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June 4, 2013

Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

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This is the best low carb mashed cauliflower recipe. Smooth and creamy with sour cream and cheddar. A delicious keto side dish recipe. 

Low Carb Sour Cream And Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower @dreamaboutfood

After several chocolate-heavy recipes, I thought it was time to bring you some vegetables.  It’s like when you’re a kid and you’ve eaten too much Halloween candy, and suddenly all you want is an apple and some carrots.  You need something to cut the sweetness and clean your mouth out again.  You need an antidote.  And cauliflower makes a pretty great antidote.  Especially when it’s creamy and flavourful, because then you don’t miss the chocolate at all.  Or rather, you don’t feel like you are being punished for having eaten too much chocolate.

Cauliflower has long been one of my favourite vegetables.  I don’t ever remember not liking it, even as a little kid.  But I didn’t appreciate just how versatile it is until came to the low carb lifestyle.  Up to that point, I’d eaten it mostly raw or lightly steamed, perhaps once in a while having it in a gratin or some other more complicated dish.  I knew it could be mashed like potatoes but never got around to trying it myself.  Once I started researching low carb cooking, I was blown away by the creative uses of my white vegetable darling…pizza crust, bread sticks, tater tots, and even hot breakfast cereal.  I confess, I still haven’t even tried most of these, but they are on my (very lengthy and ever-growing) to-do list.

Low Carb Sour Cream And Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower @dreamaboutfood

Mashed cauliflower, however, I’ve now had quite a few times and it’s just as good or possibly better than mashed potatoes.  Since it doesn’t fill you up as much as real spuds do, you can eat far more of it in one sitting.  And it’s up to you how to add the flavour.  This particular combination occurred to me when my husband and I were discussing one of our favourite flavours of chips, which we no longer ever eat.  I started thinking about how to get that same tangy, cheesy flavour in a more healthful package and of course, cauliflower seemed an obvious choice.

This mashed cauli recipe is tremendously good.  So good that I even ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day.  And it’s hearty enough to rival any mashed potato recipe.  My only issue with it is that it’s white and not so easy to dress up for photos.  I may have gotten a better effect if I had used an orange Cheddar cheese.  But I have a penchant for very sharp aged white Cheddar.  I didn’t have any fresh herbs to dress it up either, so that green you see in some of the photos?  That’s a little bit of arugula.  Oh well, I tried.  I hope I have made it look sufficiently tempting.  Tempting enough to get you to take a little break from chocolate, anyway.

Low Carb Sour Cream And Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower @dreamaboutfood

4.5 from 4 votes
Print
Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

This is the best low carb mashed cauliflower recipe. Smooth and creamy with sour cream and cheddar. A delicious keto side dish recipe. 

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 138 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup full fat sour cream
  • 4 oz sharp aged Cheddar cheese grated, plus a few tablespoons for garnish
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place a steam basket into a large saucepan and fill with a few inches of water.
  2. Cut cauliflower into florets and rinse with water. Place in pot along with garlic cloves and steam until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.
  3. Drain and transfer to the bowl of a food processor, including garlic cloves.
  4. Puree until smooth.
  5. Return to empty pot and stir in sour cream and grated cheese until creamy and smooth.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese for garnish.
Recipe Notes

Serves 6. Each serving has 9 g of carbs and 3.5 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 5.5 g.

Nutrition Facts
Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower
Amount Per Serving (1 serving - about 1/2 cup)
Calories 138 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Carbohydrates 8.1g3%
Fiber 2.8g11%
Protein 7.6g15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Best Low Carb Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

26.3Kshares

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Low Carb, Popular Posts, Side Dishes Tagged With: cauliflower, cheddar cheese, sour cream

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Nutritional Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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Comments

  1. Regan @ Cabot Creamery says

    June 4, 2013 at 8:46 am

    I can’t believe all of the wonderful things cauliflower can do… who knew? I just shared a recipe yesterday for an alfredo sauce made with cauliflower. I mean seriously… such a great food!

    And a little cheddar doesn’t hurt this mix either 🙂 Great recipe.

    Reply
  2. Brittney says

    June 4, 2013 at 10:49 am

    This looks soooooo good!
    I wonder if this can work in my Nutribullet….
    Definitely trying when I get to the grocery store for cauliflower!

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      January 26, 2020 at 11:40 am

      I do it in the bullet always – and sometimes w scallions and parm for variety! Smear it on a keto meatloaf when it’s almost done cooking

      Reply
  3. Denise says

    June 4, 2013 at 11:33 am

    Hmm, the math on the carb count looks wonky. Shouldn’t net carbs be 2.5gr.?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 4, 2013 at 12:36 pm

      Sorry about that. The total carb count is actually 9, not 6. The final net carbs is correct.

      Reply
      • Connie Neaveill says

        July 4, 2013 at 10:43 am

        I don’t understand about the 9 carbs with a total net carbs of 5.5. for the sour cream and chedder , cauliflower recipe. Can you help me?

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          July 7, 2013 at 1:22 pm

          I am not sure what you mean? Fiber is indigestible so it’s taken away from the carb total. That’s what net carbs are.

          Reply
  4. mellissa @ ibreatheimhungry says

    June 5, 2013 at 7:29 am

    Consider me tempted to abandon chocolate for cauliflower! Which for me isn’t a stretch either because I love it too! Never tried adding sour cream to my mash, love the idea to get that tangy, creamy flavor into it! Will definitely add some to my next batch – thanks for this!

    Reply
  5. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

    June 5, 2013 at 7:52 am

    I actually really like mashed cauliflower and haven’t made it in forever, time to bring it back into the rotation… likely in this form!

    Reply
  6. RavieNomNoms says

    June 5, 2013 at 2:28 pm

    Wonderful! I didn’t used to like cauliflower when I was younger. The older I get the more I love it. Especially roasted or mashed like this! I was fooled one time and thought they were potatoes, honestly if you don’t know you won’t know the difference!

    Reply
  7. Sweet t says

    June 13, 2013 at 1:25 am

    I really do not care for cauliflower. Esp mashed cauliflower masquerading as my beloved mashed potatoes!! That being said; i decided to give it one last try and i made these. They. Were. Awesome. Soooo delicious!!! I didnt have sharp cheddar so i used a mix of jack and fresh parm. I whizzed them up in my vitamix since i dont have a food processor. Worked great!! The only thing is, they ended up coming out much smoother and w out the heft of potatoes, mine wouldn’t stay nice and mounded like yours so not sure what happened but ill just have to try making them again!!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 13, 2013 at 6:25 am

      Hey, that is a great compliment! I thought you were going to tear them apart, when I read the first part of your comment. I think maybe your vitamix got them too creamy? Not sure. You also may have had a little extra moisture in there. Try draining them, then putting them back in the warm pot to let out a little more moisture and draining them again.

      Reply
      • Jill Graves says

        February 9, 2014 at 2:03 pm

        I’ve used a similar cauliflower purée recipe for years and find that if I use a potato ricer to gently squeeze out the moisture before whizzing in a blender with the cream I end up with a texture really similar to mashed potatoes. BTW Carolyn, I found your blog last month and absolutely love it. Thank you for All your hard work.

        Reply
        • Carolyn says

          February 9, 2014 at 3:38 pm

          Thanks for the tip! Not sure I own a potato ricer at all but will look for one.

          Reply
  8. Shannon says

    June 13, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    6 servings is a lot, How long can I keep it in the fridge and will it change taste/texture when reheating in the microwave? Anyone has tried?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      June 13, 2013 at 1:28 pm

      Yup, I’ve tried! I had it for several days in a row for breakfast. Reheat by doing 30 second intervals and then stirring.

      Reply
      • shangella says

        June 21, 2013 at 9:52 am

        thanks Carolyn!

        Reply
        • brittany says

          November 20, 2014 at 4:46 pm

          Just don’t take a big whiff when you open the tupperware container!! Leftover cauliflower smells fuuuuunky at first when you take off the lid!! (Otherwise it’s yummy.)

          Reply
  9. Melissa says

    June 17, 2013 at 3:08 am

    I have never liked mashed cauliflower but this recipe is AWESOME!!!

    Reply
  10. Common Sense says

    April 1, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    I’ve never liked cauliflower, but am starting to enjoy it as ‘rice’ and now this. For an orange color, just use orange cauliflower, it’s chock full of Vitamin A. The purple would be fun too.

    Reply
  11. carole says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:10 pm

    I just made mashed cauliflower tonight for the first time. My husband said he didn’t know what it was he was eating, but it was really good. My son said it was like something someone would bring to a potluck, and you didn’t know what it was, but you got some, tasted it, and it was delicious, and when you got up to go get more, it was all gone. Now those were compliments I like to hear. I will definitely try it with a really good extra sharp white cheddar next time.

    Reply
  12. Lena says

    October 7, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    Any idea what the calories/fat/protein macros are for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 7, 2014 at 7:09 pm

      Not off the top of my head but you can enter it into my fitness pal or something like that and it should come up easily.

      Reply
  13. Jen says

    November 25, 2014 at 8:43 pm

    I add 1/2 of a brick of cream cheese to mine and it makes them even smoother. Absolutely love your blog. Thanks for sharing all of your hard work.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 26, 2014 at 9:38 am

      I bet that tastes wonderful.

      Reply
  14. Shannon B says

    January 9, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    WOW!! Made these tonight and my family absolutely loved them!! I added just a bit of heavy cream, and a small pat of butter, and they were incredible! Thanks so much for sharing!! Love your blog!

    Reply
  15. Kate says

    February 17, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    Is there a way to make these without a food processor? I would love to make these but don’t have one.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 17, 2015 at 3:01 pm

      You’d need a really good blender. You can try mashing by hand but it will be lumpier.

      Reply
    • Jill graves says

      February 17, 2015 at 4:00 pm

      I made this without a food processor by cooking the cauliflower until really tender, cooling it down and squeezing out the moisture through a tea towel while squishing it with my fingers, then returning it to the pan and adding all the other ingredients,if that helps.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 17, 2015 at 4:08 pm

        Thanks, Jill. Great tips!

        Reply
  16. Aubri says

    April 17, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    I’m new to low carb cooking, but enjoying trying new things! This was delicious! It’s definitely not the same as mashed potatoes, but good none the less… Thanks for the recipes! Your blog is so well done. I want to make everything 🙂

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 18, 2017 at 7:57 am

      Thanks, Aubri. Glad you liked them!

      Reply
  17. Candace @ Cabot says

    April 19, 2017 at 7:58 am

    This is one of my favorite go-to side dishes. Your recipes always elevate a healthy meal to a healthy, amazing meal!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      April 19, 2017 at 8:18 am

      Thanks, Candace!

      Reply
  18. Carol McRee says

    May 11, 2017 at 8:33 am

    ALL mashed cauliflower recipes NEED BUTTER! How could you leave it out? I would rather have butter than sour cream. Not fond of the sourness of sour cream.

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      May 11, 2017 at 9:36 am

      To each his own. But I (and many others) think this recipe is perfect as is.

      Reply
  19. Deborah says

    July 27, 2017 at 11:43 pm

    Absolutely excellent ! !

    Reply
  20. Jessica says

    November 18, 2017 at 8:00 am

    I’d love to add this to our Thanksgiving menu this year as an alternative to mashed potatoes. Does it reheat well? Could I make it a day or two in advance and reheat on Turkey day to have it taste the same?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 18, 2017 at 9:26 am

      It does reheat well, although if you get it going in the microwave, it can kind of bubble and thicken on the sides…similar to potatoes, actually! I’d reheat in a pan.

      Reply
  21. Jessica says

    November 20, 2017 at 12:12 pm

    I made this today for Thanksgiving, and I just had to save a serving for myself before I freeze the rest. I’m not a huge cauliflower fan, but this is AWESOME. I may add some bacon to it on Thanksgiving. 🙂 Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 20, 2017 at 6:53 pm

      I am so glad to hear that!

      Reply
  22. Denisious says

    January 22, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    I did something similar today and LOVED it , it was double cream and lots of grated pecorino romano for me, plenty of white pepper and salt too. It was a REALLY good substitute for carby stuff and I plan to take along with me to family gatherings for myself and others to enjoy!

    Reply
  23. Angela says

    February 14, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    Hi! gonna try this tonight but have no steamer… Gonna boil it…. Will it work if I just make sure to drain them super good and then put them back the pot and let them “dry” a bit while on low, before processing them?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      February 14, 2018 at 8:11 pm

      It should be fine.

      Reply
  24. Jennifer Blake says

    April 20, 2018 at 9:23 am

    5 stars
    I have always wanted to try cauliflower mashed potatoes! Looks like I’ll be adding cauliflower to my next grocery order because these sound sinful without the guilt.

    Reply
  25. Liz says

    April 20, 2018 at 4:59 pm

    5 stars
    I love cauliflower mashed potatoes and your cheddar version may actually get Bill on board. It’s perfect!

    Reply
  26. Jennifer Farley says

    April 20, 2018 at 7:21 pm

    5 stars
    The perfect side dish for dinner tonight!

    Reply
  27. Rose says

    October 29, 2018 at 11:47 am

    3 stars
    Mine were kind of runny. Is there a way to have them not be runny?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      October 30, 2018 at 8:22 am

      Drain them properly before mashing.

      Reply
  28. Jill says

    November 6, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Hi Carolyn,
    I randomly purchased one of your cookbooks at Costco when I started Keto about 6 months ago. I love your cookbooks and blog and all of your yummy creations. Can this recipe be made in the crockpot following the same instruction as your creamy ranch mashed cauliflower recipe?

    Reply
    • Carolyn says

      November 6, 2019 at 10:28 pm

      Yes, it could indeed! I’m so happy to hear you found me at random. 🙂

      Reply
  29. Linda Crowley says

    March 6, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    The best part of mashed cauliflower is the leftovers. I add 1 egg, shredded cheese, chopped veggies of choice and create a batter that I drop by spoonfuls into hot evoo in a skillet. Makes delicious patties, good hot or cold!

    Reply
  30. Roberta Worley says

    December 29, 2020 at 10:18 am

    Mine always comes up watery. But I’ve found a wonderful solution to that…Well Fed’s Roasted Cauliflower Rice! But the further trick is to add 1 tsp of minced garlic to the rice as it roasts as well as adding any overly browned bits to the cauliflower mashed. The taste, texture and color are all there!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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Carolyn PortraitLooking for the best low carb recipes? You've come to the right place! I'm Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

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