Mashed Cauliflower

Cauliflower mashed potatoes, a healthy low carb and KETO friendly “mocktato” recipe, is the smashed veggie you never knew you were missing.

Incredibly creamy and delicious, these ultimate mashed bits of cauliflower smothered in cheese and bacon becomes the best healthy side dish for chicken and complements other whole veggies as well. The best part is this cauliflower recipe is pure – it really takes very few ingredients to use the full flavor of a head of cauliflower. While you can leave the cauliflower in more of a thick and chunky mash, its also just as amazing lighter and smoother.

Get ready to hear “These are WHAT?” when you serve up a plate…or two!

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

This cauliflower loaded up mashed potato recipe takes about 20 minutes to steam the cauliflower and then another 20 minutes to bake to the final full double baked dish. Unlike baked riced cauliflower, this recipe is more like the original mashed potato than any other substitute.

The best part, as you will notice in the list, is that using cauliflower as a side results in a good healthy recipe with zero guilt and all the flavor.

Confirm the following ingredients before moving on to full instructions, nutritional information, and a printable recipe below.

• 1 head fresh cauliflower
• heavy whipping cream
• butter
• salt
• black pepper
• shredded cheddar cheese
• bacon
• green onions
• *minced garlic: optional ingredient

How to make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

• Preheat oven to 350 and grease a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Steam or pressure cook cauliflower until the largest piece is soft when a fork is stuck into it.
• Cook bacon while cauliflower is steaming. Here is my recipe for Ninja Foodi Bacon that makes it super simple.
• Mash cauliflower in a mixing bowl. I like to use a potato masher and manually control how smooth the cauliflower is. Keep in mind that steamed cauliflower IS already hot, so if using a hand mixer or hand held immersion blender, make sure to use on low and be aware of hot flying pieces of creamy mashed cauliflower.
• Add chunks of butter butter, heavy whipping cream, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
• Mix all ingredients well to combine – a spatula or spoon works great.
• Pour mashed cauliflower into prepared pan.
• Sprinkle top of cauliflower with remaining shredded cheese and add pre-cooked bacon.

• Bake cauliflower mash for 20 minutes.
• Remove casserole dish from oven and serve topped with chopped green onions.
• Serves 4-6 as a side dish

Is Mashed Cauliflower *really* a Substitute for Potatoes?

Recently my husband and I have been trying to eat better. By eat better, I mean I totally pulled the rug out under my family on Monday this week and was like…”NO SUGAR, NO SODA, NO BREAD, NO CANDY, NO GOING OUT TO EAT, NO CARBS.” And of course it was like a mini meltdown that continues on a daily basis where everyone eats great food and complains about it cause its not a Milky Way.

Out of this challenge, however, I have been learning to cook much more healthy and nutritious meals that don’t leave me bloated and gross. And one of those are turning cauliflower into  basically a mock-tatoe. I know what you are thinking; there is no WAY cauliflower can be a substitute for a potato. In some ways you are right.

The texture is a bit different and the taste, well that’s not quite the same either.

But its GOOD. REALLY good.

And loading it up with bits of bacon, onions ,and cheese give you the best cauliflower mash that will keep the complaints down enough that you can get some veggies down everyone’s throat.

What can you serve with cauliflower mash?

Well, of course this cauliflower recipe is a healthier alternative and side dish for potatoes. It’s KETO and Low Carb friendly for those that care. And surprisingly, cauliflower also makes a pretty filling lunch on its own or as a base to other meals.

For example, I made this dish and put in the bowl underneath pot roast this week instead of boiled red potatoes. DELICIOUS. Other great recipes that I have used cauliflower in for a side is easy roasted cauliflower, cheesy cauliflower au gratin, and cheesy cauliflower casserole.

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Yield: 4-6 servings

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower {KETO}

Print

Keto Cauliflower mashed potatoes, a creamy cauliflower side dish smothered in cheese and bacon, is a keto and low carb side dish and an amazing, delicious alternative to mashed potatoes!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, greens discarded and cauliflower cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 5 slices bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
• 2 green onions, chopped, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a small casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Steam or pressure cook cauliflower until the largest piece is soft when a fork is stuck into it.
3. Mash cauliflower in a mixing bowl with a manual potato masher or hand mixer on low.
4. Add butter, heavy whipping cream, salt, cracked pepper and 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
5. Combine all ingredients well with a spatula or spoon.
6. Pour mashed cauliflower into prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle top with remaining shredded cheese and cooked bacon.
8. Bake casserole dish for 20 minutes.
9. Remove cauliflower mashed potatoes from oven and serve topped with chopped green onions and sour cream.

Notes

1. Weight Watchers Nutritional Notes: 3 Points per serving for 6 servings IF using fat free half and half and fat free shredded cheese
2. Bacon can be precooked and added to the dish or simply use an air fryer and make bacon while dish is oven baking and add afterwards as a topping.
3. Half and half can be substituted but removes "Keto"

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

6 people
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 530mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and may not be accurate. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.

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