These Keto Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are made with cauliflower, garlic, and vegan butter for a delicious vegan, gluten-free, and low-carb side dish at your next holiday meal. Made in under 20 minutes!
Let’s get one thing straight.
While I’m calling this recipe Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, there are absolutely no potatoes in this recipe. These cauliflower mashed potatoes are, in fact, just mashed cauliflower – a healthier, low-carb alternative to everyone’s favorite holiday side dish.
This mashed cauliflower recipe is unbelievably rich, creamy, and over-the-top decadent while still being perfect for your keto Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a recipe the whole family can and will absolutely love.
Best of all? This cauliflower side dish can be made in under 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
Why wouldn’t you make it this holiday season?
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
This easy Thanksgiving side dish only requires a handful of ingredients that you likely already have on hand. If not, you can easily pick them up at your local grocery store.
Here. is everything you need.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower – This is the main ingredient in this recipe so make sure you use fresh cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower won’t give you the right taste or texture.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves. I do not recommend substituting with garlic powder.
- Vegetable Broth – Feel free to use your favorite storebought option or you can make your own veggie broth at home.
- Vegan Butter- Look for a high-quality non-hydrogenated vegan butter. I recommend either Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
- Non-Dairy Milk – Any unsweetened neutral flavored milk such as soy, cashew, or macadamia nut milk will work.
Recommended Equipment
You will need a good chef’s knife, a large pot, a food processor or blender, cutting board, and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step one – Chop and Cook the Cauliflower
Chop the cauliflower into small, even-sized florets.
In a large pot, bring 4 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add the chopped cauliflower and whole garlic cloves and boil for 15 minutes, until the florets are easily pierced with a fork.
Strain the cooked cauliflower and garlic through a fine mesh strainer.
Step Two – Blend the Cauliflower
Transfer the cauliflower and garlic to a blender or food processor along with your remaining ingredients. Blend for 1-2 minutes until you have the consistency of mashed potatoes.
Pro Tip: Depending on the size of the cauliflower, you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk while you process. Add just about 1-2 teaspoons at a time until you get the right consistency.
Serve immediately with vegan butter, fresh chives, salt, and pepper.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Serve warm with freshly ground pepper, butter, fresh chives, and some vegan parmesan.
Storing – This recipe is best fresh. I don’t recommend making more than you intend to serve. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Tips and Tricks
- If you would prefer a thicker consistency (plus less mess!), you can use a potato masher or immersion blender.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as you please. This recipe is merely guidelines as the seasonings will depend on the size of your cauliflower.
- I recommend Violife Parmesan for this recipe. I add about 1/4 cup of this parmesan to the cauliflower mash as well as on top it. It is creamy, melty, and tastes exactly how I remember parmesan to taste. If you don’t have access to Violife, you can make your own parmesan or omit it altogether.
- Consider adding this to your holiday meal. Serve it with mushroom gravy.
Cauliflower vs. Potatoes
This keto cauliflower mash is rich, creamy, delicious, and taste very similar to mashed potatoes. Potatoes and cauliflower are not that different in texture, neither have much taste, and both absorb the flavors around it.
But when it comes to the two, cauliflower is the much healthier option.
- Cauliflower is the low carb option. Potatoes have a glycemic index of over 75 making it a high-glycemic food. Cauliflower, on the other hand, ranks between 0-15 on the glycemic index. This is important to keep in mind for people with diabetes or are pre-diabetic. And I recommend all vegans consider low glycemic options as our diet typically tends to be high in carbs.
- 1 cup of potatoes is 115 calories compared to the 27 calories for cauliflower.
- Cauliflower is rich in antioxidants, important vitamins and minerals, and many nutrients.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE mashed potatoes. But as I get older, I do need to consider healthier alternatives and for that reason, I am grateful for this alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Potatoes have a glycemic index of over 75 making them a high-glycemic food. Cauliflower, on the other hand, ranks between 0-15 on the glycemic index. This is important to keep in mind for people with diabetes or who are pre-diabetic.
Cauliflower is also a low-calorie option. 1 cup of potatoes is 115 calories compared to the 27 calories for cauliflower.
It really depends on how many people you are feeding. One head of cauliflower is between 4-6 cups of florets. Aim for a medium-sized cauliflower and taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.
For sure! Place the trivet on the bottom of your instant pot. Add cauliflower, garlic, and vegetable broth to the Instant Pot. Close the lid and seal. Using the manual setting, set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Once ready, do a quick pressure release according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
More Vegan Holiday Recipes
- Lentil Mushroom Loaf
- Apple Hazelnut Stuffing
- Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Mushroom Gravy
- Sweet Potato Casserole
Check out all my vegan holiday recipes for more inspiration
Instant Pot Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan, optional
- 2 tbsp non-dairy butter, I recommend Earth Balance
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 tbsp unsweetened soy milk, if needed
- pepper
- 2 small chives, chopped
Instructions
- Chop the cauliflower into small, even-sized florets. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Add the chopped cauliflower and whole garlic cloves and boil for 15 minutes, until the florets are easily pierced with a fork.
- Serve immediately with freshly cracked pepper, chives, and melted butter.
Notes
- If you would prefer a thicker consistency (plus less mess!), you can use a potato masher or immersion blender.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as you please. This recipe is merely guidelines as the seasonings will depend on the size of your cauliflower.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Patricia A. Essex says
Hello Sarah, I have been vegan for over 50 years now but also have the added difficulty of now being pre-diabetic ! Trying to combine both dietary requirements is not easy as most ‘Keto’ foods contain egg. Bread is particularly difficult.
I use Kohlrabi in place of potatoes in most dishes, roast, boiled or chipped, and they are delicious, if expensive, but they are not good as a mash. I tried this recipe yesterday and Oh Boy, what a treat!! I am going to try it next as a topping for a vegan Cottage / Shepherd’s pie !
Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas, I have tried many of your recipes and am so grateful for the helpful insight.
Melanie says
Earth Balance has palm oil. Miyoko’s would be better.
Oldmanken says
Easy and healthy.
Melanie says
Will this keep in the fridge for a few days?
Sarah says
It will but it will be at it’s best when it’s freshly made. So I wouldn’t recommend making it in advance for an event.