This creamy mashed cauliflower is made with butter, garlic, and parmesan. It tastes amazing!
This tasty treat is ready in just 20 minutes and you can make it in your food processor. You won't miss the potatoes!
Cauliflower is so versatile, and it makes a surprisingly good substitute for potatoes. I use it in quite a few recipes. It has a nearly neutral flavor that readily absorbs fats and seasonings.
This mashed cauliflower is creamy and so delicious. My husband says he actually prefers it to mashed potatoes, which he finds bland. The addition of garlic and parmesan certainly makes this mash very flavorful.
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Ingredients
You'll only need six ingredients to make this mashed cauliflower recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Fresh cauliflower: This is not a good recipe for using frozen cauliflower. For the best flavor and texture, fresh is the way to go. One way to make life easy is to buy a bag of pre-washed cauliflower florets.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be good.
- Minced garlic: It's OK to use jarred minced garlic, but freshly minced is best.
- Grated parmesan: Make sure you use finely grated parmesan, not coarsely shredded.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could become too salty.
Variations
- You can use a fat other than butter. I sometimes make this recipe with softened cream cheese and it's really good.
- You can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic tastes better, but in my experience, the powder is an acceptable substitute.
- Use more spices. I typically use salt, pepper, and fresh garlic. But you can add a pinch of onion powder and a pinch of dried thyme. Sometimes I add a pinch of cayenne too.
Mashed Cauliflower Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Steam the cauliflower in the microwave. You can also steam it in a steamer basket on the stovetop or roast the cauliflower. But the microwave is the easiest and quickest method. In fact, I often serve microwave cauliflower as a side dish! (Photo 2).
- Add the steamed cauliflower to your food processor bowl along with butter, garlic, parmesan, salt, and pepper. (Photos 1,3).
- Process these tasty ingredients into a wonderfully creamy mash. Serve immediately. (Photos 4-6).
Expert Tip
To make sure the mash is thick and creamy:
- Drain the cauliflower well after steaming it. The less water it contains, the thicker the mash will be.
- Make sure you add dry-grated parmesan. Its texture nicely thickens the mash.
- There's no need to add cornstarch, although that certainly helps with thickening. But in my experience, the two steps of draining the cauliflower well and adding dry-grated parmesan are enough to ensure a thick and creamy mash.
Recipe FAQs
You could, but the dish tastes significantly better when you use fresh cauliflower.
If using frozen cauliflower, defrost it in the microwave, and make sure you drain it VERY well. But as I said, I highly recommend using fresh cauliflower in this recipe.
No, but it's surprisingly close in flavor and texture. The first time I tasted it, I was amazed. How can it taste so good?
I think it's the garlic and parmesan. They really enhance this mash and mask the flavor of the cauliflower.
Yes. Although it's ready fast so I don't usually feel the need to make it ahead of time, you could make it a few hours (or a day) in advance, refrigerate it, and then reheat it in the microwave.
You can. However, the butter, garlic, and parmesan work well to mask the natural flavor of cauliflower. So even if you're not a fan of this vegetable in its natural form, you might still find this version quite palatable.
Serving Suggestions
Mashed cauliflower is a very versatile side dish that you can serve with almost anything. It's especially good when you make a saucy dish and you want to serve it on something that would absorb the yummy juices. So I often serve it with one of the following saucy dishes:
I also use it to top my low-carb shepherd's pie. It's wonderful when topped with roasted garlic!
And obviously, you can serve it with any dish that you would traditionally serve with mashed potatoes, such as ribeye roast or beef tenderloin roast.
Storing Leftovers
The leftovers keep very well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
This is one of those dishes that tastes good even after a few days in the fridge, unlike mashed potatoes, which don't keep well.
Gently reheat the leftovers in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Related Cauliflower Recipes
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Recipe Card
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower trimmed (1 lb.)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter soft
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- ¼ cup Parmesan dry-grated
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower, towel dry, trim the outer leaves, and cut it into florets, or just into chunks.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the bowl, cover it with a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on high for about 10 minutes, until very tender.
- Meanwhile, place the butter, garlic, parmesan, salt, and pepper in your food processor's bowl.
- When the cauliflower is cooked, carefully drain it (the bowl and plate will be hot and steam will escape) and transfer it to the food processor.
- Process until very smooth, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Drain the cauliflower well after steaming it. The less water it contains, the thicker the mash will be.
- Make sure you add dry-grated parmesan. Its texture nicely thickens the mash.
- There's no need to add cornstarch, although that certainly helps with thickening. But in my experience, the two steps of draining the cauliflower well and adding dry-grated parmesan are enough to ensure a thick and creamy mash.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
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