Easy Mashed Cauliflower - the best way to make creamy and delicious low-carb option instead of mashed potatoes.
Cauliflower is a genius vegetable that can make a creamy Alfredo sauce for Skinny Fettuccine Pasta or Healthy Spinach Dip Mac and Cheese.
You may already know that cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. I use it to make a healthy Alfredo sauce for pasta or mac and cheese, I coat it with garlic and Parmesan for an irresistible dish, turn it into a cheesy casserole, or Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice and now I am adding another recipe to the collection: mashed cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes!
This Mashed Cauliflower is so delicious and thanks to my trick, it won't be watery but stay fluffy and creamy! You have to try it!
How to make Mashed Cauliflower?
- Start by cutting the cauliflower head into florets. Place all in a pot and cover with water. Add salt and cook over medium heat, until the florets are soft. Drain cauliflower over a colander, then place florets back in the pot.
- Mash with fork or potato masher and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, to get any remaining moisture out.
- Remove the pot from the heat. You can place the cauliflower mixture in a bowl if you like.
- Add sour cream, salt, pepper and butter and mash until you reach desired consistency. Unlike potatoes, you can't over-mash the cauliflower. Potatoes will turn gummy but cauliflower won't.
How to prevent it from being watery?
After the cauliflower florets are cooked, drain them from cooking water and place florets back in the pot. Mash with fork and stir over low medium heat. It will help get any remaining moisture from the cauliflower. So easy, right? Next, remove the pot from heat, add remaining ingredients and stir. For ultra creamy mashed cauliflower, use your blender or a stick hand blender. I use just a fork and love the texture.
Freezing:
Yes! All you need to do is mash the cauliflower without the sour cream, cool it completely, then place in a ziploc bag. Make sure you get all of the air out of the bag before sealing. I think it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Do not forget to mark the bag with contents and the date.
Variations:
- roasted garlic - probably my favorite flavor addition to mashed potatoes as well as cauliflower. To learn how to easily roast garlic, check out my tutorial.
- herbs - add rosemary, thyme or Italian seasoning to cauliflower and stir. This side dish is perfect with roasted chicken!
- browned butter - give the cauliflower a nutty flavor by browning butter before adding it to the mash. It's so delicious!
More cauliflower recipes:
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower - a reader favorite!
- Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole - creamy cauliflower, topped with cheese and bacon.
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Alfredo sauce - healthy option, that can easily be made vegan.
- Cauliflower Rice - perfect low-carb and grain-free side dish idea.
Easy Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into florets, discard core and leaves.
- Place florets in a pot, cover with water, add salt.
- Cook on medium heat until florets are soft.
- Drain cauliflower over a colander, return florets into the pot.
- Set pot over medium-low heat, mash with a fork or potato masher and cook, stirring constantly, for at least 3 minutes, to get any remaining moisture out.
- Add sour cream (2 tablespoons at a time), salt and pepper, butter and mash until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve garnished with chopped parsley or chives.
Sarah says
This recipe was so delicious and so easy! My whole family approved. I will definitely make this again!
Anna says
Yay! Thank you so much, Sarah!
DeAun Tollefsoon says
Just curious if you've tried this in the Instant Pot.
Ann Marie says
I made this as a side dish tonight for dinner and it was delicious! I will be making it more often as an alternative to mashed potatoes.
Anna says
That's fantastic! Thank you for trying my recipe, Ann Marie!
Kris says
If u freeze it, no sour cream added. How about if you reheat it out of freezer? Do we add sour cream into frozen mash in the pot?
Genevie Cardenas says
This looks incredible. I would like to make this for dinner tonight but I don’t have fresh cauliflower on hand. I do have some frozen packages of cauliflower in the freezer though. Would I be able to use those for this recipe?
Kimberly says
Not really very creamy. Maybe I didn't leave them warm long enough. It was my first time making them also. Trial and error I guess.
Cheryl says
Made this tonight at my daughter-in-law's request for her birthday dinner. Served them with corned beef brisket and green peas. DELICIOUS! I drained them and used my immersion blender to mash them. Added butter, extra salt and sour cream to taste. Everyone LOVED them! Very smooth, very tasty, and easy to make, too!
Thanks for a great recipe that I'll be making often!
Anna says
Hi Cheryl! That is absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much!
Linda says
This is hands down the best recipe for Cauliflower Mash. I've tried quite a few. The elimination of the water really makes the difference. After drying it out, I popped it in my food processor, added the butter, Herb DE Province, salt and pepper and used only 3 Tablespoons of Sour Cream because it was creamy enough. Then I put it in a small Pyrex rectangular dish, top it off with dried parsley and paprika. Then, brown it in my toaster oven when I'm ready to eat it.
Anna says
Hi Linda! Thank you so much for trying my recipe. I am glad it was helpful and you enjoyed it! I love your serving tips!
Joy says
How do you reheat it after you freeze it?
Erica says
Would I be able to substitute low fat plain yogurt for the sour cream? My health does not permit use of sour cream.
Anna says
That should work!
April says
How long do you usually have to cook the cauliflower to get it soft?
Linda says
I cook it about 20 mins for a whole head - large floret pieces. I test it with a fork. If the fork slides through without resistance, it's done.
Natalie says
I am so happy I found this recipe! I tried making mashed cauliflower a few times and it was always full of water. Your trick of stirring it mashed over heat to cook off the liquid worked like a charm! Thank you, Anna!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Yay! That's awesome! It was a game changer for me too! Thanks, Natalie!
David Lantz says
My girlfriend roasts the cauliflower 425 for 35-40 minutes depending on the size it's cut into.
Jessica says
This is one of our staple go-tos every week! Love this!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
Awesome! Thanks, Jessica!
Paula says
cauliflower is my fav!
Jamielyn says
Love this low carb option! Looks so delicious!
Sabrina says
I love being that Mom that sneaks in veggies into my family's meals. I know they are going to eat this up!
Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling says
Yes!!! I totally want to try this for Thanksgiving!
Aimee Shugarman says
I have always wanted to try this! Looks so tasty!
Katerina says
Oh wow, this looks amazing!! The perfect side dish!!
Cheryl says
I love that my family will choose this over traditional mashed potatoes!! thanks for the recipe!
Dee says
This looks like an awesome alternative to mashed potatoes! I think I'll try that garlic parmesan flavor because that really sounds yummy!
Brenda says
Parmesan? how much? I don't see that in the recipe. but great idea.
Krissy Allori says
I love that this is used as an alternative to mashed potatoes! YUM!
Kara says
I've never tried mashed cauliflower, but your recipe looks delicious! Thanks for the tip for cooking to get the extra water out. I think I need to be adventurous and give these a try!
Kellie says
This is one of my family's favorite side dishes. So easy and you won't even miss the potatoes!