The very words mashed potatoes make you feel comforted, do they? But their high carb content, which is what makes them soothing and delicious, is also what makes them unavailable for the keto diet. No matter; you will not miss them because at the test kitchen, we’ve developed a recipe to replace mashed potatoes with low-carb cauliflower, which has the added benefit of being rich in vitamins and potassium. What’s more, this dish really resembles the original—just take a look at the next page. And the low starch content of cauliflower means it purees like a dream.
We first tried mashing steamed cauliflower, but ended up with a wet, sloppy mess. When we ditched the potato masher and pureed cauliflower in the food processor instead, we got a smooth, velvety-textured dish that makes a delightful accompaniment to steak, chicken, or fish. You can add crunch and extra protein to the puree with bacon, cheddar, and
scallions or enhance cauliflower’s neutral taste with the distinctive licorice flavor of fennel. This recipe can easily be doubled using a Dutch oven in place of the saucepan.
Instructions :
- Bring 1 cup water to boil in large saucepan oven over high heat, then add cauliflower. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, 14 to 16 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Drain cauliflower and transfer to food processor. Add butter and salt and process until completely smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Adjust consistency with hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Whipped Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 pound cauliflower florets cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup water to boil in large saucepan oven over high heat, then add cauliflower. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, 14 to 16 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
- Drain cauliflower and transfer to food processor. Add butter and salt and process until completely smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Adjust consistency with hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.