Baked Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan Topping

There are a handful of side dishes that make it to my table every holiday, and this baked mashed cauliflower is one of them. It's creamy, buttery, and rich enough to stand in for mashed potatoes. I first made it for my family years ago, and now I'm not allowed to show up without it!

I love how simple this recipe is, yet it's delicious enough for company. The cauliflower is steamed until soft, blended with cream, butter, and egg yolks, then baked until it's golden and bubbling around the edges. The Parmesan topping gives it that irresistible savory crust that makes everyone go back for seconds.

It's also one of those recipes that's easy to make ahead, which is a lifesaver during the holidays. You can prepare it the day before, refrigerate it, then pop it in the oven just before dinner. It's also gluten-free and keto-friendly, so it's a great choice when trying to adhere to different dietary needs.

This is actually a recipe from my 4th cookbook and I've been wanting to share it with you here for a long time. I make it most often around the holidays, especially since the first time I brought it to my sister's, she let me know I needed to bring it every year after. And I have!

Here's my typical holiday menu: The main dish is always prime rib for Christmas and a baked spiral ham for Easter. Sides include this baked mashed cauliflower, green beans almondine (always something green to give the meal some color!), and mushroom risotto with gorgonzola. Desserts vary (sometimes we're too full anyway so I just put out a plate of cookies), so you can browse all of our Christmas desserts if you need some ideas.

Ingredients

This baked mashed cauliflower does swap potatoes for a vegetable, but it has enough butter and cream that it's still pretty indulgent. I go all out for our holiday meals, but you could scale back on some of the butter and cream if you're going for something a bit lower in calories.

• Cauliflower florets: Use fresh cauliflower! Frozen won't be the same, although I've admittedly and stubbornly never tried it, so if you give it a whirl, make sure to leave a comment on how it turned out.
• Unsalted butter: You want real butter here, no margarine allowed. I use unsalted because I like to have as much control over the seasoning as possible, but use salted if that's all you've got.
• Heavy cream: You could substitute whole milk or half and half, but the mashed cauliflower really benefits from the thicker, richer cream.
• Bouillon cubes, dissolved in a tiny bit of water: This is where the mashed cauliflower gets its flavor, otherwise it's a bit bland. If you'd prefer to use Better Than Bouillon (it's what I usually use if I have it), substitute 2 teaspoons for the cubes.
• Egg yolks: The first time I tested this recipe, I made it without egg yolks but felt it was missing something. I had a light bulb moment when I remembered that some potato dishes include egg yolks to add structure and richness. I started with two, made it again with three, and decided that was the perfect amount!
• Parmesan cheese: I love a good parmesan crust on just about everything, so I knew that it would be delicious on this baked mashed cauliflower. It adds a lot of flavor and is my favorite part of the dish!
• Coarse salt: This dish needs a good amount of seasoning. Because it needs to be seasoned before adding the parmesan (and parmesan is salty), you should just barely under-season, then top it with the parmesan and it should be perfect!
• Cooking spray: This is just to make sure nothing sticks to the baking dish.

Instructions

1. Steam the cauliflower: Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water. Cover and cook until the florets are very tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. You want them soft enough to mash easily. NOTE: I always roast cauliflower for my recipes, but this is the one exception. You need enough water in the cauliflower so that it mashes well, and roasting dries it out too much (even if it's my favorite method otherwise). Boiling would be second, although it tends to have too much water for this method, so be sure to pat it dry really well if you choose to boil it.
2. Drain and cool slightly: Once the cauliflower is done, drain it really well and let it cool for a few minutes until it's warm but not hot. This will make sure it doesn't have too much water and thin it out too much when it's mashed.
3. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375°F and lightly coat an 11x7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Note: Any size baking dish you use will work fine, just keep in mind that you want enough surface area for the right ratio of mashed cauliflower to parmesan topping.
4. Mash or puree the cauliflower: Transfer the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl. Add the softened butter, egg yolks, and heavy cream (make sure the cauliflower is cool enough that the eggs don't cook at all, and whisk them in quickly). For a smooth, creamy texture, use an immersion blender or regular blender. For a chunkier, more rustic version, a potato masher works great. I strongly prefer blending it until it's really smooth, but both ways are delicious!
5. Season and mix: Add the dissolved bouillon and salt, stirring well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that the parmesan topping with be a bit salty on its own. Aim for slightly under-seasoning (better to be under than over, as you can always put a salt shaker on the table for your guests). When it's seasoned to your liking, spread the mashed cauliflower evenly into the prepared baking dish.
6. Add the buttery topping: Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Gently spoon or drizzle this mixture over the top, spreading it out evenly.
7. Bake until golden: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and lightly bubbling around the edges.
8. Cool slightly before serving: Let it rest for 5-10 minutes so it sets up a bit before serving.

Tips

• Steam, don't roast: This is the one and only time I'll recommend anything other than roasting when it comes to cauliflower. Steaming prevents the baked mashed cauliflower from drying out too much (you need enough water since it's a mash).
• Drain it well: Once the cauliflower is tender, make sure to let it drain completely. A few extra minutes in the colander goes a long way toward keeping the mash from turning watery.
• Use a blender: An immersion blender gives you a smooth, creamy consistency. If you prefer a more rustic texture, you can also mash it by hand with a potato masher.
• Warm the cream and soften the butter first: Bringing your dairy ingredients to room temperature (or gently warming them) helps them blend evenly into the cauliflower.
• Taste and season before baking: One more time for those in the back! This mashed cauliflower needs to be seasoned well to bring out the flavor. Taste, season, taste again, and season again...you get the idea. Just keep in mind that the parmesan topping is a bit salty on its own, so just slightly under-season the cauliflower.
• Get a nice golden topping: For an evenly browned topping, bake it on the middle rack. If you want a little extra color, you can broil it for the last 2-3 minutes, just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
• Make it ahead: You can make the mashed cauliflower up to a day in advance. Store it covered in the fridge, then bake just before serving. It's one of my favorite tricks during the holidays when oven space is limited! See below for more detailed instructions. ⬇️

Storage and Make-Ahead

This baked mashed cauliflower is one of those recipes that's just as good the next day, which makes it perfect for holiday prep or weeknight dinners when you want something easy but still homemade.

• Make-ahead: You can prepare this baked mashed cauliflower up to 24 hours in advance. After pureeing the cauliflower, place it in a bowl or your baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate. When you're ready, bake it at 375°F as directed, adding about 10 extra minutes since it'll be cold from the fridge.
• Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days (the flavor actually improves a bit after sitting overnight). To reheat, place it in an oven-safe dish and warm it at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until it's heated through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave on medium power, stirring halfway through.
• Freezer: This dish freezes well both before and after baking. To freeze it before baking, assemble it completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking as directed. To freeze it after baking, let it cool completely, then wrap and freeze it in portions.
• Tip: If you're planning to serve this for the holidays, make it a day ahead and refrigerate. It reheats perfectly and frees up oven space for everything else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pairings

Here are a few more dishes we like to serve with this baked mashed cauliflower:

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Baked Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are a great vegetable dish for a crowd because it's not only delicious and everyone loves it, but it also happens to be gluten-free and keto-friendly.

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Ingredients

• 8 cups cauliflower florets (about 2 ½ lbs)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
• ⅓ cup heavy cream, slightly warm or at room temperature
• 2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes
• 3 egg yolks
• Cooking spray
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt

Instructions

1. Place the cauliflower in a steamer basket set inside a pot of boiling water, then cover the pot. Cook until the cauliflower is very tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and allow it to cool until it’s warm and cool enough to handle.
2. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
3. Place your cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoon tablespoons of the softened butter, the egg yolks, and the cream. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the cauliflower until it’s smooth (alternatively, you can use a potato masher if you like a chunkier consistency). Add the coarse salt and stir it well to incorporate.
4. Grease an 11x7” baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the cauliflower puree into the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
5. Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl in the microwave.
6. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Pour the mixture over the cauliflower puree, then spread it gently spread it over the top.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until it’s lightly browned on the top and bubbling slightly at the sides.

Notes

Steaming the cauliflower until it’s soft, mashing it until it’s smooth as silk then baking it with a buttery parmesan topping makes this cauliflower dish worthy of your fanciest dinner parties!

The bouillon cubes can be substituted with 2 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon base.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 746mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is a five-time cookbook author, travel writer, and culinary instructor who has been developing recipes for national brands since 2009. A former personal chef, she learned to cook from her mother and grandmother before refining her skills at the Culinary Institute of America’s Boot Camp.

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