It’s scrumptious, delicious, and very filling. It’s the perfect low-carb and keto substitute for loaded mashed potatoes. It’s no wonder I have so many cauliflower recipes on this website! It’s such a versatile vegetable. Mashed cauliflower is especially delicious and surprisingly similar to mashed potatoes, which makes it an ideal low-carb and keto substitute. Topping the mash with bacon and cheese makes it even better. But hey, bacon and cheese make everything better!
Ingredients
Recipe Card
Butter: I use unsalted butter. I especially like creamy European butter, but any butter will be great. Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work equally well. Garlic powder works too - I would use ½ teaspoon in this recipe. Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use by half, or the mash could end up too salty. Bacon: You can cook it yourself or use precooked bacon or even bacon bits. Cauliflower: It’s best to use fresh cauliflower in this recipe. Frozen cauliflower won’t be as good. Shredded cheddar: Sharp cheddar is so flavorful. Sometimes I even use extra-sharp cheddar. Chives or parsley for garnish: Not mandatory, but without it, the dish looks kind of brownish… so while I mostly use these herbs for garnish, I do recommend including them. The chives do enhance the flavor as well.
Cook the bacon. First, you need to cook and crumble the bacon. You can cook it on the stovetop, or you can make oven bacon or microwave bacon. Cook and mash the cauliflower. Microwave the cauliflower and mash it with butter and spices. You can also steam the cauliflower, but the microwave is fast and convenient. Assemble the dish and bake. Layer everything in a casserole dish - cauliflower, bacon, and cheese- and bake until hot and bubbly. This should take a mere 5 minutes in a 400°F oven. Serve the mash immediately, while it’s hot. One way to thicken it is to add ¼ cup of dry-grated Parmesan cheese with the other ingredients that you place in the food processor. The Parmesan acts as a thickener.
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