Easy Low Carb Creamy Cauliflower Mash!

Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Mash Recipe »

This cauliflower mash or puree recipe has just THREE ingredients and is wonderfully silky smooth and great for low carb or keto eaters. If you want a delicious alternative to mashed potato give this creamy cauliflower mash a try! I'm also sharing a conventional stovetop method as well as a Thermomix method. This tastes just like the cauliflower puree in a restaurant!

About Cauliflower Mash

Everyone knows mashed potato but did you know that cauliflower makes the most wonderful creamy puree or mash? It's so much easier than mashed potato with no peeling at all!

Is mashed cauliflower as good as mashed potatoes? I would say it's lighter but no less delicious! I love how light it is and how cauliflower has a lot of nutrients too.

How do I make cauliflower mash? It is so easy! Unlike mashed potato that you cannot puree in the food processor as it will become gluey (unless blitzed for a very brief time!), cauliflower purees easily in a food processor or Thermomix cutting down on a lot of prep time!

How do you keep mashed cauliflower from being watery? We use just enough stock to cook the cauliflower through but not more!

I actually found this recipe online from a Thermomix blog but I can't find who it is from (please help, tell me if it is you!). I have been making it for almost a year and my notes aren't as complete as they are now. I make it with chicken stock but you can also replace it with milk or a milk alternative if you want to keep it vegetarian.

The ingredients for cauliflower puree could not be simpler:

• Cauliflower - the main ingredient. Remove the leaves and most of the stem and cut the cauliflower into small florets to make it easier to process until fine.
• Chicken stock or milk - I honestly like using both. Chicken stock adds a bit more flavour and milk adds creaminess. You can also try subbing with cream and chicken stock powder for a luxe version!
• Butter - butter makes everything taste better amirite? I've tried this with a butter sub and it's also good.
• Salt and black pepper - very important. Like potatoes, cauliflower really needs seasoning. If you use chicken stock powder, test the salt level before adding too much. Some stock powders are saltier than others.

Tips For Making Cauliflower Puree

1 - I tried making this entirely in the Thermomix (that blends as well as cooks) as well as making it in a food processor and saucepan and it works perfectly in both. It is easiest in the Thermomix though because you can do the whole thing in it.

2 - 800g/1.7lbs of cauliflower is the florets of roughly one largeish cauliflower. Make sure to weigh the florets by themselves.

3 - Chop the florets into small florets, one time I was feeling lazy and didn't chop them up into small florets and just made huge chunks and the Thermomix couldn't handle that.

4 - Make sure to pulverise these well. The smaller the pieces the easier and quicker they are to cook. You need to ensure that the cauliflower is very soft otherwise it will not blend up well into a smooth puree.

5 - I promise you don't need cheese or garlic or anything really added to this cauliflower mash. Give this version a try and let me know what you think! We had cauliflower puree in a restaurant and Mr NQN said that it tasted just like this one.

5 - Serve this with: slow cooker lamb shanks. This is also gorgeous with beef bourguignonne or keep it keto with these pan fried chicken breasts that are guaranteed juicy - pinky swear!

Creamy Cauliflower Mash Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4-6 as a side

Ingredients Needed

• 800g/1.7lbs cauliflower florets
• 175ml/6flozs chicken stock or milk (200ml/7flozs if making on stovetop)
• 60g/2ozs butter
• Salt and pepper to season

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Place the cauliflower florets in a food processor and blitz until in small pieces. Place in a saucepan with the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and keep the lid on. Cook for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is very soft (it will look like couscous).

Step 2 - Place the cauliflower, any liquid left and butter in a food processor and blend until silky smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Thermomix Directions: place the small cauliflower florets and chicken stock in the TM bowl and set to 15 seconds, speed #5. Scrape down the sides and set to 20 minutes/ Varoma/ speed #1. Add butter and set to blend for 30 seconds, speed #8. Season with salt and pepper.

Personal Note

Monica always told me that she was worried about the way her house smells. I think it was because she has cats and the litter box was always a concern although her house never smelled. I never worried much about the smell of our house, in fact I never really thought about it. One weekend we had Queen Viv and Miss America over one day for an Autumnal lunch. I cooked this cauliflower puree that went with these lamb shanks. While I love mashed potatoes, this is lighter and quite frankly easier especially if you're making a lot of dishes.

When they left we waved goodbye to them outside at the front of the house and then we went back in. And then it hit me. The smell. Cruciferous vegetables when cooked have are, how shall I say...malodourous. Basically it smelled like damp flatulence. I know all about the smell of cabbage but this absolutely extends to cauliflower too. So I'm here to warn you that you want to open up your windows if you have guests over because cauliflower and cabbage release sulfur compounds when they are cooked. I'm thinking I should have been a bit more worried about the smell of the house because this smell would have hit Miss America and Queen Viv as soon as they walked in!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you ever worry about the smell of your house?