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Swap Whipped Cauliflower for mashed potatoes the next time you make dinner for a lightened-up and veggie-packed side! This light and fluffy whipped cauliflower recipe features Greek yogurt, a little parmesan cheese, and steamed cauliflower that’s pureed and then baked to creamy perfection. It pairs perfectly with many of your favorite meals!
Why You’ll Love This Whipped Cauliflower Recipe
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Low Carb
- Skill Level: Easy
If you’re a fan of cauliflower like me you know that it’s a great base for all sorts of preparations, from roasting to blending into soup. I love how the Greek yogurt balances the slight sweetness of the cauliflower and the salty parmesan adds even more of a flavor punch. You’re sure to love this recipe, too.
- Gluten-Free. If you’re keeping gluten-free, this is an ideal dish! All of the ingredients in this whipped cauliflower recipe are naturally gluten-free, and it’s easy to adapt it to being dairy-free as well if needed. It’s also low carb.
- Simple preparation. Only 20 minutes of prep time is needed to put together this baked cauliflower and it relies on a blender or food processor to do most of the work!
- Flavorful. I love the flavors going on in these cauliflower whipped potatoes, from the hint of a nutty undertone from the fresh cauliflower to the tart yogurt, sharp bite of cheese, and the slightly garlicky fresh chives.
- Versatile. It goes perfectly alongside all sorts of mains from roast beef to a pan of homemade macaroni and cheese.
What You’ll Need
Cauliflower is the star of this whipped cauliflower recipe, and I’ve outlined the rest of what you’ll need below. Don’t forget to check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Cauliflower: Use a large or medium cauliflower.
- Greek Yogurt: Make sure to use plain Greek yogurt. You can use full, low, or non-fat yogurt with good results.
- Egg: Use 1 large egg.
- Parmesan Cheese: You can use grated or shredded parmesan.
- Chives: Use fresh chives for the best flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: I like to use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Paprika: The addition of paprika is used as an optional garnish.
How to Make Whipped Cauliflower
Follow along with my photos below to get an idea of how to make cauliflower whipped potatoes. The detailed instructions are in the recipe card lower down.
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare a pan.
- Cook cauliflower. Cut the cauliflower into large florets and steam until tender.
- Puree the ingredients. Blend the cooked cauliflower, Greek yogurt, egg, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.
- Assemble. Place the puree in the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and paprika.
- Bake. Cook the whipped cauliflower until heated through and browned on top. Sprinkle with parsley or additional minced chives, if desired.
Tips for Success
This is not a complicated dish to put together, but there are a few best practices you can follow to make sure it turns out perfectly.
A few of my tips for making whipped cauliflower are detailed below:
- Choose a fresh cauliflower. When you purchase the cauliflower for this recipe, choose one that doesn’t have any brown spots on it. The leaves and stem should be firm – avoid any cauliflower with wilted leaves. This will help your finished dish taste the best it can be.
- Use freshly grated or shredded parmesan. This whipped cauliflower recipe doesn’t call for a lot of ingredients, so you’ll want to make the most of them. Pick up a block of parmesan cheese and grate it at home, or grab a container of freshly grated cheese from the refrigerated cheese section. This means no shelf-stable parmesan!
- Add more vegetables. I love the simplicity of this pureed cauliflower dish, but sometimes I want a bit more. You can add some chopped baby spinach leaves to the food processor for a little color and flavor.
- Make it dairy-free. To make this a dairy-free whipped cauliflower, substitute the Greek yogurt for your favorite non-dairy yogurt and use a dairy-free cheese.
- Top with breadcrumbs. If you wish to add some texture, sprinkle breadcrumbs, gluten-free if needed, over the top of the baking dish before you place it in the oven. Or, try adding 1 cup of chopped nuts such as walnuts.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, you’ll want to save them for another time! Here’s what to do with them:
- Fridge – Place leftover whipped cauliflower in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days, or store it in its ramekin, tightly covered in foil in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers because the cauliflower can get watery when it’s defrosted, which will affect the texture.
- To Reheat – You can reheat leftover cauliflower in an oven-safe container or its baking dish at 350°F until hot. Or, place a serving of leftover whipped cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish and heat it in 1-minute increments in the microwave until heated through.
Make It A Meal
Whipped cauliflower is a wonderful side to roast meat or fish, or you can make it the centerpiece of a lighter vegetarian meal if you add a salad or bread. Here are a few suggestions for what to add to this whipped cauliflower recipe:
- Macaroni and cheese. Make a vegetarian dinner with macaroni and cheese and a side of whipped cauliflower! Try my Gluten Free Stovetop Mac and Cheese or Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese recipes.
- Bread. Keep things simple and serve this whipped cauliflower recipe as the main attraction along with slices of toasted Gluten Free Sandwich Bread or warm Gluten Free Naan. Or make a pan of Gluten Free Cornbread and serve squares with portions of cauliflower.
- With meat. Whipped cauliflower is a wonderful accompaniment to all kinds of roasts, especially if you skip the mashed potatoes. Try my Bottom Round Roast, Veggie Meatloaf, Prime Rib, or Rosemary Balsamic Roast Chicken recipes.
- Holiday dinner. I love serving whipped cauliflower as part of a holiday or special dinner! It’s lovely with Herb Roast Turkey, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Honey Roasted Carrots.
- Vegetables. Round out your plate with more vegetables. I like Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms with whipped cauliflower. Or try a side of Air Fryer Broccoli or Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
- Salad. Add a hearty salad to a serving of whipped cauliflower, like my Three Bean Salad. My Winter Fruit Feta Salad is also a nice choice, or choose my veggie-packed Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash. You could also serve Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with portions of cauliflower for a more filling meal.
Whipped Cauliflower
Swap Whipped Cauliflower for mashed potatoes the next time you make dinner for a lightened-up and veggie-packed side! This light and fluffy whipped cauliflower recipe features Greek yogurt, a little parmesan cheese, and steamed cauliflower that's pureed and then baked to creamy perfection. It pairs perfectly with many of your favorite meals!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped chives, or more, if you like more oniony flavor
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Paprika and parsley or additional minced chives, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F, and lightly spray a 1.5-quart baking dish or 4-6 ramekins.
- Cut the cauliflower into large florets, discarding the tough stem and leaves, and place them in a steamer basket in a pot with about an inch or two of water. Cover and bring to a simmer to steam the caulfilower until it is very tender. Remove the steamer basket and alow some of the excess moisture to evaporate.
- Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a blender or food processor and add the Greek yogurt, egg, ¼ cup of the parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper. Process until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Transfer the cauliflower mixture to the baking dish or ramekins, and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan, and a pinch of paprika, if desired.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through and browned on top. Sprinkle with minced parsley or additional chives, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Whipped Cauliflower
Amount Per Serving (1 cup (aproximately))
Calories 83
Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 0.003g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 569mg24%
Potassium 308mg9%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 143IU3%
Vitamin C 46mg56%
Calcium 148mg15%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you make this?
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This dish is delicious, a great alternative to mashed potatoes. I wonder if anyone has tried to make this earlier in the day, and then baked just prior to serving?
Hi Ros,
Personally, I haven’t made it ahead, but I can’t really think of a reason that it couldn’t be done that way. If you try it, please let me know how it goes!
I’d love an alternative to Au Gratin Potatoes, but my body can’t handle yogurt. I’ve tried yogurt three or four times, and each time, not only did it make me ill right away, but for the rest of the day. I’ve kept yogurt down when blended in a smoothie, but I was queasy all day afterwards.
Can you suggest a substitute for the yogurt? Thanks.
Rachel, there are a number of dairy-free yogurts available now. I know that Silk brand makes one. I hope you’re able to find one and try this recipe.
A can of heavy cream can be substitute for the Greek yogurt.
Delicious!
Thanks for the tip!
Bookmarked! This is immense, thanks!! With Christmas coming, I was fearing the annual barrage of potatoes with everything. This may well just cure that. In fact, this, cauliflower rice and cauliflower pizza bases might have solved the festive period.
Now, if I could just find a cauliflower substitute for the tubs of chocolate 😉
Haha! Something tells me that there is no acceptable substitute for chocolate, John. You might want to adventure into white chocolate covered cauliflower, though. 😉
I just made this and it was delicious! I highly recommend this recipe. If you use one big pan it’ll take about 30-35 minutes to cook fully.
Thanks!
Also found this and loved the idea! Thanks!
Thanks!!
YUMMY! I think my entire family will like these! I have this pinned and tweeted! Thanks for linking up at Gluten Free Fridays! See you this week!
Thanks! My family enjoyed it!
I also am a diebetic and need to watch those carbs. I steam my cauliflower until it is tender, add a little butter to mash them like potatoes, add a tablespoon or 2 of sour cream and add salt, pepper, curry powder and a little cayenne pepper for a little pizzazz! No blender involved and very fast and easy to make!
That sounds great, too. I only started using curry powder recently!
I love the idea of mashed cauliflower. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, though much better to do something to jazz it up a little!
Very cool! Adding these to next week’s menu.
Oooh, let me know what you think!
this is smart idea- i would have never known. great for comfort food and special occasion 🙂
Thanks! Comfort food can be healthy, too!
I love cauliflower. This is a brilliant way to prepare it!
Thanks! One of my favorite veggies, too!
I generally roast cauliflower, but this I have to try.
Yep, I usually roast it, too, but thought I would make it a little more special!
I’ve done mashed cauliflower many times, but I’ve never thought about the gratin twist. Great idea!
It was Valentine’s Day, so it was nice to make it a bit more special!