Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

September 21, 2026
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Even if you are not a cauliflower fan, this mashed cauliflower dish tastes very similar to mashed potatoes but with hardly any carbohydrates and far less calories. It makes a great side dish that I use as a substitute for whenever I might serve mashed potatoes. I like it a lot when my meat dish has a sauce or gravy that you can also put on the potatoes.

TIPS: Be sure to steam the cauliflower until it’s completely fork tender, even in the stems. It will not blend properly if undercooked and will turn out lumpy. Boiling the cauliflower will make it too watery and will not have a texture similar to mashed potatoes. Feel free to eat the mashed cauliflower right after you blend it all in the food processor however it will be more loose than after you bake it. Baking it tightens the mixture up and helps with the texture.

Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large head of cauliflower cut into florets (about 5 C)
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1/4 C cream cheese
  • 2 Tbsp butter softened
  • 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • 1-2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place cauliflower florets and whole garlic cloves in a steamer basket. Put about 1 inch of water in a pot, placing the steamer basket on top and cover with a lid. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat, and steam the cauliflower until completely fork tender, about 25 minutes.
  • Transfer the cooked cauliflower and garlic cloves into a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up the cauliflower. Add the cream cheese, butter, parmesan, egg yolk and salt and pepper. Pulse the cauliflower until just smooth and then stop. Do not overblend but there should be no lumps. Taste again for more salt as cauliflower can be bland and add more if needed.
  • Butter a small shallow baking dish. Pour the cauliflower into the dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle more parmesan on top and place in the oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until starts to brown a bit on the edges. Remove from oven and let cool briefly.
  • Enjoy!