Keto cauliflower mashed potatoes is a tasty side dish without the carbs! It’s easy to make, and it goes perfectly with these turkey meatballs, steak, or a side of veggies!
Cauliflower – Versatile Keto Side Dish
The first time I tasted cauliflower rice, I was hooked! Although when I heard that you can also make mashed potatoes using cauliflower, I was admittedly skeptical. I bought a frozen version at first and I regret it. It was soupy just like I feared it would be, but I didn’t give up! I knew that a homemade recipe would taste better, and boy was I right.
Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
This is by far my favorite keto side dish! And in regards to taste, you can’t even tell it’s made with cauliflower. The texture is a tad different from mashed potatoes, but I enjoy it. This is one of the creamiest versions I have ever tried, too.
How To Make Keto Mashed Potatoes
The delicious alternative to the classic mashed potatoes is only made with five ingredients:
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Milk (or cream)
- Butter
- Pesto
Make sure to check your ingredients to ensure they are ketogenic. This means you should avoid anything with emulsifiers or hidden sugars. try to use whole ingredients when you can.
The Best Keto Pesto
Save yourself time and buy it from the store. Just make sure you buy pesto that is sugar-free and without any hidden carbs. Most jarred pesto is pretty safe.
If you want to make your own pesto, I suggest my jalapeño pesto recipe. That will give your mashed cauliflower a nice little kick!
What is pesto? Pesto is basically ground basil with pine nuts, garlic, oil, and parmesan cheese.
The pesto is what makes the cauliflower taste like mashed potatoes. It makes it flavorful and so creamy.
More keto recipes you’ll love:
Asparagus Almondine
Pico De Gallo Stuffed Chicken
Asparagus Soup (tastes amazing with cauliflower mashed potatoes)
Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Tips
The entire recipe is at the bottom of this post. First, I have some tips that I think will really help you out!
Chop Up Cauliflower And Cook It
The very first step – just like with potatoes – is to cook the cauliflower. Since we are going to mashing it up, you don’t have to cut up the cauliflower into really tiny pieces. Even so, smaller pieces will cook faster, so cut them up as small as you want.
It usually takes about 15 minutes for the cauliflower to tenderize.
Use A Food Processor To Mash The Cauliflower
Add Milk To Make Mashed Cauliflower Creamier
Can You Freeze Mashed Cauliflower
If you have leftover mashed cauliflower, store it in your refrigerator. It will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I do not recommend freezing mashed cauliflower. You can freeze it, but it will change the texture and it doesn’t reheat the same after it has been frozen.
Cauliflower mashed potatoes taste amazing the next day too! Making extra batches is an easy way to have a keto side dish ready for lunch, dinner, or for meal prepping!
Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped
- 1/4 cup milk or cream
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup pesto check ingredients to ensure ketogenic (no emulsifiers, etc)
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water in a stockpot over high heat.Chop up the cauliflower florets and place in the water once boiling, then reduce to medium heat.Cook the cauliflower for 15 minutes, until tender.Drain cauliflower in a colander, discarding the cooking water, and place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor.Puree until as smooth as possible. You can add a touch of milk at this point to help make it creamier.Return the mixture to the clean stockpot over medium-low heat and add milk, butter and pesto until you reach your desired taste and texture.
