Loaded Cauliflower Mash
Whether you make this Loaded Cauliflower Mash as part of a holiday or everyday meal, your family is sure to love all the goodness from the sour cream, nutty white cheddar cheese and crispy bacon!
If you like our Loaded Baked Potato Casserole Recipe, you’ll love this mashed cauliflower recipe, too.
My family loves mashed potatoes and it’s something we enjoy frequently at the dinner table. More and more I’m seeing delicious looking mashed cauliflower recipes as an alternative to mashed potatoes. I decided to give it a try!
My mashed cauliflower recipe has all the great flavor of classic mashed potatoes. It’s rich and delicious. You’ll be absolutely amazed when you taste it! Perhaps more importantly, when you set this vegetable side dish down in front of your family, they’ll be grinning from ear to ear. They won’t miss their traditional mashed potatoes one bit.
I like to have a few make-ahead dishes in my fridge or freezer whenever I can. Being able to pull out something quickly, even just one component of a meal makes life so much easier to manage. This mashed cauliflower recipe is an easy make-ahead meal also! (It’s also great if you’re following a keto diet.)
🧂 Ingredients
This delicious low-carb recipes is such a great way to eat cauliflower!
- bacon
- cauliflower
- butter
- sour cream
- heavy cream or half and half
- garlic powder
- sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and black pepper
- parsley and chives
This is meant to be a brief overview of the loaded cauliflower casserole recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
Make Ahead Option
Prepare the dish without the bacon up to 2 days prior and store in the refrigerator. Warm in the oven, then add in bacon just before serving.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
You can serve this delicious loaded cauliflower mash as a side dish with anything! It’s great as a substitution for mashed potatoes at a family holiday meal or just a regular meal! A great option from the blog is my pork tenderloin!
This recipe is one of our top Thanksgiving side dishes, but it’s also delicious with my Salisbury steak recipe! Find more Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes here.
📖 Variations
We recommend that you try our cauliflower mash casserole for the first time just as it is written for the best results, because that is how the recipe has been tested.
However, the next time you make it, you might consider one of these different ways of making this great recipe.
- For even more cheesy goodness, mix in 2 tablespoons of cream cheese and/or sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top with the bacon crumbles.
- Garnish with fresh green onions or chives.
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these tasty recipes:
- Cheddar Bacon Muffins – cheddar and bacon, is there anything better?
- Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes – perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish.
- Roasted Frozen Cauliflower – simple but delicious side!
- Frozen Zucchini Noodles – super easy and also low carb.
Still craving regular potatoes? Try these delicious Red Skin Mashed Potatoes recipe!
Loaded Cauliflower Mash
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 head cauliflower about 4 cups chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt & pepper to taste
- parsley or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower to a large pot and cover with water. Add a dash of salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pan. Mash the cauliflower until smooth.1 head cauliflower
- While you wait for the cauliflower, fry the bacon in a skillet until very crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to cool.3 slices bacon
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cauliflower mash with the butter, sour cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Then fold in the shredded white cheddar cheese by hand.3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half, 2 teaspoon granulated garlic, salt & pepper to taste, 1 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- Whip until blended. Stream in the heavy cream, to achieve desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Fold in 2/3 of the bacon and then transfer to a serving dish. Top with remaining bacon and parsley or chives. Serve hot.parsley or chives for garnish
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- collander
- Serving Bowl and Spoon
Nutrition
I love this idea, I bet it would be good with a little cheese on top, too!
Danielle
Cheddar would be amazing!
I LOVE Cauliflower! I can’t wait to try this recipe, I bet I can fake out my boyfriend!
Denise
I loved this recipe! Love cauliflower & bacon separately, so the combination was delish! Tastes just like mashed potatoes, but even better!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment, Esther! I’m thrilled you enjoyed these!