This keto mashed cauliflower is a rich, creamy, delightfully delicious, low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes. It is made with roasted cauliflower and sour cream and it's not watery at all!
If you’re on a low carb or keto diet and you miss mashed potatoes, this delicious mashed cauliflower recipe will surely scratch that itch.
This recipe is made by roasting the cauliflower first before blending which greatly enhances the texture of the mash. Roasting helps preserve the natural flavors of cauliflower and brings out its nutty, buttery flavor.
The final texture is close to that of mashed potatoes and it keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days while retaining its firm consistency.
Ingredients used
- Cauliflower: It’s best to use fresh cauliflower than frozen because frozen turns a bit too soft after it is thawed.
- Unsalted butter: I prefer to use unsalted because that way I can control the level of saltiness in the dish.
- Sour cream: I love to use sour cream because it adds enough moisture to the cauliflower mash without thinning it. It also adds a tangy taste and improves the texture of the overall dish. The result is a rich, buttery texture that absolutely melts in your mouth!
- Spices: salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Olive oil / Olive oil spray: this helps improve the texture of the mashed cauliflower.
How to make Keto Mashed Potatoes
- Start by preheating your oven to 450 F. Wash and pat dry the cauliflower. You want to get rid of some of the water on the outside but you only have to pat dry just a bit because it will be completely dried in the oven.
- Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets and spread it out on a baking tray lined with foil paper. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and add a dash of salt and cayenne pepper.
- If you have an olive oil spray, it’s easier to use this, if not a drizzle of olive oil will do. You also don’t have to add a lot of salt and pepper here, you only need a bit to bring out the flavor while roasting. You will have a chance to add some more when blending the cauliflower.
- Mix it all together until the cauliflower is well coated. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or till the cauliflower is slightly crispy.
- For the next step, you can use a regular blender, food processor, or hand immersion blender. I prefer to use a regular high-powered blender as I want the cauliflower to be completely pureed and not leave any lumps behind.
- Put the cauliflower in a blender and add the butter, olive oil, and half of the sour cream.
- I only put in half of the sour cream first because I want to be able to fully control how I would like the texture to be. You might only need half and be happy with the texture the way it is, or you might need more.
- Blend till completely pureed and check the consistency if it’s to your liking. Add more sour cream if you desire and blend again. Transfer to a bowl, add the salt and pepper and mix together.
- You can garnish with parsley, chives, parmesan, or more butter. The cauliflower mash with sour cream is ready to serve!
This side dish is very flavor-rich because the cauliflower was roasted beforehand. You’ll find that you don’t need a lot to eat it with as it already tastes great!
This is by far my favorite way to make it because you always have some wriggle room to add more butter or sour cream without worrying that it will get too soft. And you can add enough gravy on it to actually feel like you’re eating the real thing!
What can I eat this recipe with?
This makes a perfect side dish for dinner, potluck, or your holiday table. It goes great with meat and steak dishes. Here are some delicious ideas:
Crispy Skin Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Keto Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Tips and substitutions
- The cayenne pepper added is just a dash so it gives a very mild heat to the dish. You can replace it with smoked paprika, or black pepper or omit it entirely. It’s up to you.
- If the butter is at room temperature, you don’t have to melt it as it will break apart in the blender but if it’s rock-solid, you should melt it a bit first.
- Always start with half of the sour cream and slowly add a little bit till you have reached your desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can but there are some key differences. It will taste different because cream cheese does not have the tanginess of sour cream. Also because the cauliflower is roasted and devoid of moisture, sour cream is perfect because it introduces some moisture back to the mash.
If you use cream cheese, it will be really, really thick. You might need to add a little water or a splash of almond milk to slightly increase the moisture content.
You absolutely can, with one caveat. You have to freeze it before adding the sour cream because milk does not thaw well. Divide the cauliflower into portions, place it in a freezer bag and freeze.
To use after freezing, thaw overnight in the fridge, add the sour cream, and blend. If you're in a hurry, just use an immersion blender to quickly whisk the sour cream and spices together and you're good to go.
Try these other delicious low carb side dishes!
Sauteed Green Beans and Mushrooms
Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Instant Pot Steamed Vegetables
Cauliflower Rice & Sausage Stuffing
Keto Cauliflower 'Potato' Salad
Looking for holiday desserts? Check out this list of scrumptious low-carb desserts you can make this holiday or well, any day you like! Also, check out our holiday gift guide for your keto pals that they will truly love!
Keto Mashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower large
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Spices for roasting cauliflower
- 1 olive oil spray or 1 tbsp of olive oil
- dash of salt
- dash of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Wash and pat dry the cauliflower.
- Cut into medium-sized florets and spread out on a baking tray.
- Spray olive oil and add a dash of salt and cayenne pepper.
- Mix together until the cauliflower is well coated.
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until cauliflower is slightly crispy.
- Pour into a high powered blender.
- Add the butter and half of the sour cream and blend on high till pureed.
- Check the consistency if it’s to your liking, if not add some more sour cream.
- Transfer to a bowl, add salt and black pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Serve and enjoy with fresh parsley, chives or more butter!
Notes
- The cayenne pepper added is just a dash so it gives a very mild heat to the dish. You can replace it with paprika, black pepper or omit it entirely.
- If the butter is at room temperature, you don’t have to melt it as it will break apart in the blender but if it’s rock-solid, you should melt it a bit first.
- Always start with half of the sour cream and slowly add a little bit till you have reached your desired consistency.
What is the serving size?
Hi Kim, I usually just split it into 4 equal servings, and each is roughly 3/4 cup.
The family has requested lighter alternatives to the regular side dishes and this right here is going to be a hit!
Hope they enjoy it Andrea!
What a great side dish with dinner and obviously perfect for Thanksgiving! Looking forward to this dish, indeed!
Thanks Sara. It really is a treat!
I love cauliflower mash and the addition of sour cream sounds amazing.
I totally agree. The sour cream adds just the right amount of tanginess to it!
Love that you can freeze this!
I JUST made regular mashed potatoes yesterday, but I am kind of regretting not seeing this earlier! It looks so good!!
Thanks Cathleen. There's always next time, right? 🙂
I love this so much. It's easy and tastes so much like mashed potatoes. Even my picky family likes it.
So glad to hear that, Krissy!