This Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Mash for the 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset, and Weight Watchers is the perfect low carb comfort food topped with bacon, cheddar, and chives! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with.
I did it.
I found a way to get my husband to eat Mashed Cauliflower. And not only eat it. LOVE it.
How did I do this exactly? One word.
Bacon.
Oh – and some bubbly cheese, but I honestly suspect that it was mostly the bacon.
Maybe we should back up a bit.
Do cauliflower mashed potatoes taste good?
Yes! I think they are creamy and delicious and I’ve been eating Mashed Cauliflower for the last few years, not really in place of potatoes, but as a lower carb, veggie filled mashed potatoes alternative.
But my husband has been Cauliflower Mash’s toughest critic. My solution to this up until now has been to mix mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower like in my Healthy Shepherd‘s Pie…which, don’t get me wrong, we still adore.
However, I’m always on a mission to save my yellows on the 21 Day Fix, so I decided it was time to try again, this time pulling out all the stops! And thanks to the Instant Pot
, this Loaded Cauliflower Mash is seriously so quick and easy, too.
How to Make Mashed Cauliflower in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
With this Loaded Cauliflower Mash recipe, you are first basically using your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker to make Mashed Cauliflower! While it’s really easy to make Mashed Cauliflower on the Stovetop, I love the hands off feature of using the Instant Pot for it, too!
- Step one – add 1 cup of broth or water to the bottom of your instant pot
- Step two – place cauliflower florets in your steam basket or on a trivet
- Step three- set to manual for three minutes. After cook time, do a quick release.
- After steaming my cauliflower for three minutes in the IP, I used my trusty Cuisinart Food Processor
(a blender or immersion blender could also work) to whip these babies to creamy perfection.
How to Make Loaded Cauliflower Mash with Bacon and Cheese
And now for the fun part! Take your Mashed Cauliflower up a million notches by loading it up with some yummy baked potato-esque toppings aka cheddar, bacon (which I sauted RIGHT in the Instant Pot!), and chives.
If you have a Mealthy CrispLid, this is the perfect recipe to use it with – just pot the lid on your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and broil away. If you don’t, you can broil your Loaded Cauliflower Mash to crisp up your toppings!
**Want a Mealthy CrispLid? Use my code CONFESSIONSOFAFITFOODIE for $10 off!
Cauliflower is the freaking best, isn’t it? It’s my favorite for Sneaky Veggie Recipes!
If you are looking for more cauliflower power, you have to check out these posts! Many of these are Instant Pot friendly, too:
21 Day Fix Loaded Potato and Cauliflower Soup (Stove-top/Instant Pot)
Cauliflower Au Gratin [21 Day Fix | Keto Friendly | Gluten Free | WW ]
Low Carb Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole (21 Day Fix)
21 Day Fix Kung Pao Cauliflower
21 Day Fix Cauliflower Cheeseburger Mac
Sausage and Cauliflower Casserole {21 Day Fix}
21 Day Fix Cauliflower Soup with Goat Cheese | Carrie Elle
Instant Pot Bacon and Beer Cheese Soup | The Foodie and the Fix (made with cauliflower and it’s to freaking die for!!!)
Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients
- 8 slices turkey bacon diced
- 1 head cauliflower roughly chopped or broken apart
- 2 tablespoons parm cheese
- 4 teaspoons butter can sub vegan butter or ghee
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- Fresh chives optional garnish
- ⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup water or broth
Instructions
- Spray Instant Pot with cooking oil spray. Using the saute function on the IP, saute diced bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Add 1 cup of water or broth to IP and set cauliflower in a steam basket or on your trivet. Lock lid and set to 3 minutes. Quick release after the cook time is through.
- After cook time, place cauliflower in a food processor along with the butter, parmesan cheese and ¼ tsp of salt and pulse until creamy. **If you feel your cauliflower is water logged, you can wring it out in a cheese cloth before pulsing in the food processor.
- Place cauliflower mash in a glass casserole dish and top with shredded cheddar and bacon. Broil until cheese is bubbly. Garnish with chives and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Lauren says
Is there a way to make this without an instant pot?
Nancylynn says
Sure! Make your bacon in a skillet or in the oven, then boil your cauliflower florets on the stovetop. Then follow all other ingredients as written!
Cindy says
Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes! My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and we have been trying a ton of recipes from your site, and everyone of them have been wonderful! Eating healthy is better than we would have ever guessed when we follow your recipes! He cannot have any potatoes or beans which makes it a little more difficult, but all is still good! Can you please tell me what size your food processor is for this recipe? I used my VitaMix and it worked great, but was so big. I bought the 4 C Cuisinart and it was to small! I did have a large head of cauliflower though! Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated! Thanks again for the outstanding recipes!!
Nancylynn says
Hi! I am SO happy the recipes are helping ❤️. My Cuisinart is the 11 cup one – it doesn’t feel too big…but I also might just be used to it because I have had it for so long!
Jacquelyn says
This was delicious! I used micro steam rice cauliflower and it worked, except for that it wouldn’t mash to a creamy texture. However, that did not affect the taste. Will definitely make again!
Karri says
Just wondering if you have any tips on how to make this without an InstantPot? If I steam on the stove, how tender should I let the cauliflower get before processing it?
Thanks for you help! My husband and I are LOVING your 21-day fix meal plans!
Nancylynn says
Thank you!! You should let it get very tender, without it being mushy before processing. Enjoy!
Samantha says
Should we also count a teaspoon per serving because of the butter?
Nancylynn says
Actually, yes! And thank you!
Jillian says
Could I use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh? Would the cook time change?
Nancylynn says
Yes! No, the time would stay the same, but the liquid might be off, so watch for that.
Danielle says
Just so you know I’m a person who hates vegetables. Yes I’m a grown adult. But let me tell you these taste straight up like potatoes to me. I loved them!!! We subbed mozzarella cheese for the Park because we didn’t have any in the kitchen though.
Nancylynn says
That’s AWESOME!! Thank you for your comment – hope it helps other veggie hating adults as I know MANY :).
Patty Santos says
I can’t wait to try this!
I wanted to ask though, can I use cauliflower rice?
Nancylynn says
I haven’t tried it, but it might work! Let me know if give it a go!
Mary Kate says
Do you choose manual or steam on the instant pot for the 3 minutes?
Nancylynn says
Manual!
Jennifer Doschadis says
Nancylynn, I honestly don’t know how you did it – I don’t think it’s the bacon, because it’s awesome even without the bacon. This dish doesn’t even really taste like cauliflower. Not that cauliflower is bad, but I just wasn’t expecting this. Congratulations! It’s a winner for sure. Thank you so much!
Nancylynn says
Omg, Jennifer! My day is made and it’s only 8am! I’m SO happy you loved this…and I so appreciate that you took the time to write and let me know. Thank YOU!