Mashed Cauliflower may be healthier than mashed potatoes, but I promise it tastes just as good! You won’t regret making this garlic mashed cauliflower; missing out on calories and gaining all the flavor! This healthy side dish will be your new favorite recipe.
What’s in this Mashed Cauliflower Recipe?
You’re probably wondering how to make cauliflower into mashed potatoes… Because that sounds crazy, right? A healthy vegetable turned into a creamy mash with the taste and texture of potatoes? It is so possible and so good. And of course, it’s easy too, so that’s a win.
- Cauliflower: The magic ingredient that blends up into a creamy mash!
- Low-Fat Cream Cheese: Helps create a creamy texture that more closely resembles classic mashed potatoes.
- Salted Butter: Adds that rich buttery taste we love!
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor and a pungent aroma.
- Rosemary: Adds a fresh herbal flavor that balances the garlic.
Pro Tip: Make sure to cut the cauliflower into equal-sized pieces so it all cooks through completely. This will help create the creamiest mash.
Variations on Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
This recipe is so versatile! You can swap out the rosemary for any fresh herb, like parsley, sage, or thyme. Plus, you can add cheese, and you know how much I love cheese! Cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, provolone, or Swiss are all great cheeses to add. Simply grate them into the warm mash and stir until melted!
Cauliflower has an earthy and nutty flavor that’s slightly more complex than potatoes, but it’s pretty darn close!
It’s certainly a healthier alternative! It’s lower in calories and carbohydrates.
It’s important to drain the cauliflower well before blending it to remove excess water. But if it’s still watery, try adding a slurry made from 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1-2 tablespoons of cold water and cook for a few minutes to thicken.
We add cream cheese to this recipe to make it nice and thick, but if you find that you’d like your mash even thicker, try adding the cornstarch slurry from above.
If your cauliflower is grainy, it’s likely that some of the florets were undercooked. Be sure to cut the cauliflower into equal-sized florets to ensure it all cooks at the same rate. This will ensure a smooth final result.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover mashed cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot set over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring frequently, until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze this cauliflower in individual portions in Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this garlic mashed cauliflower with anything you’d serve traditional potatoes with! Beef tenderloin, honey baked ham, baked Caesar chicken, herb crusted salmon, Parmesan crusted tilapia, and smoked turkey breast are some of my favorites! Add a side of roasted vegetables or a spinach berry salad for a rounded meal.
5-Star Review
“Oh my goodness these came out amazing! I’ve been looking for a way to make cauliflower mashed with a creamier texture and this was it! Thank you!” – Lisa R.
Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into small florets
- 3 ounces low-fat cream cheese (⅜ brick)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (¼ stick)
- 1½ teaspoons minced garlic sautéed if you aren't buying it already prepared
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Once boiling, cook the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and drain cauliflower.1 head cauliflower
- Place cauliflower along with all other ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.3 ounces low-fat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons salted butter, 1½ teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Cut the cauliflower as evenly as possible so that all of the florets cook at the same rate.
- Be sure to let the cauliflower fully drain before blending.
- If you want to make them even lower in calories and healthier, you can sub in Greek yogurt or vegan butter. Lots of options to make these your own.
Nutrition Information
We had this delicious cauliflower recipe twice this week. Tonight I used Boursin cheese instead of cream cheese and added 2 potatoes. It was really good.
Sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing, Angela!
We had leftover cauliflower that I’d thought to make soup with. Instead, I came across this recipe. What a delicious discovery! We both really enjoyed the light delicate flavor of the dish, a total surprise and welcome replacement for our carb laden loved mashed potatoes. The cauliflower was originally steamed in chicken stock.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Perfect! The taste had a little sweetness to it, but paired very well with our chicken! A ‘keeper’ recipe for sure!
Thanks for sharing!
I obviously did something wrong it came out extremely liquid like 🥲
Oh no! I am sorry it didn’t work!
Oh my goodness these came out amazing! I’ve been looking for a way to make cauliflower mashed with a creamier texture and this was it! Thank you!
So happy to help!
Both potatoes and cauliflower are vegetables. Potatoes are a starchy vegetable and cauliflower is a non-starchy vegetable.
Great recipe though.
Thanks for stopping by, Mary
I am looking for a recipe I can take to a Thanksgiving celebration. How can I keep these warm or can I warm them up without ruining?
I would put them in the crock pot on warm or low to keep them warm!
This cauliflower potatoes recipe looks great! Can I make it the day before and microwave it right before dinner? I’m not sure I can pull this off with everything else I’ve got going on. Or, how about if I made it 6 hours before and reheated. Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Absolutely! I think those are both great ideas!
This is so good! I have made this dish twice now for dinner parties and initially the ‘mashed potato lovers’ are hesitant, but alway go back for a 2nd second helping! Have served with roasted chicken and pork tendlerloin.
I made this as a side for Thanksgiving. I found I needed to add just a couple drops of heavy whipping cream to make sure it swirled properly in the blender. Thank you for all your experimenting and creating this recipe!! This is delicious!!
Great suggestion, thank you! So glad you loved it :)