Fluffy, garlicky, parmesan mashed cauliflower is a lower carb alternative to mashed potatoes that might just be better than the original.
Mashed cauliflower. Can we get it a new name, because this...this is the kind of thing I dream about at night 🤩.
This post was originally published September 2014, and was updated July 2019 with recipe tweaks, updated photos and a video.
I've been a potato lover my whole life, so giving up my mom's mashed potatoes was the hardest part when I needed to cut my carb intake. After trying tons of mashed cauliflower recipes but only ever getting that dense, sticky texture, I decided to do something I'd never do for my mashed potatoes... I finished them off with the food processor. Now trust me, instead of making the mixture gummy like it would potatoes, it whips a bunch of air into the cauliflower for a luscious, light texture! But you don't have to take my word for it. As Marilyn says in the comments, "This is absolutely amazing! We had issues with other recipes not being 'fluffy'. Yours absolutely is. Adding this one to my weekly rotation."
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Why You'll Love these Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- it has only 5 simple ingredients
- it is creamy, garlicky, and cheesy
- it's lower in carbs and calories than traditional mashed potatoes
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these cauliflower mashed potatoes. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
- Cauliflower - We used fresh, but you can use frozen cauliflower if you prefer.
- Parmesan - Freshly grated. This adds flavor but also absorbs some of the water so that it is not so thin.
- Plain Greek Yogurt - This adds a rich, velvety texture, a tiny bit of tangy flavor, and an extra dose of protein to make these more filling.
- Salt and Garlic Powder - These just bring out the best flavor in the cauliflower. Feel free to adjust seasonings to your preferences.
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- simmer- cauliflower florets until tender- roughly 12 minutes
- drain- thoroughly! If you want thick, creamy potatoes, give them a few minutes in a colander to drain.
- process- a food processor is necessary for silky smooth mashed cauliflower. You can use a masher but they will be chunkier. A blender might work but would have to be a good one (aka: not mine)
- add the goodies- we are adding greek yogurt (for nice, thick cauliflower mashed potatoes), fresh parmesan cheese, garlic powder and salt. Simple but effective. Process again.
Top with butter...chives...maybe some bacon if you're feeling crazy.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Variations
- If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can replace that with sour cream or whipped cottage cheese.
- For a deeper flavor, toss roasted garlic into the food processor as well.
- Try stirring in freshly shredded cheese if you normally like cheesy mashed potatoes.
Best Mashed Cauliflower Recipe Tips
- simmer cauliflower until soft (not al dente)
- this is my favorite food processor
- looking for more cauliflower recipes? Check out this Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and these 7 Cauliflower Rice Recipes
What to Serve with the Best Cauliflower Mashed
This is a great versatile recipe that goes well with many main course and side dishes. Here's how I serve mine!
- Chicken- it goes well with this Perfect Baked Chicken Breast, though this summer it's all about the Perfect Grilled Chicken Breast
- Salmon- we can't get enough of this Balsamic Salmon Marinade
- Side salad- our Staple Kale Salad is on repeat again
How to Store and Reheat Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Allow to cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container in the freezer up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Microwave at 50% power in 1-minute increments, stirring after each blast.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes FAQs
If you want super smooth, fluffy cauliflower, you will need a food processor. However, if you like more clumps and lumps in yours for a more rustic texture, you could use an immersion blender or potato masher instead.
My friend Lindsay at Cotter Crunch has the coolest way to make mashed potatoes fluffy without any dairy- white beans! Check out her recipe here. It may work for these cauliflower mashed potatoes but I have not tried.
Yes! Find directions for the Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower here.
Yes, mashed cauliflower can be frozen up to 2-3 months, but it does get a bit watery. To counteract this, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly. I like to add in a bit of shredded cheese to previously-frozen cauliflower to thicken it up.
Yes, this reheats perfectly in the microwave and can be stored in the fridge for about 5 days, so you can make it before the holiday rush!
If your cauliflower mash is too runny, you can simmer it on the medium-low to help excess water evaporate, or you can stir in shredded cheese (cheddar, gouda, or pepper jack are lovely) to thicken it.
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (roughly 7 cups; cut into florets)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (plain)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Simmer cauliflower for 10-15 minutes, until soft (time depends on the size of cauliflower pieces).
- Drain cauliflower and allow to sit in the colander for 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a 7-cup capacity food processor and add the parmesan cheese, greek yogurt, salt and garlic powder.
- Process for 1-2 minutes, until creamy and smooth.
- Serve with butter and extra parmesan cheese if desired.
Storage
- Store in an air tight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Hi, I'm Annie. With a Bachelor of Science degree, a minor in nutrition and nearly 20 year of both classical training, and self-taught experience, I've spent my career proving that home cooking can be practical, delicious and inspiring. What started in 2013 as one food blog has grown into a full-time business. Today, my husband Clayton and I run five food websites that connect with millions of home cooks every month.
When I'm not in the kitchen or behind the camera, I'm using fueling my love of travel, or chasing down new ideas that keep food fun and fresh.
Diana Marshall says
I substituted steaming the cauliflower for 10 min, simply because I bought on Amazon a EuChoiz Collapsible Microwave Steamer Bowl and wanted to take it for a spin for easy clean-up. Worked perfectly and followed the instructions to make sure the steamed heads were al dente and dry. I had run out of yogurt - who does that? I used Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb to substitute 25 calories per wedge and used 4. I think you could use fat free Greek Yogurt, cottage cheese or low fat Philly if you prefer. Cool and unique thing about this recipe is that it doesn't ask you to do the usual garlic cleaning, mashing or sautéing - so easy to use garlic powder if it works. It works perfectly! I upped the garlic hit with Kroger's Private Selection Roasted California Garlic. I left the salt and pepper out for my guests to choose because I have friends who are on salt-restricted and use only Morton Salt Substitute and other friends who are salt snobs and want only Morton's Himalayan Pink Salt or go home. I had dinner for four and also left my guests the options of olive oil, butter or Smart Balance Low Sodium. P.S. I don't get paid to brand-drop, I just like to tout what works! I have now tried the recipe exactly as written by Sweet Pea Annie and paired it with her Perfect Baked Chicken Breast. High 5 recommendation!
Marilyn Pruitt says
This is absolutely amazing! We had issues with other recipes not being 'fluffy'. Yours absolutely is. Adding this one to my weekly rotation.