time will vary depending on size. I made mine about 3 inches in diameter.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, then brush lightly with melted butter to help them brown and return them to the oven. The mounds are too soft to brush with butter before the first baking.
7. The mounds do shrink a bit as they bake, because they lose moisture. So expect the final product to be a little smaller when they come out of the oven.

Can you make keto duchess cauliflower potatoes ahead?

You can, but they are definitely best made fresh. I made this whole batch for just my husband and myself, knowing the kids would not be interested. So we ate them as leftovers for a few days, gently warmed up in our toaster oven.

They taste just as good as leftovers but they lose the slightly crispy outside and they become a bit gray in color. So they aren’t as visually appealing.

If you do have leftovers, simply store in an airtight container in the fridge.

More delicious keto side dishes

• Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Delicata Squash
• Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
• Keto Zucchini Casserole
• Garlic Butter Mushrooms
• Roasted Turnips

5 from 6 votes

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Keto Duchess “Potatoes”

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Mashed cauliflower makes a fabulous stand in for potatoes in this classic French side dish. Elegant and keto-friendly Duchess Cauliflower!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: French

Keyword: cauliflower mashed potatoes, duchess potatoes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 200 kcal

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cauliflower florets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the cauliflower, garlic, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 to 8 minutes, until the cauliflower is can be easily pierced with a fork.

2. Remove from heat and drain in a siever or colander for a few minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush the parchment with oil.

3. Place the warm cauliflower and garlic cloves in a food processor or high powered blender. Add the cream cheese and cheddar and blend until smooth. Add the egg yolks, coconut flour, salt, and pepper and blend again until smooth.

4. The mixture should hold peaks when you stick a spoon into it, similar to frosting or whipped cream. If it doesn't, add a bit more coconut flour to thicken it.

5. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (about 1/2 inch wide at the tip). Pipe into swirls about 3 inches wide on the prepared baking sheet. You should get about 18 mounds.

6. Bake 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and gently brush the melted butter over the swirls. Return to the oven and bake another 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Keto Duchess "Potatoes"

Amount Per Serving (3 mounds per serving)

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 120

% Daily Value*

Fat 13.3g20%

Carbohydrates 6.8g2%

Fiber 2.8g11%

Protein 10.1g20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.