A Healthier Alternative to Mashed Potatoes
We eat a lot of veggies in our house and I pretty much love all of them. Our favorites are spaghetti squash and of course broccoli & cauliflower! Broccoli & cauliflower are amazing as a side dish casserole, in soups or roasted, in fact I can’t think of a single way I don’t love cauliflower. This recipe is definitely one of my favorites! While they’re clearly not potatoes, there’s a reason people often refer to them as fauxtatoes! These “mashed cauliflower potatoes” can easily take place of mashed potatoes to serve with almost any dish! I love them with gravy or even just on their own. The texture is similar to a mashed potato but much less starchy and they do have a very mild cauliflower flavor (obviously). They’re naturally low carb and they’re rich and creamy.
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
We love to cook cauliflower like mashed potatoes! To make sure your mashed cauliflower turns out perfectly, you’ll want to remove as much water as possible before mashing them. I cook and drain the cauliflower, slightly cool and then put it in a small mesh strainer in small batches. I press the cauliflower in the mesh strainer removing as much water as I can. Another option (if you don’t have a small mesh strainer) is to squeeze it with paper towels, again removing moisture. I don’t add cream or milk to this recipe, cauliflower has less starch than potatoes so removing liquid (instead of adding it) gives a better texture. I puree the cauliflower either in my food processor or with a hand blender until smooth. If you prefer a less smooth mash, you can certainly use a potato masher.
Mashed Cauliflower Toppings & Mix-ins
Depending on what I am serving this with, I sometimes add in a handful of cheddar cheese or parmesan. This recipe is very versatile, so feel free to mix in your favorite add-ins… bacon bits, cheese, green onions! You can even add in a potato if you’d like a slightly starchier texture.
Carbs and Calories
According to MyFitnessPal, a large head of cauliflower has only 146 calories (for the whole thing) 29g carbs, and 12g fiber (only 17 net carbs for a whole head). Not bad right? For this recipe, 1 head makes 4 servings (about 3/4 cup each). Even after the bit of cream cheese/sour cream this dish is much lower in carbs/calories than a plate of regular mashed potatoes and a super tasty side!
More Healthy Veggie Recipes
Zucchini Noodles – Super quick! Weight Loss Vegetable Soup Stir Fry Veggies Easy Kale Salad– with Fresh Lemon Dressing Baked Spaghetti Squash Mashed Turnips and Parsnips Mashed Rutabaga Black Bean Quinoa Salad – Make ahead!
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