Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Rosemary may be healthier than mashed potatoes, but I promise it tastes just as good! This healthy mashed cauliflower recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any day of the year. You won’t regret making this Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe; missing out on calories and gaining all the flavor! This healthy side dish will be your new favorite recipe.
Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Learn how to make cauliflower “mashed potatoes” for a healthier side with all the flavor. This Garlic Mashed Cauliflower recipe won’t disappoint!
When I first started cooking (which as you probably know was NOT long ago), I never imagined I’d be making healthy mashed cauliflower someday. I mean, honestly I never imagined I’d be making much other than Easy Mac and Lean Cuisines!
But over the past year and a half I’ve found my passion. All of a sudden I’m making a Rosemary Garlic Mashed Cauliflower recipe. My how times have changed!
What I’ve realized on my journey to learn my way around a kitchen is that cooking is SO MUCH EASIER than I once thought. You can follow a recipe exactly or you can get as creative as you desire. When you just follow the steps, you’ll find that you can make just about anything!
I wasn’t sure if our family would like these cauliflower mashed potatoes as much as real mashed potatoes, but I have to say we LOVE it…maybe even more. Pat would rather eat this side dish for any holiday, and that makes me so happy!
Find out how to make mashed cauliflower with a delicious garlic rosemary flavor. So good, you won’t want to go back to potatoes!
What does garlic mashed cauliflower taste like?
This Mashed Cauliflower Recipe is often compared to mashed potatoes because it’s a similar consistency and paired with similar foods (like our Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan or Skillet Steak), but it tastes quite a bit different.
Cauliflower isn’t the same as a potato. For starters, one is a vegetable and one is a starch! Although different, both taste amazing. I hope you give this Garlic Mashed Cauliflower a try.
I was skeptical, I’ll be honest, but this healthy(er) Garlic Mashed Cauliflower was creamy, delicious, and best of all, EASY.
This will definitely be making its way to our Thanksgiving table! There will be enough non-healthy items there. I guess I could add just a few less fattening options!
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
You’re probably wondering HOW to make cauliflower into mashed potatoes…Because that sounds crazy, right? A healthy vegetable turned into 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.
How to make Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
- First, boil a pot of water and cut up the cauliflower into small florets.
- Then place the cauliflower into the boiling water and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes.
- Once the cauliflower gets soft, drain it from the water.
- Place the cauliflower into a blender, along with the cream cheese, butter, garlic, and rosemary. Then pulse until it becomes smooth and creamy.
So simple! You’ve got a healthier version of mashed potatoes, made entirely out of cauliflower.
Mashed Cauliflower or Mashed Potatoes
Which one is better? It’s a tough question because they’re both GREAT. I love this garlic mashed cauliflower recipe as a healthy alternative. Potatoes are just empty calories (not much in the way of nutrition), so you’re just filling up on carbs. Cauliflower mashed potatoes give you that same delicious texture and flavor, but in healthy vegetable form. So that’s always a win, especially when the rest of your holiday table if already filled with carbs.
That being said…mashed potatoes are one of my favorite things to eat, and I certainly won’t be giving them up completely. I like having both options in my life, so I can choose when I’m here for the healthy option and when I want the real potatoes.
Don’t forget to try our CHEESY Cauliflower Mash for a variation on this recipe. And if you’re just looking for potatoes, well we’ve got plenty of those too!
Best Mashed Potatoes Recipes
All the best mashed potato recipes you need!
Can I use a blender to make Garlic Mashed Cauliflower?
YES! This recipe uses a blender. It helps to make things really smooth. If you prefer a chunkier version you could use a hand blender and not blend it all the way smooth. I love the creamy consistency.
Is this Mashed Cauliflower Recipe low carb?
FOR SURE! I love that this side dish is a low carb option to add to your holiday table or to any weeknight dinner of the year.
How can I make this recipe even healthier?
I chose to still use butter and cream cheese (although low fat) in these Garlic Mashed Cauliflower. My life view for eating is everything in moderation…so I’m more than fine with a little butter and cream.
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.
Be sure to check out some of our other most loved healthy recipes like Grilled Salmon Recipe with Avocado Salsa, Enchilada Stuffed Peppers, and Mediterranean Chicken Burgers. Enjoy!
See the recipe card below for full details on How to Make Garlic Mashed Cauliflower. Enjoy!
Looking for other healthy sides? Give these a try:
- Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri
- Mexican Grilled Corn
- Caprese Farro Salad
- Avocado Fries
- Sweet Potato Chips
- Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Blue Cheese
- Crock Pot Potatoes
- Cauliflower Steaks
- Grilled Lemon Butter Asparagus
- Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower chopped into small florets
- 3 ounces low fat cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic sauteed if you aren't buying it already prepared
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped into small pieces, optional
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.
- Place cauliflower along with all other ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy.
I would put them in the crock pot on warm or low to keep them warm!
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?
Absolutely! I think those are both great ideas!
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!
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.
Great suggestion, thank you! So glad you loved it :)
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!!
Hey Jamie- I never stated this recipe was vegan. I categorized it as vegetarian. I’m not sure where you’re seeing anything different.
This is supposed to be a vegan recipe? But it has cream cheese and butter in it! I think it might need to be reposted as just “vegetarian” but not “vegan”
So glad you loved it!
YUM YUM YUM!!
This was a hit with the whole family over the weekend! SO I am making it for Thanksgiving!! I LOVE Rosemary and this recipe is perfect!
Glad you liked it!
This was pretty good! Great if you’re craving a little rosemary. I added extra butter.
That sounds like the best idea ever! I’ll definitely try ????
Looks like as soon as I asked you, it started to work just fine! lol. Gotta love technology :)
This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it. I can’t seem to get the picture to print on the recipe card. Any suggestions for me?
Yummy! I am making a round up post on healthy and delicious sides for the Holidays and I will include this recipe of yours! I can’t wait to try this for Thanksgiving. Have a great day!
Awesome! Love your substitutions! Thanks Michael :)
Recipe worked well for me.
I added a sprinkle of nutmeg, salt and ground black pepper.
I hadn’t any fresh rosemary so used 1/3 tbsp of dried.
Cooking is a journey that never ends.
Thanks
Michael
* A large cauliflower is about 2lbs I think.
Yay! Love to hear this!
We LOVe mashed cauliflower. If you wish to make the flavor even more intense, try grilling or roasting the cauliflower, YUM!
I am going to try making these but I am curious as to how many servings it makes and what size of serving? I can figure out the calories once I know how much it actually makes. Thanks!
Hey Laura, this is actually a Mashed Cauliflower recipe, it should be similar to mashed potatoes. Hope that helps!
So glad you liked it!! I love the addition of garlic powder, I’m going to add that next time!! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi :)
Yay! I LOVE to hear that!
Just made this tonight and it was SO good! THANK YOU!
Hey Shari- I’m so sorry I don’t have that app on here yet. It’s something I’m looking to add but haven’t found the right plugin yet. I’m sorry for the trouble!
Do you know the caloric value per serving? I would like to try to make this with dinner this week but am on a diet and need to know calories for my food.
How do I find out the caloric value for each serving for this? I want to try to make it with dinner this week but am on a strict diet.
Would love to know carb count and calorie count
So glad you loved it!
yum. good recipe. creamy, goid flavor, and not too runny.
Hey Liz, I haven’t tried it that way but I think greek yogurt might work. It would just be a bit thinner. If you try it let me know!!
This looks delicious! Is there a healthier substitute for the cream cheese? Maybe greek yogurt?
Yay! SO glad you love it!
I’ve made this dish twice now, just love it! Thank you for sharing such a delightful dish :)
Thanks for stopping by Ulla! Sometimes pictures are used by online magazines when the recipe is reprinted…so sometimes the more pictures the better. And honestly the pictures are kind of a creative outlet for me and I enjoy taking/editing them. But I do understand where you’re coming from. I really appreciate the feedback :)
I love cauliflower and I’m about to try this recipe now, thanks for that!
Also, this is very good opportunity to ask: these are very good photos but why on earth, as in so many other food blogs there are photos of same thing just from different angles? One would have been enough. All the best.
So glad you liked it!
you may know how many kcal it got?:)
it tastes really good
Sounds delicious!
Try subbing chicken broth and sliced almonds instead of cream cheese and boiling in plain water… don’t drain all the broth, use some in the puree process.
That sounds so yummy!!! I might have to try it that way next time!
Mine didn’t turn out as fluffy as your pictures (maybe I over puréed) but holy moly that’s freaking delish! I had my mom try some without telling her what it was and she thought it was potatoes. I served it more like a soup and crumbled some bacon on top.
Awww, thanks so much! The feeling is mutual! :)
Moderation is, the only way to go I remember thanksgiving after dinner to much to eat so I learned prescription me some years but got after 35 years
You too Ashley!
Cauliflower is so awesome, I had no idea! Thanks (as always) for stopping by! I hope we get to hang out again soon!
Wow, these look so delicious, I’m such a fan of cauliflower…throw some garlic in and omg, I’m soooold!
We LOVE mashed cauliflower at our house! This looks delicious! I hope you had a fantastic weekend!
I agree Kelly! Thanks so much for stopping by, love your site!
Thanks Zaza! So glad you stopped by :)
The bread and mac and cheese both sound awesome! I had no idea it was that versatile either!!
I’ve really grown to appreciate the versatility of cauliflower- I’ve used it to make “bread” and also in a healthier mac & cheese, but I’ve never had it like this before. I’m definitely looking forward to trying your recipe, it looks so good and such a great alternative to potatoes!
Wow, I’ve never made a mashed cauliflower. It’s an amazing recipe to impress your guests :)
STOP. I absolutely adore mashed potatoes but avoid them because they are so dang bad for you! This might be the perfect fix!