You won’t believe how easy it is to make Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower! This Whole30 and Keto friendly side dish comes together in a snap with whole cauliflower and almost no prep work at all, and it’s wonderful with chicken, beef, and so much more!
Why it Works
This easy Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower recipe is one of my go-to side dish on busy weeknights. Why? It’s super easy and just so darn good.
In this recipe, you add the whole cauliflower head to the Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) with just a few other simple ingredients, and voilà! Done in a jiffy.
Last, you use an immersion blender or potato masher to blend everything together, and you’ve got yourself a delicious and Whole30 or Keto friendly side dish.
Best of all, mashed cauliflower, like my Cabbage & Bacon recipe, goes with just about everything! I make it with my Keto friendly Mississippi Pot Roast and this Sweet Hawaiian Chicken recipe, but honestly, mashed cauliflower is way more versatile than you’d think. More on that later.
For now, I just hope you give this recipe a shot. It’s one of my most requested recipes from the loyal patrons at my restaurant (my kids and kitchen, respectively), and I hope you enjoy it too!
Ingredients & Equipment
- Cauliflower
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Butter if following Keto/Low Carb, or ghee if following Paleo/Whole30
- Salt & pepper
- Optional: 1-2 cloves garlic
- Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Immersion Blender or Potato Masher
Step by Step Instructions
Just wait until you see how simple the recipe steps are! I promise, once I walk you through this recipe, this is the only way you’ll make cauliflower mash from here on out.
- Prep the cauliflower. This is the only prep work you’re going to have to do, yay! Use a sharp knife to cut away the thickest part of the stem and the outer leaves. Wash it.
- Add the stock and set the cauliflower inside the Instant Pot. Season with salt and pepper and add the butter and garlic, if using.
- Secure the lid and turn to High Pressure for 7 minutes. Once it’s done, carefully turn the steam release valve to allow the steam to escape with a Quick Release.
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to blend well. To save a dish, you can do this right in the Instant Pot. If you like your cauliflower mash super smooth, transfer to a food processor and blend until it reaches a uniform consistency.
Note: Cauliflower won’t get gummy the way potatoes do with over blending, so feel free to blend away until it’s exactly as smooth as you like it!
What to serve with Mashed Cauliflower?
This is the question I get asked most often! You can easily make Loaded Mashed Cauliflower by topping the finished mash with 4 slices of chopped bacon, 2 tablespoon sour cream, 2 sliced scallions, and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
I also like to serve it with any type of hearty, cozy meat dish, especially Ranch Pot Roast. You can also use it in place of mashed potatoes topping on Shepherd’s Pie to keep it lower in carbs. It’s great with Osso Buco, Swedish Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs and Irish Lamb Stew, too!
Is Mashed Cauliflower Low Carb / Keto?
It sure is! Cauliflower is a great alternative to starchy potatoes when you’re following a low carb or ketogenic diet, because it’s much lower in carbohydrates and a good source of fiber. Cauliflower has about 1.5 net carbs per half cup. This recipe calls for combining cauliflower with a bit of chicken stock and butter, both of which are Keto friendly, too.
If you’re following a Whole30 or Paleo diet, simply omit the butter from this recipe and swap ghee, and this cauliflower mash is totally compatible!
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
- Instant Pot Vegetable Broth
- Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
- Pineapple Pork Chops
Like this recipe? I’d love to hear what you think!
Please drop a star rating below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower large stem removed
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoon butter for Keto, substitute ghee if following Paleo/Whole30
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic, optional
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the thickest part of the stem and peel off the outer leaves. Wash the cauliflower.
- Pour the stock and set the cauliflower inside the Instant Pot. Season with salt and pepper and add the butter and garlic, if using. Secure the lid and turn to High Pressure for 7 minutes.
- Carefully turn the steam release valve to allow for a Quick Release (manually release the steam).
- Use a potato masher or immersion blender to blend well. Alternately, you can transfer the cauliflower mash to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Note: Cauliflower won’t get gummy the way potatoes do with over blending, so feel free to blend away until it’s exactly as smooth as you like it!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
