Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole

This loaded mashed cauliflower casserole is a delicious dish that can be served as a side to your favorite meals. Loaded with cheese and bacon, it's so tasty that your kids won't even know they're eating cauliflower! You can also use the Instant Pot to help make this tasty side dish but it's not required.

a spoonful of loaded cauliflower casserole

I hadn’t tried mashed cauliflower until recently. I’m a lover of mashed potatoes so it wasn’t even on my radar to mash cauliflower instead! About a year ago I discovered that cauliflower can take the place of so many less healthy alternatives. We’ve recently had cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower tacos, and now mashed cauliflower!

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An Old Favorite Reinvented

Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables that I’ve actually liked since I was little. I was a picky eater when I was little, not so much anymore!

overhead shot of baked cauliflower casserole lightly garnished with scallions

I’ve recently been eating it a lot more in an effort to eat fewer carbs and get more veggies in my diet. I usually steam cauliflower in the Instant Pot and it’s ready and cooked to perfection in no time. The Instant Pot has made it a breeze to steam veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.

As for this Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole, it’s definitely got some ingredients that are not low in fat, but hey, it’s Ok to indulge once in a while! And if you take into consideration that this is a low-carb dish, it’s a good deal!

Essential Items

Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.

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A Cheesy Bit of Goodness

If you haven’t tried mashed cauliflower, you are missing out! It’s so good, you can literally just mash it and eat it without adding anything to it. It’s creamy and has a natural buttery flavor in my opinion.

baked cauliflower in a small bowl

But if you really want to please your taste buds, then I highly recommend making this cheesy, creamy loaded mashed cauliflower casserole.

An Easy Side That Will Impress

We’re talking cheese, cream, and bacon, you can’t go wrong with that combination! It also looks so pretty in a serving dish with all the different colors on top! Your family or your guests will definitely be impressed.

a plate of cauliflower casserole near a serving bowl of cauliflower casserole

I was a little worried the kids wouldn’t like it since they had never had mashed cauliflower. Well, they all loved it! Everyone had seconds and we went through the whole dish in no time!

a casserole of loaded mashed cauliflower

Like I mentioned, I steam my cauliflower in the Instant Pot, but you can make this recipe even if you don’t own one. You just need to make sure you steam it enough to be able to mash it into a smooth and creamy consistency.

Now it’s your turn to give this Loaded Mashed Cauliflower recipe a try!

Loaded Mashed Cauliflower Casserole

CREAMED CAULIFLOWER TOPPED WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE, BACON, AND SCALLIONS

4.56 from 9 votes
Servings
10
DifficultyModerate
Cooking Method(s)
  • Baking,
  • Pressure Cooking
Oven Temp450°
Pressure LevelHigh
Program SettingManual / Pressure Cook
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Recipe by: Valerie Cooper
This warm and comforting casserole is loaded with flavor and makes a great side dish for any meal.
a spoonful of loaded cauliflower casserole

Essential Equipment

  • instant pot

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower cut into florets, rinsed, and steamed, approx. 2 lbs
  • 2 tbsps butter (salted) melted
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
  • 2 cups medium cheddar cheese shredded
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 2 tbsps green onion(s) chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425°.

steam the Cauliflower

  • While I prefer using the Instant Pot to steam cauliflower, an Instant Pot is not required for this recipe. You may steam the cauliflower on the stove if you wish. If steaming on the stove, ensure that you steam the cauliflower until it is soft.
  • To steam the cauliflower in the Instant Pot, add 1 cup of water to the pot. Place the trivet or steamer basket inside the pot and then put the cauliflower florets in the basket.
  • Close the Instant Pot and set it to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ High Pressure for 3 minutes.
  • Once cooking has completed, immediately perform a quick pressure release (QPR).
  • Once the pressure has been fully released, open the pot and then allow the cauliflower to sit in the pot while you gather the remaining ingredients.

combine the Ingredients

  • Remove the cauliflower from the Instant Pot and add it to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, garlic powder and salt to the food processor and blend until smooth.
  • Remove the bowl from the food processor base and then carefully remove the blade from bowl. Add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 4 strips of crumbled bacon to the mashed cauliflower. Mix in by hand with a spatula.
  • Spoon the mashed cauliflower mix into a 9 x 11 baking dish and spread the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon evenly across the top.

Bake

  • Place the baking dish on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and begins to get toasty in spots.
  • Remove from the oven and garnish with the chopped scallions.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 28.1mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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