Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese and Sour Cream

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Cream cheese and Sour cream is the Best Thanksgiving Side dish that gets done in just 30-minutes. It's just blanching the Cauliflower and then blending it with a creamy mixture of Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Salt, and freshly ground Black Pepper. The Secret ingredient is the generous addition of Garlic Butter.

Also try this Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Southern Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I know what you are thinking: "Does Cauliflower mash taste like a Comforting Potato Mash?" - Well, it tastes better. With Potatoes, you have a starchy element in it and therefore when you whisk it, it tends to be gummy. But with Cauliflower, you get to skip those unhealthy carbs of a Potato and also get an earthy, creamy texture which is both nutty and a little sweetish!

If you are thinking What can I serve instead of Mashed Potatoes? Then this Creamy Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese and Sour Cream should be a thing that you should be making. So easy to make the tastes incredibly GOOD.

Creamiest Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic

Hello, folks, if you are thinking of a healthier Thanksgiving Side other than Mashed Potato then this is it. I guess, Mashed Potato has been like the king of Thanksgiving Sides for a very long time. It's time that we give someone else a chance.

Don't get me wrong. I know, Thanksgiving is all about traditions and nostalgia with food. But, this year there is a new term that is popular amongst us - "New Normal". And, I guess this Garlic Mashed Cauliflower will be the "New Mashed Potato" this year.

For the last few days, the only thing everyone is talking about is - "Gosh! It has gotten cold already!" Yup. It seems we will have Thanksgiving early this year. I mean how? When? I am not ready yet!

It was just yesterday that I celebrated the New Year' and was pushing myself through the boring month of January. How on earth is it supposed to be so cold so early?

Well, the chilly breeze outdoors tells me just one thing - The Holidays are around the corner.

I guess the only good thing about this year is going to be the Holidays. Right!

To be honest, I really want to skip to like 2-3 days prior to Thanksgiving (the way we skip ads on YouTube) and feel the Holiday exuberance, right now. 🙂

Honestly, If there was any way by which I could jump to Thanksgiving day then it would be so amazing. I wonder what I would be doing then? I bet I would be busy making lots and lots of recipes. And my oven would be working overtime along with me. My home would be beautifully decorated for Thanksgiving and my table would be ready to host a grand Thanksgiving dinner.

I sincerely can't wait! 🙂

Truly this happy, emotional, nostalgic, and sometimes a little crappy (everyone has those bad Thanksgiving days) Holiday will always be a day full of fun, excitement, and happiness. Though, "Turkey" takes the center stage for "The Turkey Day" but what strikes us more is the sides. Right?

With the right Thanksgiving Side, our Table would be perfection!  And if there is any recipe that is closest to perfection then it is Mashed Potatoes!

However, today, I would love you to try making this Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower.

What Would I Need to Make Mashed Cauliflower?

• 1 Large Cauliflower Head (3 Pound or 1.5 kg) or 2 Packs of Packaged Riced Cauliflower
• 3 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream
• 1/3 Cup Cream Cheese
• 3-4 cloves of minced garlic
• Freshly Grounded Black Pepper
• Salt
• Chives and Cilantro (for garnish)

What Kind of Cauliflower is the Best Fit for this Recipe?

Ideally, you should go with a packaged riced Cauliflower.

However, my personal choice would be a fresh cauliflower head. There is no denying that there is nothing better than fresh Veggies. And, when it comes to choosing my Cauliflower, I always tend to incline towards fresh ones than the packaged ones.

However, if you buy packaged rice Cauliflower then you will save a lot of time chopping them and you can easily blend it. So, yes, Packaged rice Cauliflower is probably the best fit for this recipe. However, I prefer a fresh Cauliflower head.

How to Make Mashed Cauliflower in the Oven?

First - Wash and trim the Cauliflower Head. Eliminate the Core and cut out Cauliflower chunks.

Second - Put them in a microwave-safe pyrex dish with NO WATER and microwave on high heat for about 10-15 minutes until soft and mushy.  Keep it UNCOVERED.

So, this is exactly how you steam Cauliflower in the microwave. One of the easiest and most important steps for Making Mashed Cauliflower will be done in less than 15-minutes.

Third - Blend this using a handheld mixer or stand mixer along with all the other ingredients and you're ready to serve!

How to Steam Cauliflower?

Take a pot of boiling water and add a pinch of salt to it. Add in your cauliflower florets and let them simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes until they are completely soft and mushy.

Next strain the water completely.

And then pat them dry. A little water would make your mashed cauliflower runny. So, do not skip this step.

How to Make the Best Mashed Cauliflower?

• First, steam your Cauliflower. Use a Microwave or use a Dutch Pot. You can read above and figure out how to do it in whichever way you prefer.
• Second - Cool them down. YES. This step is super-important. You will figure out why later in this article.
• In the meantime melt some butter in a pan with some minced garlic. As the butter gets brown, take it out and pour it into your bowl containing cauliflower. (Save some for garnish)
• Third - Add Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Salt, and Pepper. Make a Puree in the Food Processor or use an Immersion blender or a hand blender.
• Garnish with some chives and some Butter Cubes.

Why is My Mashed Cauliflower is Runny & Watery, What Do I Do?

One of the major concerns of people while making Mashed Cauliflower is that it gets runny and watery. And, that leaves them with a sad face and sullen heart thinking that's the end of the world. Nevertheless, I won't let that happen to you!

However, before you find a fix. Learn what caused the problem. The answer is Leftover WATER from the Cauliflower. As we strain the Cauliflower, we tend to leave some water and we do not pat them dry. This small little step is super-important in making sure that our Mashed Cauliflower is NOT runny or watery.

 What are some easy Tricks to Prevent Watery Cauliflower Mash: 

• When you have kept your Cauliflower in the colander, let it stand in the colander until it cools down. This is like a little resting time that you are giving to your Cauliflower so that the steaming process continues for a while and whatever excess water is left on the Cauliflower, it gets re-absorbed back into the Cauliflower.
• When you are steaming in the Microwave Oven, then DO NOT add water. It will steam on its own, without any water and of course, you save it from getting runny and watery. But, make sure you steam it UNCOVERED.

How do you thicken a runny Mashed Cauliflower?

If your Mashed Cauliflower has turned out to be runny and watery and you just wish you had followed the above-mentioned tips. Then worry not. There are tricks with which you can fix this and thicken this up. Trust me, no one would know.

• Make a Roux. Wondering what's Roux? Simple - Just melt butter in a pan and then add a little flour. Keep the quantity of Flour, less as compared to Butter, Say about (1:3 ratio of flour to butter). Cook this over medium-high heat. Keep stirring as often as you can. Once the flour turns brown and it starts getting fragrant, mix it with your mashed Cauliflower. You'll notice how quickly the texture of your Mashed Cauliflower will change in a jiff.

Does Mashed Cauliflower freeze well?

Yes, this does freeze well. And you can definitely make this ahead of time.

However, since this contains Cream Cheese and Sour Cream. You should just skip these two ingredients while making a puree. The sad part is - Dairy just doesn't freeze well. I know it's sad!

However, make sure you cool this down completely before you pop it in the freezer.

So, you can keep it in a freezer-friendly bag without Cream Cheese and Sour Cream. Make sure you push out all the air from the freezer-friendly bag or ziplock bag and label it so that you don't forget it.

How to Reheat Mashed Cauliflower?

When you want to reheat this then you can add Cream Cheese and Sour cream! Yay!

But, leave it on the countertop for about 2-3 hours and let it come down to room temperature. Then mix cream cheese and sour cream. Add garlic butter, garnish with chives and serve hot.

I hope you liked this recipe of Garlic Mashed Cauliflower with Cream Cheese and Sour Cream. If you happen to make this recipe, then please find a moment to rate this recipe and comment below. Also, tag me with #recipemagik on Instagram. I love to see your creations 🙂

More Thanksgiving sides

• Brussel Sprouts wrapped in Bacon
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic & Honey
• Cornish hens stuffed with cornbread dressing
• Honey Butter Skillet Corn (4-ingredients)
• Brown Sugar Glazed Baby Carrots
• Southern Creamed Corn
• Cranberry Pecan Stuffing in Crock Pot
• Grandma's Sausage Herb Stuffing
• Mom's Turkey Stuffing Recipe
• Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe