How To Make Mashed Cauliflower

If you like mashed potatoes, this easy mashed cauliflower recipe is for you. Use it to change the side dishes you make at home. Simple yet flavorful, creamy mashed cauliflower is just as good as the classic potato mash.

A bowl of mashed cauliflower and parsley leaves on the side. — How To Make Mashed Cauliflower. Photo credit: Tiny Batch Cooking.

For meals that require side dishes, my family loves a good mash. When I created this recipe I was thinking of something that is comforting and easy to make, something that does not require big portions to cook. Mash fits that description. Instead of using potatoes, I used cauliflower florets. This alternative to mashed potato is on the healthier side which I personally like.

Best Part of a Cauliflower for Making Cauliflower Mash Recipe

All parts of a cauliflower are edible but for this recipe, the best part to use is the florets that are easy to plate. This part is mostly the head of cauliflower that is white in color and soft in texture. Comparing the flavor of the florets to the stem and leaves, florets are mild which makes it easier to adjust the flavor. The stems and leaves have strong flavors and are tough.

Mashed Cauliflower or Mashed Potato

Both of these dishes are great recipes, delicious and easy to make but they differ in flavor and the nutrition they give. Mashed potatoes are a good source of protein and vitamin C, while mashed cauliflower gives fiber and vitamins. Cauliflowers and potatoes serve their purpose differently depending on your needs.

A bowl of creamy mashed cauliflower garnished with parsley, placed next to a plate of crumbled cheese and fresh cauliflower florets. — A bowl of creamy mashed cauliflower garnished with parsley.

Cauliflower Recipe for Keto

Cauliflower has fewer carbs and calories, so it is the best option for most people who are following a keto or low-carb lifestyle. Creamy cauliflower mash gives the same satisfaction as traditional mash. This is the best recipe for you if you are mindful of portion and how much carbs you eat.

Easy Instructions for Making Mashed Cauliflower

Must-Have Tools for Your Kitchen

Cooking Pot: A medium-sized pot to cook the cauliflower.
Hand Blender: To blend the cauliflower and give it a cauliflower puree texture.

Key Ingredients:

Cauliflower Rice: Cauliflower florets blended in a food processor or blender.
Butter: To give the cauliflower the best buttery flavor, use a high-quality butter.
Broth: This helps loosen up the consistency if the mixture is too thick or if it is still dry.
Garlic: Adds a savory flavor that blends with the mildness of cauliflower.
Salt and Pepper: Season to improve the cauliflower flavor.
Cream Cheese: The smooth and silky texture will come from cream cheese that has a hint of tangy flavor. Sour cream can be used as well.
Shredded Cheese: Melty, cheesy flavor that improves the cauliflower mash.
Xanthan Gum: A small amount can be added depending on the thickness of your mash.

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

Detailed Directions for Making the Creamiest Mashed Cauliflower

One: Prepare Ingredients

Have your ingredients prepared on the side. The cauliflower rice is already made using a blender or food processor.

Top-down view of ingredients for mashed cauliflower recipe. Includes cream cheese, broth, garlic, butter, cauliflower, salt and pepper, xanthan gum, and shredded cheese arranged around a bowl of riced cauliflower. — Ingredients for How To Make Mashed Cauliflower.

Two: Cook the Cauliflower Rice

Get your cooking pot and set the heat to medium, add in butter and let it melt. Toss minced garlic until aromatic. Add the cauliflower together with the cream cheese. Stir until well combined.

Step-by-step process of adding butter, breadcrumbs, and flour into a pot, accompanied by grated cheese and salt and pepper shakers. — Adding butter and cooking cauliflower into a pot.

Three: Cauliflower to Taste Like Mashed Potato

The classic taste of a mash comes from the shredded cheese. To have that mashed potato-like flavor cheddar cheese is one best options.

Image shows two steps of cooking a dish. In the first frame, shredded cheese is added to a white pot with a wooden spoon. In the second frame, cheese is being stirred into a creamy mixture. — Cooking cauliflower with shredded cheese.

Four: Blend the Cooked Cauliflower

For that smooth and creamy texture, blend the cooked cauliflower using a hand blender. Blending will help with the lumps to achieve a puree. You can also use a potato masher.

A handheld immersion blender is mixing a creamy white substance in a white bowl on a dark stovetop. — Mashing cauliflower rice.

Five: Thicken the Mixture

A tiny amount of xanthan gum can go a long way. If the desired consistency is not yet achieved, you can add more.

Person stirring a white mixture in a white pot on a stovetop using a wooden spoon while holding a measuring spoon. — Adding ingredient to the mashed cauliflower.

Pro Tips for Best Results

Mashing: There are different kitchen tools you can use to mash your cauliflower. You can use a fork, wooden spoon, or a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, a potato masher can be an option.
Cheese to Use: Other cheeses can be used like Monterey Jack, or Colby for a classic flavor. For a nutty, salty taste, Parmesan cheese or Romano are good choices.
Steam: Steaming the cauliflower preserves the nutrients it has. It is a good way to maintain the healthy benefits of cauliflower.

A bowl filled with creamy mashed cauliflower placed on a dark surface, accompanied by a bunch of fresh parsley and bowls of cauliflower florets and chopped cauliflower in the background. — A bowl filled with creamy mashed cauliflower.

Common Questions Answered

What are the Perfect Pairings for Buttery Mash Cauliflower?

Mashed Cauliflower is best served with main dishes. Meats like grilled or air fryer chicken legs or fish, sausages or pork chops, and even pan-seared steak complement the mild flavor of the mash. You can also pair it with other side dishes like green beans and squash casserole.

What are Proper Storage Tips for this Easy Cauliflower Recipe?

For immediate storage, put it in an air-tight container or use plastic wrap and wrap it tightly. Cauliflower mash can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just make sure to store it properly to avoid spoilage.

Cauliflower head, grated cauliflower, and creamy cauliflower dip in a bowl with a spoon, garnished with parsley, on a gray surface. — Cauliflower head and creamy mashed cauliflower.

How to Freeze Cauliflower Mash?

To keep mashed cauliflower for a longer period, put it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can last up to 3 months in the freezer. Note that if it has dairy products it needs to be monitored.

Additional Easy Small-Portion Recipes You’ll Love

Have a look at our other recipes like: Is Ground Almonds the Same as Almond Flour? or How To Make Almond Meal. These can be made in small portions, easy and quick.

Pin This Recipe for Later

A close-up of a bowl filled with mashed cauliflower, garnished with parsley. Text overlay: "How to Make Mashed Cauliflower" and branding for "Tiny Batch Cooking. — A bowl filled with mashed cauliflower.

Need Support or have Questions? Join our Free Facebook Group.

For weekly New Recipes and a FREE E-Book get into our NEWSLETTER.

Printable Recipe Card

We Appreciate Your 5-Star Rating