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Home » Course » Side Dishes » Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

January 28, 2022

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

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This mashed cauliflower tastes so good, our family prefers it over mashed potatoes! Cheesy cauliflower mash is the perfect side dish for your low carb meals.

This mashed cauliflower tastes so good, our family prefers it over mashed potatoes! Cheesy cauliflower mash is the perfect side dish for your low carb meals.

Click here to PIN this recipe!

We love mashed potatoes, but we also love mashed cauliflower. We took this favorite recipe and turned it low carb. A much lighter result, while tasting oh so delicious and leaving you feeling good!

spooning cheesy mashed cauliflower out of casserole dishLooking for more easy recipe inspiration? Follow me on Instagram!

About this Recipe

Years ago, we published this cheesy mashed potatoes recipe from my sister-in-law. It's a family favorite served over the holidays. A couple of months ago, I had friends over for dinner who's son is diabetic. Keeping low-carb in mind for their son's diet, I served our Italian Meatloaf recipe and wanted to have mashed potatoes alongside. So I made the cheesy mashed potatoes dish, but made half with potatoes and half with cauliflower.

The cauliflower mash turned out SO GOOD that most people wanted seconds of it rather than the actual potatoes! So I retested the recipe several times with cauliflower and every time it turned out fantastic.

Ingredients for Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

(full printable recipe at end of this post)

Below are the ingredients you need to make this mashed cauliflower recipe.

ingredients for mashed cauliflower recipe

Grocery List:

    • Cauliflower - Grab a large fresh cauliflower that you'll cut into florets. A large cauliflower will be about 3 lbs. If there is just a 2 lb medium head, it will work.
    • Garlic - I boil the cauliflower with minced garlic for extra flavor. For this, I like the convenience of jarred minced garlic, but you can use 3 fresh cloves.
    • Half and half - We use half and half for our cream in this recipe to keep it low carb. You can use any standard milk or cream you prefer. (I do not recommend almond, oat or coconut milk.)
    • Unsalted butter - You control the amount of salt in this recipe, so use unsalted butter. If you only have salted, just omit or reduce the amount of salt.
    • Cream cheese - This is a big factor is making the cauliflower taste good, especially to those who may not necessarily like cauliflower. Try to remember to set this out ahead of time to come to room temperature.
    • Egg - This only takes one large egg, just to get that souffle texture.
    • Mozzarella - Half will be shredded, half will be diced into small cubes. So, grab a block, you'll use 4 ounces total.

Click here or scroll to the bottom of this post for the detailed recipe ingredients and instructions.

How to Make Mashed Cauliflower

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the step-by-step on how to make cauliflower mash. The general steps are as follows:

      1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 8x8-inch dish.
        cauliflower and knife on cutting board
      2. Cut cauliflower into florets.
      3. Place florets and garlic into pot of water. Boil until tender.
        cauliflower florets and minced garlic in pot of water with stick of butter and wooden spoon in background
      4. Drain cauliflower and transfer to blender.
      5. Blend with rest of ingredients, except mozzarella, until smooth.
        cauliflower mash ingredients in a blender overhead
      6. Pour half of mixture into prepared pan.
        pouring cauliflower mash into baking dish
      7. Top evenly with diced mozzarella.
        diced mozzarella over dish of mashed cauliflower
      8. Spread rest of cauliflower mixture over diced mozzarella.
      9. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese.
        shredded mozzarella over top dish of mashed cauliflower
      10. Bake an additional 15 minutes, until golden.

Top Tips and Tricks

Cheese: Keep the cheese cold in the fridge until its time to dice it or shred it. It is much easier to slice and shred cold cheese.

Double: You can easily double this recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch pan. Or, double it and bake in two 8x8-inch pans so you have one to share or one to freeze for later!

Make-ahead: This cauliflower mash can be assembled and baked the day before, then reheated in the oven the next day.

two bowls of mashed cauliflower topped with a butter square

Your Questions Answered

Is mashed cauliflower bad for you?
Cauliflower is a great substitute for mashed potatoes and offers a lower calorie option. This mashed cauliflower recipe is loaded with cheese, so like any recipe I post, everything in moderation.

How do you keep mashed cauliflower from being watery?
This mashed cauliflower is not watery as long as you drain the cooked cauliflower before adding to the blender.

Does cauliflower really taste like potatoes?
Cauliflower alone does not taste like potatoes, but it has such a mild flavor and the consistency of it blended into the cheese creates the mashed potatoes texture and taste.

Storage and Leftovers

Store: Any leftovers of this cheesy mashed cauliflower dish should be stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat: This reheats very easily in the microwave. I wouldn't even bother turning on the oven, although you can.

Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish. Too much water content.

bowl of mashed cauliflower

Recommended Equipment

For this recipe, we use a high powered blender. You can also use a food processor or just a hand mixer if that's what you have.

More Cauliflower Recipes

Like this mashed cauliflower recipe? Try these other recipes that use cauliflower!

  • Roasted Cauliflower
  • Cauliflower Tabbouleh
  • Pasta with Arugula, Prosciutto and Roasted Cauliflower
  • Creamy Cauliflower Soup

PRINT this recipe or PIN it to save for later. Made this recipe? Leave a star rating and tag me on Instagram @seededtable so I can see.  I love hearing from you!

Photography by Lindsay Evers.

bowl of mashed cauliflower
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

This mashed cauliflower tastes so good, our family prefers it over mashed potatoes! Cheesy cauliflower mash is the perfect side dish for your low carb meals.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Low Carb, Vegetarian
Keyword: cauliflower mash, cauliflower mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 230kcal
Author: Nikki Gladd

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • Blender
  • 8x8-inch baking dish

Ingredients

  • 1 large head cauliflower washed and stemmed
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup half and half warmed
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 oz. block mozzarella divided

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish.
  • While the oven is preheating, cut cauliflower into large florets. Place florets and garlic in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil on the stovetop; boil until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.
  • Transfer cauliflower and garlic to a blender with half and half, melted butter and salt. Blend until combined. Blend in the cream cheese, then the egg; process until smooth.
  • Pour half the cauliflower batter into the prepared baking dish. Cut half of the cheese into small dices and spread evenly over the cauliflower in the pan. Pour the rest of the cauliflower over top the diced cheese.
  • Bake 25 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the remaining half of the cheese. After 25 minutes, remove pan from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over top and return to oven. Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until slightly golden.

Notes

  • Cheese: Keep the cheese cold in the fridge until its time to dice it or shred it. It is much easier to slice and shred cold cheese.
  • Double: You can easily double this recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch pan. Or, double it and bake in two 8x8-inch pans so you have one to share or one to freeze for later!
  • Make-ahead: This cauliflower mash can be assembled and baked the day before, then reheated in the oven the next day.
  • Nutrition Info: Estimate only.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 615IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 1mg
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Thanks for visiting! We’re the Gladd family! We love donuts, Disney, LEGO and Jesus. Not in that order, of course. 🙂 Ben shares DIY wood-working projects and Nikki shares delicious recipes. You’ll also find a sprinkling of travel adventures and other family fun ideas!

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