This Low Carb Cauliflower Mash is an easy, Keto-friendly alternative to mashed potatoes. With just 7 ingredients these buttery fluffy mashers are the perfect low-carb side dish. And they’re one of our favorite cauliflower recipes!
Cauliflower gets overlooked so often, but it’s an amazing, versatile option for low carb menu planning. You can dress it up like these amazing roasted Asiago cauliflower “steaks” or keep it simple with cauliflower rice, or some easy keto cauliflower “mashed potatoes” – today’s recipe.
If you’ve not considered cauliflower for low carb, let’s clear that up right now!
Is cauliflower keto?
Absolutely! Cauliflower may be the best low-carb veggie there is! Because of its bland profile, it is super versatile, and it has only 4% carbs. So keto cauliflower recipes are not only possible, but a very good idea.
Does cauliflower have carbs?
Cauliflower is one of the lowest carb veggies you can find, with only 4 net carbs per 100 gram serving. (See how it compares to other veggies on this handy visual guide to the best and worst keto vegetables from the good people at Diet Doctor – love it!)
Is cauliflower good for you?
Let’s talk about cauliflower nutrition: in addition to being low-carb, it’s packed with fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, iron, and calcium. And if you’re wondering “how many calories in cauliflower?” … A cup of raw cauliflower has round 30 calories. This is why it’s definitely one of our favorite low carb veggies.
How to cut cauliflower
Depending on the recipe, there are actually two ways to cut cauliflower. For either method, you first want to thoroughly rinse the head of cauliflower, let it drain for a moment, and then pull any leaves from the base. You also want to use a paring knife to gently trim off any black spots on the cauliflower.
Now you have a choice: for recipes like this one where you want to end up with lots of cauliflower florets, cut the cauliflower in half, halve each half one more time, then pull apart the individual florets. For recipes where you want a large, flat “steak-like” piece of cauliflower to roast, then leave the cauliflower whole, cut out the end of the core, and then use a long chef’s knife to very carefully cut the entire head into 1-inch thick sections.
How to steam cauliflower
It’s quite easy! Just add a steamer basked to a large soup pot. Then add 2 cups of water, cover, and bring the water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and steam until fork tender (about 13-15 for 1-2 heads).
How to make cauliflower mash
- Wash the head of cauliflower, break it down, then steam until fork tender.
- Remove the cauliflower from the pot and let it cool enough to handle.
- Wrap the florets in a thin cotton kitchen towel and squeeze about 5 times to remove some of the liquid. This will keep your ending texture comparable to real mashed potatoes.
- Add the cauliflower to a food processor then pulse and puree until nice and smooth.
- Add melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and blend until well combined.
- Stir in some chopped chives and add a pat of butter on top!
How to freeze cauliflower mash
It’s very important to let the mash cool down completely! Separate into the desired serving or storage size, and transfer it to resealable plastic freezer bags. You can also shape the bag to fit best in your freezer… for us we like to make it as flat as possible as that seems to take up the least space.
How long does cauliflower last in the freezer?
If you store your mashed cauliflower frozen, it can last up three months. When you’re ready to use it, we recommend thawing in a warm bowl of water or a saucepan of water on very low if you’re in a hurry. 🙂
Low Carb Cauliflower Mash (Keto)
This Low Carb Cauliflower Mash is an easy, Keto-friendly alternative to mashed potatoes. With just 7 ingredients these buttery fluffy mashers are the perfect low-carb side dish.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds Cauliflower (3 heads)
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons salted butter (2 melted and 1 for garnish), (Use Ghee or clarified butter if following a paleo diet)
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse the cauliflower head and allow it to drain briefly. Remove leaves and the hard stem, then break or cut it into florets.
- Add a steamer insert to a large soup pot with 2 cups of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and steam until fork tender (13-15 for 1-2 heads, or 17 minutes if you are using 3 heads).
- Remove the cauliflower from the pot and let it cool enough to handle. Discard any of the steaming liquid that is left.
- Add the steamed cauliflower florets to a thin cotton kitchen towel and squeeze it 5 times to remove some of the liquid. This will make the texture more like real mashed potatoes.
- Add the cauliflower to a food processor then pulse puree until nice and smooth.
- Add melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, then blend until well combined. You may need to stop and scrape the sides and bottom of the food processor to make sure everything is well incorporated.
- Stir in the chopped chives and add a slice of butter on top.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 5 ouncesAmount Per Serving Calories 72Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 11mgSodium 388mgCarbohydrates 6gNet Carbohydrates 3gFiber 3gSugar 3gProtein 3g
This nutrition card uses an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. This estimate is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice!
More Low Carb Side Dish Recipes…
- Low Carb Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
- Low Carb Roasted Cauliflower
- Low Carb Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and Garlic
- Low Carb Buffalo Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Sauce
- Low Carb Cauliflower Mash (Keto)