Keto Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese
This Keto Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese and Asiago is the best mashed potato sub ever. Mashed Cauliflower is excellent to serve for weeknight dinners, holiday gatherings, and any other occasion that comes up. With roasted garlic to cover the cauliflower taste and plenty of cream cheese to make it creamy, this recipe won’t disappoint.
This keto diet mashed cauliflower is a definite on my Thanksgiving table every year, along with this amazing Smoked Turkey. It is the perfect side dish in place of a traditional mashed potatoes recipe.
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Before You Get Started
Here are a few tips to help your keto mashed cauliflower turn out perfectly:
- Make sure the cauliflower is cooked until soft – You are less likely to have chunks when mashing tender cauliflower.
- Drain the cauliflower well – For thick mashed cauli make sure you use dried cauliflower.
- You can make this ahead – Prep a day or two ahead and bake when you want to serve.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower – I cheat a bit on this step and use steamable bags of frozen cauliflower florets. Just toss them in the microwave and they are ready in minutes. Just drain any excess water. If you want to use fresh cauliflower florets simply steam in a steamer basket until they are fork-tender.
- Garlic – Roasted fresh garlic cloves have an amazing sweet mild flavor that shines when used in low-carb cauliflower mash.
- Butter – You can use salted butter or unsalted butter since you will be seasoning this to taste anyway.
- Cream Cheese – Cream cheese helps keep the cauli-mash thick and creamy.
- Asiago Cheese – Asiago has a nice salty flavor but feel free to sub in another firm cheese such as shredded parmesan.
- Heavy Cream – This is optional. Use some for a thinner mash or omit it for the thickest mash.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can season to taste with both the salt and pepper.
See quantities in the recipe card.
How to Make Keto Mashed Cauliflower
1️⃣ Cook the Cauliflower and Garlic
Steam the cauliflower and roast the garlic. Make sure to drain the cauliflower well. If it is very wet dry with a paper towel.
👉 Can I Roast My Cauliflower Instead of Steaming It
Yes, you are welcome to use roasted cauliflower if you prefer the flavors to roasted. Steaming or microwaving will give you the softest texture, which leads to a creamier texture. But roasting your cauliflower will give your mashed cauliflower more depth in flavor.
👉 How Do You Roast Garlic in the Oven?
To roast your garlic, you will place your garlic slice head down so that the cloves are exposed. Then drizzle over olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap your garlic in aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. You want to have the garlic soft enough that if you squeeze the bulbs come out easily.
You can make your garlic ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Then warm in the microwave when ready to use it.
2️⃣ Puree the Filling
Puree the cauliflower with the seasonings in a food processor. This is a large batch recipe so this needs to be done in two batches.
👉 What if I don’t have a food processor?
If all you have is an immersion blender or a potato masher, you can use those, but it will be chunky. With a regular blender, you need to blend in small batches and scrape the sides often. This recipe works best in a food processor.
3️⃣ Assembly
Layer the cauliflower puree with the cheese.
4️⃣ Bake
Pop the creamy mashed cauliflower recipe into the oven and bake until hot, bubbly, and golden.
Storage
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze any leftovers you might have. Place them in a freezer-friendly container and then store them in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge the night before you want to serve it.
Then warm in the microwave or heat in the oven. If you heat it up in the oven, wrap it in aluminum foil, and heat it until it is cooked through.
Variations
- Green Onions – Finely slice and mix in before layering.
- Diced Bacon or Pancetta – Add real bacon bits along with the shredded cheese.
- Fresh Herbs – Mix chopped chives, rosemary, thyme, or even basil right into the puree.
- Rosemary or Parsley – Finely chop and mix into the pureed cauliflower.
- Parmesan Cheese – Add along with the shredded cheese.
- Cheese – Swap cheddar cheese in for the asiago. Or try using smoked gouda.
- Sour Cream – Stir in a spoonful or two of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) for a pleasant tang.
- Dairy Free – Try my dairy-free Keto Cauliflower Mash.
If you are looking for more great side dishes, try my Keto Green Bean Casserole and Baked Feta Spaghetti Squash.
Common Questions
Can I Make Mashed Cauliflower Ahead Of Time
Absolutely! I had made this the day ahead of when I wanted it, and then just reheated in the microwave, or cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven! Just heat until it is warmed all the way through, and then serve.
It keeps the flavor from day one, so you don’t feel it lacks in flavor at all. Keto Mashed Cauliflower reheats very well.
How To Make A Thick and Creamy Cauliflower Mash
I have been making this cauliflower mash for a while now, and I have learned that if you use more florets instead of stems, you will get a creamier texture. I also only use cream cheese and butter and do not add any type of milk or cream.
What To Serve With Mashed Cauliflower
We eat this most often with hearty proteins such as my Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin, Keto Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops, or Ground Turkey Meatloaf.
It is also great under a saucy entree like Keto Mississippi Pot Roast or Keto Chicken and Broccoli Skillet.
Video
Keto Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 oz of frozen cauliflower microwaved or steamed until warm
- 1 head of roasted garlic ***
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream OPTIONAL
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded asiago cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 2 qt baking dish or extra deep pie plate.
- Put half of each of the first six ingredients in a food processor (the entire amount will not fit in a standard food processor). Process until smooth.
- Spoon into the baking dish. Top with half the asiago cheese. Repeat.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden, bubbly, and hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally published November 22, 2016. Revised and republished October 29, 2025.
I was reading the nutritional label, which I appreciate you posting, but I did not see the serving size. Can you please let me know how big the serving size is? Thank you. Can’t wait to try this for Easter.
The serving size is 1/16th of the recipe which comes out to about 1/2 a cup.
My kids hate potatoes so I was on the search to find something to use as a side dish instead. I knew they liked cauliflower so decided to give this a go. THEY LOVED IT, even my fussy eldest tried it and asked for a second helping.
Ok, I admit I was skeptical… but, my husband and I are trying to eat healthier and lose some weight. SO, I have taken to scouring Pinterest for delicious recipes that we can add to our arsenal. I ran this by my husband and we both decided that we could try it. That the only way to know if we hated it was to try. OH MY WORD!
I was pleasantly surprised. This was so delicious that I want it every night. LOL!
I bet the kiddos would eat this and never know it’s healthy! You’ve put lots of love and flavor in this recipe!
The cauliflower mash recipe was fantastic! My entire family loved it!
I made this and it was delicious!!! However I have so much leftover, can you freeze this??? I wasn’t sure what would happen to the texture or flavor quality?
You can freeze it. I’ve frozen mashed cauliflower before successfully. Not this exact recipe but it should work.
What size baking dish did you use? I’m trying to gauge how many servings this will be.
A deep dish pie plate. A 9×13 baking dish would probably work better.
What size dish do you cook this in?
I used a deep dish pie plate. Any medium large sized baking dish will work.
Thank you, making this for a family dinner of about 15 people, might double and use a 9×13. But in the future for just me and my husband will use the pie dish. Thank you for sharing, can’t wait to try this tonight.
Hi Taryn,
I’m sorry if I sound ignorant, but I can’t find your “adaptations in the post text.” I’m not an experimenting type of cook. After over 30 years of cooking, I still follow a recipe. I wish I didn’t need to, but if I don’t, our food wouldn’t be edible:). Could you lead me to how you made this recipe? I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks so much for everything you share.
Congratulations, Taryn! That is so exciting! This dish looks like a perfect Thanksgiving side!
Congrats on your guest post! How fun! I love that you picked this recipe to re-do because it has all of those yummy flavors I crave in the fall.
Congratulations on BHG, This looks wonderful!
Congratulations on your first guest post! Great choice of recipe to adapt, checking it out now!
This looks SO good! Heading over there now to check it out!
My son love to eat mashed potatoes but is to much carbs. In it so i see that is other obtions, like colifower mash. But all so reading the instructions to how make it i see that has a lot saturad fat can i use other options to make it ?
You could use less cheese if you want to cut back on the fat content.
I went over to the site for your recipe, but no actual recipe is printed out. Could you please furnish that?
Thank you
Hi Patricia, you have to click the link on the Delish Dish blog to get the original recipe on the BHG site. And then my adaptations are written out in the post. My suggestion would be to print the original and then just jot down my substitutions.