Easy and creamy delicious, this 5 ingredient low carb cauliflower mashed potato recipe is a great veggie side dish or real mashed potato alternative. Only 4.9 grams net carbs per serving!
There is just something special about sitting down to dinner and seeing a big bowl of buttery mashed potatoes just waiting to be devoured. Get that same feeling and feel good about it by having low carb cauliflower mashed potatoes instead. Smooth and tasty, I promise you won’t miss the potatoes.
The first time I made these I was nervous about it. Honestly, I wasn’t a huge fan of cauliflower but that has changed. What surprised me most was even my husband and sons love this dish and they are die hard potato fans.
CAULIFLOWER PROMOTES GOOD HEALTH
One of the goals of Holistic Yum is to heal the body thru eating good food. Low carb and gluten-free food are part of that, as well as eating rich, nutrient packed food to maintain basic health, strong bones and muscle.
Cauliflower is one of those must-eat foods because it packs a wallop of healthy benefits into each serving. As a bonus – it also has only 25 calories and 2.9 net carbs per cup!
Cauliflower contains about 75% of the Vitamin C needed each day, as well as 20% of the Vitamin K. You need these to keep your bones healthy. It also can help lower blood pressure, boost your immune system, prevent stomach disorders, help with respiratory issues and reduce the risk of cancer. If you don’t already eat cauliflower, you definitely want to think about adding this superfood to your diet. Have you tried Low Carb Chicken Salsa Verde? It’s packed with cauliflower!
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST LOW CARB CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES
My first few tries at making cauliflower mashed potatoes were not so good. It was either grainy and had the texture of sand or too thin and spread all over the plate. Not the whipped, delicious mashed potato substitute I was hoping for. After some trial and error, I figured out how to make them perfect. I’m excited to share what I learned with you!
Get Rid Of The Stems
- Cut the stems off as close to the floret as you can. The stems will not soften and mash, leading to the grainy texture I mentioned. Save them for another use. Cauliflower stems are especially good in stir fry.
Cook The Cauliflower Until Very Soft
- This stage is must softer than the tender-soft we are used to. The cauliflower should crush easily between your fingers. That is how you will be able to whip it up into a smooth and creamy dish.
Remove As Much Water As You Can
- I don’t squeeze the water from my cauliflower. What I do is let it sit in the colander for a few minutes to drain and let the steam evaporate. Then I shake out any excess liquid. You can pat the cauliflower dry if it still has moisture on it.
Add The Cream In Increments
- Start by adding 1/2 of the cream to the cauliflower before processing. Add more cream a tablespoon at a time until the mashed cauliflower is as thick and fluffy as you desire.
This site may contain affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, which helps to keep this content free.
There is enough fat added through the cream and butter to keep this dish keto friendly. But if you are in the maintenance phase or just watching calories, there is an easy way to lighten this dish up without sacrificing flavor.
Substitute a vegetable broth or stock for the cream. I love to add this vegetable soup base mixed with water to add rich flavor to the cauliflower. It contains sodium so you won’t need any seasoned salt if you use the soup base.
The rich flavor of butter is amazing in these low carb cauliflower mashed potatoes, but if you are watching those calories, you can leave it out. You might need to replace the butter with a little more cream or broth.
TOOLS TO MAKE LOW CARB CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES
- Colander – this one stretches over the sink to free up your hands.
- Eversharp Chef’s Knife – nicely balanced for your hand and it never needs sharpened. I’ve used mine for over 10 years without sharpening.
- Stock Pot – large enough to boil lots of vegetables. I’ve used this brand for more than 20 years!
LOW CARB MASHED CAULIFLOWER
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large head cauliflower (or 2 small heads), florets only
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, or coconut cream for dairy-free
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, or ghee for dairy-free
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp seasoned salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, snipped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook cauliflower on the stove or in the microwave. 1. For the stove – bring a pot of water with 1TBSP of salt to a boil. Add the florets and cook 5 – 6 minutes or until very soft. Drain well.
2. For the microwave – place cauliflower in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir and continue to microwave another 5 minutes until very soft. Drain well. - Add cauliflower, cream, butter, onion powder, and paprika to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Add seasoning salt and black pepper to taste. Pulse to combine.
- Transfer cauliflower to a serving bowl. Form a well in the center and top with additional butter if desired. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
________________________________________________________________
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
© Copyright Christine Mello for Holistic Yum. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I would appreciate the chance to troubleshoot any issues you might have had before you leave the rating!
Holistic Yum is a blog for everyone who wants to improve their health and well-being thru a more holistic approach. Get ready for thoughtful solutions to everyday issues, honest discussions about what ails us and real recipes for your food lifestyle.