Think mashed cauliflower can’t rival mashed potatoes? Think again! This cauliflower puree with sour cream and cheddar is so rich and creamy, your tastebuds will be singing.
I am not going stand before you and pretend that mashed cauliflower tastes exactly like mashed potatoes. I respect you far too much to be that disingenuous.
However, I am going show you exactly how to make the richest, creamiest, most flavourful mashed cauliflower recipe on the planet. And I urge to embrace this keto side dish for all that it is. Healthy, low carb, and absolutely delicious.
I’ve had this recipe for cauliflower mashed potatoes on the blog since 2013. And every time I take a bite, I remember why I love it so much. I think you will love it too.
Pair it with turkey for your Keto Thanksgiving celebrations, or use it to top Keto Shepherd’s Pie. Either way, it’s delicious!
Why you will love it
Cauliflower is just about the most keto friendly vegetable you can eat, and it’s also one of the most versatile. It’s a veritable shape shifter of a vegetable, willing to play the role often filled by starchy side dishes like potato or rice.
Now as far as mashed cauliflower is concerned, don’t try to fool your tastebuds. If you’re a serious mashed potato fan, you won’t think it tastes exactly the same. But you can love it for what it is – a healthy, delicious alternative.
The trick is to get it really creamy and smooth, but not too thin or watery. Adding sour cream and grated cheddar is key to a rich, thick consistency with amazing flavor. A little garlic doesn’t hurt either!
And since cauliflower doesn’t fill you up as much as real spuds do, you can eat far more of it in one sitting. With only 4.2g net carbs, you can have a nice big serving and not have to loosen your belt after dinner.
Reader Testimonials
“All the stars for this one. My boyfriend hates cauliflower, and picks it out of everything. I made this and he ate it up. Said this way was the only way I should cook it from now on! That’s super high praise!! Great recipe ????” — Darci
“Amazing!!! So creamy, so thick and full of flavour! I honestly felt like I was eating mashed potatoes!! Best way to eat cauliflower, IMO ???? Thank you!” — Suzan
“This recipe is so tasty and yummy! My family and I love this! Perfect for easy dinner nights and goes great with our chicken nights!” — Beth
Ingredients you need
- Cauliflower: A large head of cauliflower is about 1 3/4 pounds, and should yield about 6 cups when chopped into florets. You can use the stem of the cauliflower, too, as long as you cook it until fork tender. Frozen cauliflower works well too and you can cook it right from frozen.
- Garlic: Since cauliflower has such a mild flavor, I steam and mash it with a few cloves of garlic.
- Sour cream: Use full fat sour cream as low fat tends to have fillers and can be higher in carbs. You can also use full fat thick Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar cheese: I love using sharp white cheddar for the best flavor. I recommend grating it yourself, rather than purchasing shredded cheese.
- Salt and pepper
Step-by-step directions
1. Steam the cauliflower: Fill a large saucepan with about 1 inch of water. Add the cauliflower and garlic cloves and set over medium high heat. Cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Drain well: Drain into a colander or sieve and shake to release as much excess moisture as possible. Let it sit a few minutes to drain fully, as it will continue to release moisture.
3. Puree: Transfer the cauliflower and garlic to a food processor or high powered blender and add the sour cream. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl or jar a few times to help move the bigger pieces so the blades can catch them.
4. Add the cheese: Return the puree to the cooking pot and add the grated cheddar. Set over low heat to help melt the cheese and reduce excess moisture. Stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Expert tips
The most common complaint you hear about cauliflower mashed potatoes is that they are too thin and watery. But they don’t have to be! Follow the steps I provide in the recipe and they should turn out rich and thick from the start.
However, if you still find yours a bit thin, you have a few options. You can add a litle softened cream cheese to the pot in the final step and stir until melted. Or you can add a keto thickener like glucomannan or xanthan gum.
Be sure to whisk it in well when the mashed cauliflower is hot. You don’t need more than about 1/4 tsp per head of cauliflower.
Variations
Feel free to play with the flavors of this mashed cauliflower recipe. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Add crumbled bacon and chopped green onion for “loaded” cauliflower mash.
- Use Pepper Jack in place of the cheddar.
- Stir in goat cheese in place of the sour cream.
- Replace the cheddar with Parmesan and add some rosemary or Italian herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
This mashed cauliflower recipe has 6.4g of carbs and 2.2g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.2g net carbs per 1/2-cup serving.
The key to a thicker consistency is to drain the steamed cauliflower really well before pureeing or blending it up. Put the puree back into the warm pan and add grated cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and you should have a nice, thick texture. You can also add a keto thickener like glucomannan or xanthan gum.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months. Let it thaw completely before reheating gently in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
How to serve it
Now that you know all the tips and tricks for making the best mashed cauliflower, what do you want to serve it with? It makes the perfect side dish for almost any keto recipe. Here are a few ideas for you:
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup (76.67 g) full fat sour cream
- 4 oz (113.4 g) sharp aged Cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with about 1 inch of water. Add the cauliflower and garlic cloves. Set over medium high heat and cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Drain into a colander or sieve and shake to release as much excess moisture as possible. Let it sit a few minutes to drain fully, as it will continue to release moisture.
- Transfer the cauliflower and garlic to a food processor or high powered blender and add the sour cream. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl or jar a few times to help move the bigger pieces so the blades can catch them.
- Return the puree to the cooking pot and add the grated cheddar. Set over low heat to help melt the cheese and reduce excess moisture. Stir until smooth, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I have been searching for a way I could love cauliflower and this is it. This will be my go to going forward! Thank you so much!
Hooray! I am so happy to hear it!
I use zantham gum to thicken, but it seems “gummy”, hence the name? Is glucomannan a better sub? I miss my Wondra!!
Btw, I dislike cauliflower rice, but this looks so darn good, will be on the Christmas table with your standing rib roast!
Xanthan gum does have a way of making things feel gummy. I do like glucomannan better for thickening things.
I make this recipe every Thanksgiving. I’ve used frozen and fresh cauliflower with equal success. For frozen, I microwave it in a Pyrex bowl with 1-2 tbsp water, covered with plastic wrap until very tender. It works with any cheddar, but for a special treat this Thanksgiving I’ve used a fancy aged cheddar from the cheese shop that I grated myself.
Thanks!
Could I use frozen florets instead of fresh? If so, what size bag would you recommend. I thankfully found you on FB and love your recipes! I have made several.
Yes you can, although it tends to have more moisture and be softer. I’d add a touch less sour cream. About 16 ounces works.
Hi…this sounds gorgeous…could I freeze it in portions?
I can’t see why not!
I have made a similar recipe that was put out several years ago by George Stella. The only difference I see is he does add cream cheese to it and after he steamed the cauliflower, it was put between towels and excess water was squeezed out. I made it and it wasn’t the least watery. It was basically the same texture as flavor of garlic mashed potatoes.
I tried making another version of this recipe before and it was too watery – or too under-cooked. But this time – with your recipe – it was SO SO Good. And yes, sharp cheddar cheese makes all the difference! I think that medium cheddar just tastes like great. The sharp was SO good. I also added in about 1 ounce of Beechers cheese because it has such rich flavor. Thanks for this delicious mashed cauliflower recipe!
This recipe is so tasty and yummy! My family and I love this! Perfect for easy dinner nights and goes great with our chicken nights!
We loved this side dish. It’s all about the seasoning:)
Hello Carolyn,
I LOVE cauliflower…in any form.
If this isn’t too nervy of me, would like to share how I’ve been making cauliflower mashed for about four years.
BREAK THE CAULI INTO FLORETS. PUT IN MICROWAVEABLE BOWL.
MICRO FOR 25 MIN OR UNTIL SOFTENED.
IN FOOD PROCESSOR PUT 1/3 TO 1/2 OF CREAM CHEESE BLOCK, 1/2 TO 3/4 OF A STICK OF BUTTER, SALT AND WHITE PEPPER AND GARLIC SALT OR POWDER.
WHEN THE CAULIFLOWER IS DONE COOKING. PUT HOT CAULI INTO THE FOOD PROCESSOR WITH THE OTHER INGREDIENTS. AND WHIZ AWAY. SCRAPE DOWN THE SIDES, TASTE AND ADJUST ACORDING TO YOUR TASTE.
NOT A PUREE, MORE LIKE REGULAR MASHED.
HAVE HAD DINNER GUESTS SAY THEY WERE ALMOST LIKE THE REAL THING.
AGAIN, HOPE I DIDNT OVERSTEP … WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU!!
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO,
CAROL LOGAN
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!
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!
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?
Yes, it could indeed! I’m so happy to hear you found me at random. 🙂
Mine were kind of runny. Is there a way to have them not be runny?
Drain them properly before mashing.
The perfect side dish for dinner tonight!
I love cauliflower mashed potatoes and your cheddar version may actually get Bill on board. It’s perfect!
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.
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?
It should be fine.
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!
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!
I am so glad to hear that!