Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese

This Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese is a great holiday side dish which is keto-approved, and has a dairy-free option. It’s a rich, creamy mash that tastes as good as mashed potatoes.

Table of contents

+ View More- View Less

Like many of my cauliflower recipes, this cauliflower mash with cream cheese and Parmesan is the best creamy side dish for baked pork chops or cast iron chicken. Like my keto cauliflower casserole, cauliflower hummus, or cauliflower waffles, this mash adds veggies to your plates without compromising on taste.

I have been using cauliflower as a hack to replace potatoes for ages, and after years, I learned how to make cauliflower taste like potatoes. If you remember my cauliflower potato salad, there are no potatoes in the recipe, but I can guarantee that everyone agrees that it tastes like potato salad.

Steaming cauliflower removes all its sulfur flavors. You end up with a bland vegetable that only brings a creamy, smooth texture to the cauliflower mash but no cauliflower aftertaste. If you decide to go for a roasted cauliflower version, the mash will definitely not taste like potato mash.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that you have steamed the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket or microwave, it’s time to add creaminess to the mash using the ingredients below.

• Roasted Garlic – Roasting a whole head of garlic is the secret number one to make creamy smooth cauliflower mash and add amazing flavors. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut off the top part of the garlic head so you can see the bulb. Next, wrap the bottom of the garlic bulb with foil, place the bulb in an oven-safe ramekin or baking sheet, and drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil onto the top. Place the garlic on the center rack of the oven and bake it until the bulbs are soft and fork-tender. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool down enough to be able to touch and press by hand.
• Butter or ghee is the second ingredients that make the best mashed cauliflower recipe, ultra silky, velvety, smooth and of course, dairy-free butter, or olive oil works too for a dairy-free cauliflower mash option.
• Cream Cheese – The ultimate ingredient, better than sour cream, that turns the mashed cauliflower recipe into a dreamy side dish packed with buttery flavors.
• Milk – The higher in fat, the creamiest mashed cauliflower you will get. That’s why heavy cream is the best option, but for a less rich mash or for a dairy-free option, use unsweetened almond milk.
• Parmesan Cheese – The addition of Parmesan adds flavors but also links the ingredients together into an ultra-creamy mash.

How to Make Mashed Cauliflower

You can make cauliflower mash in a food processor or immersion blender. I’ve tested both methods and my favorite is by far the food processor version. It’s easier and faster.

1. Place the cooked, steamed cauliflower florets into the bowl of a food processor.
2. Fold in the butter, cream cheese, one tablespoon of milk.
3. Add roasted garlic puree, salt, and pepper.
4. Process on the high-speed setting until it turns into a smooth mash. Add more milk gradually if needed to make ultra-smooth cauliflower mash.
5. To make cauliflower mash with an immersion blender, simply return the steamed cauliflower florets to the saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients: roasted garlic, butter, cream cheese, and milk, and season with salt and pepper.
6. Press the immersion blender onto the soft cauliflower florets to pulse them into a mash, adding more milk if the mash is grainy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this mashed cauliflower recipe warm, as a side dish, or to replace mashed potatoes in recipes like Shepherd pies. Season with extra salt and black pepper. If served as a side dish, top the cauliflower mash with some of the below:

• Fresh butter
• Chopped parsley or dill
• Chili flakes
• Drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil
• Sea salt flakes

Serve the mash warm as a healthy side dish to meat like a good piece of beef cooked to perfection or along other side dishes like:

• Green Bean Casserole
• Cauliflower Casserole
• Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Smoked Mac And Cheese Casserole
• Oven-Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Air-Fryer Green Beans

Best meat for cauliflower mash:

• 4-Ingredient Oven Baked Pork Chops
• Blackened Chicken
• Cast-Iron Chicken Breast

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are my answers to your most frequent questions about this mashed cauliflower recipe.

More Cauliflower Recipes

Here’s more cauliflower recipes for you to try: