Comfort food without all the carbs — these keto cauliflower mashed potatoes are an easy low carb swap for a classic side dish. Only 4 simple ingredients! They’re rich, creamy, and flavorful and take just minutes to make!
Are Mashed Potatoes Keto?
Mashed potatoes are a staple for holiday dinners, and they are one of the most beloved comfort food side dishes out there.
Potatoes have gotten kind of a bad rap as being unhealthy, but actually, they provide many beneficial nutrients. Potatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C, the skins have a lot of fiber, and they have around 5g of protein each.
However, potatoes are also starchy, and compared to many other vegetables are much higher in carbs. That’s why they’re usually a no-no on the keto diet.
For example, I have a slow cooker mashed potato recipe on my original website. They’re delicious, pretty nutritious, and have 15 grams of carbs per serving. While this might be ok if you’ve hit your goal weight and are treating yourself, it’s not something that will fit into a strict keto diet.
That’s why I wanted to make a tasty low carb mashed potato alternative!
Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Now, I’ll be completely honest and say I’m not always a huge cauliflower fan. However, if prepared right, cauliflower makes an amazing low-carb potato substitute!
We first experimented with “cauliflower potatoes” in this Instant Pot Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe. Then we decided to try our luck with cauliflower mashed potatoes and they were even better than I expected!
The addition of pesto makes this recipe so flavorful, you won’t even miss the “real” thing! We even made them dairy free!
Perfect Pairing: You’ll love these cauliflower mashed potatoes with our Keto Mississippi Pot Roast!
Why I Love This Recipe:
- A side dish that compliments just about anything
- Only 4 ingredients!
- Ready in less than 30 minutes
Keto Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
For your convenience in re-creating our Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes recipe at home, we’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products and supplies used. Read our disclosure policy here.
- Cauliflower — You can start with fresh or frozen.
- Almond milk — Make sure that it is unsweetened, in order to be keto-friendly
- Butter — You can use either salted or unsalted, though using salted butter gives it a little extra boost of flavor.
- Pesto — Make sure to look for pesto without added carbs or make your own.
Kitchen Tools Used
KETO FAQ – Learn More
- What is Keto?
- How many carbs can you eat on keto?
- Keto-friendly Food List
- What is the Keto flu and how to avoid it?
- What is a Targeted Keto Diet?
- 8 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight on Keto
How to Make Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Keep reading for photo step-by-step instructions and cooking tips. A full printable recipe follows.
First, you’ll want to chop your cauliflower into florets that are easier to cook and process. Boil a pan of water, then reduce to medium heat and cook the florets for 10-15 minutes to soften.
Drain cauliflower, then pulse in food processor until you have fine grains, even smaller than rice.
TIP: Our Hamilton Beach “Big Mouth” food processor is a workhorse – it’s lasted us for years!
Add cauliflower to a large mixing bowl with milk, butter, and pesto and stir until well combined. You can tinker with the ingredient amounts a little to get just the right taste and texture for your own taste buds.
Be sure to add your pesto, almond milk, and butter slowly. Taste-test as you go until you’ve got just the right amount of flavor – you might like more or less pesto than we do.
TIP: When shopping for pesto, be sure to check the label to make sure that the brand you pick is keto-friendly (no emulsifiers, etc).
Related: See more of our favorite Keto side dishes here and here to see our favorite keto cauliflower recipes!
Can I use regular milk instead of almond milk?
Of course! You’re welcome to use any milk that you like, just keep in mind that this may affect the nutrition content of your final dish, compared to our numbers in the recipe card below.
Regular dairy milk contains a fair amount of sugar, so unsweetened almond milk is a more keto-friendly alternative. It’s also perfect for those of you (like me) that need to avoid lactose.
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Sure! Instead of fresh cauliflower, you could start with frozen florets or cauliflower rice.
Simply cook according to package directions and then pulse in your food processor until as smooth as possible. Then continue with this recipe as written.
Do I have to use pesto?
Pesto is a strong flavor and I love that it helps jazz up the cauliflower. However, if you’re not a fan, you can omit the pesto and enjoy these simple cauliflower mashed potatoes as is.
You could also dress up this dish by adding a sprinkle of black pepper, or even a bit of shredded cheese! So many possibilities, as this is a very adaptable recipe.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Printable Copy)
If you like this recipe, rate it! We’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup pesto check ingredients to ensure it is keto-compliant (no emulsifiers
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- 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 using a colander, discarding the cooking water, and place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor.
- Puree until cauliflower is 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Pin our Low Carb Mashed Potatoes on Pinterest:
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