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4.4 from 15 votes

Mashed Cauliflower with Butter and Herbs

This low-carb mashed cauliflower with butter and herbs recipe will be your new favorite side dish all year round!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 144 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower cut into florets (see notes)
  • 2 cups chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth, or, in a pinch, water
  • kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half, or whole milk
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs I used parsley and dill

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the cauliflower and chicken broth (2 cups) to a large pot, along with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 20 minutes, or until cauliflower pieces, including any stems, are very tender when you stick a fork in them.
  2. Drain the cauliflower and add it back to the pot.
  3. Use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower to desired consistency. If you want it to be VERY smooth, use a food processor or blender to pulverize it.
  4. Add the butter (2 tablespoons), heavy cream (1/4 cup), and fresh herbs to the mashed cauliflower. Continue to mash (or blend) until all ingredients are combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve garnished with more herbs and/or butter, if desired.

Notes

  • Time Saving Tip: The smaller the florets are cut, and the fewer thick stems there are, the shorter time this will take to cook. To save time, buy pre-cut florets from your grocery store. Here's a great tutorial on how to cut a cauliflower into florets.
  • You can use both the florets and the thicker stems. However, the stems will take longer to cook. I suggest making sure you allot more time for the recipe, and also cook the stems for about 15-20 minutes before adding the florets.
  • Using different herbs: I recommend using herbs that aren't very strong, such as basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, and/or mint. If you want to use stronger, tougher herbs, such as oregano or rosemary, I have two suggestions. Either cut the amount down to 1 tablespoon, as a little goes a long way, or infuse the herbs by adding them in cheesecloth to the boiling water as the cauliflower cooks and removing the bundle before mashing. The flavor will be there without any tough leaves.
  • For a vegan option, use olive oil instead of butter, vegetable broth or water instead of chicken, and plant-based milk alternative instead of half and half.
  • The provided nutrition information is my best estimate. It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1cup Calories 144kcal (7%) Carbohydrates 8g (3%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 35mg (12%) Sodium 530mg (22%) Potassium 556mg (16%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 620IU (12%) Vitamin C 80mg (89%) Calcium 54mg (5%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 144

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cup
Calories 144kcal 7%
Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 35mg 12%
Sodium 530mg 22%
Potassium 556mg 12%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 620IU 12%
Vitamin C 80mg 89%
Calcium 54mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.