Fully Loaded Smashed Cauliflower

Fully Loaded Smashed Cauliflower – This Fully Loaded Smashed Cauliflower is an over-the-top cauliflower side dish.  Cauliflower is such a versatile and often under-used vegetable.  Long gone are the days when it’s served steamed and devoid of any taste at all.  At our house, I can’t think of enough ways to use it. We love it raw in salads, sauteed, roasted, curried, breaded, turned into a gratin, and fully loaded in this casserole reminiscent of a twice baked potato.

I can’t think of a single way that I don’t enjoy cauliflower.  This smashed cauliflower is one of the dishes I like to call “company worthy.” Good enough to serve to special guests.  I sprinkle the top with crushed fried onions, but this is truly optional if you want to keep this dish as low carb as possible.  It’s rich and delicious!

Ingredients you’ll need:
2 lb cauliflower florets, steamed [See Cook’s notes]
8 oz whipped cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 [0.4] oz package dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1/4 tsp black pepper [more or less to taste]
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese, divided
1/3 cup crushed garlic-pepper french fried onions, optional [i.e. Fresh Gourmet]

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.  Steam the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes until tender.  Drain well, and place into a medium-size mixing bowl.  Use a fork to chunky smash the steamed cauliflower.  Add the whipped cream cheese, sour cream, melted butter, dry buttermilk ranch, black pepper,  Parmesan cheese, bacon crumbles, green onions, and 1 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.  Mix until fully combined.  Pour into the baking dish. [Tip: Reserve 3 Tbsp bacon crumbles and green onions for the top]

Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of shredded Colby-Jack cheese and a few bacon crumbles.  Top with french fried onions, if desired.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.  Garnish with reserved sliced green onions. Serve immediately. Yield: 8-10 servings

Cook’s notes:
a)  This dish works well with low fat dairy products.
b)  2 lb cauliflower florets would be approximately equal to 2 heads of cauliflower, stems removed.

 

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Fully Loaded Smashed Cauliflower

Servings 8 -10

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 2 lb cauliflower florets steamed [See Cook's notes]
• 8 oz whipped cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 Tbsp butter melted
• 1 [0.4] oz package dry buttermilk ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 tsp black pepper [more or less to taste]
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6-8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
• 4 green onions thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese divided
• 1/3 cup crushed garlic-pepper french fried onions optional [i.e. Fresh Gourmet]

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Steam the cauliflower for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain well.
2. Place into a medium-size mixing bowl. Use a fork to chunky smash the steamed cauliflower. Add the whipped cream cheese, sour cream, melted butter, dry buttermilk ranch, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, bacon crumbles, green onions, and 1 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
3. Mix until fully combined.
4. Pour into the baking dish. [Tip: Reserve 3 Tbsp bacon crumbles and green onions for the top]
5. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of shredded Colby-Jack cheese and a few bacon crumbles. Top with french fried onions, if desired.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
7. Garnish with reserved sliced green onions.
8. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

a) This dish works well with low fat dairy products.
b) 2 lb cauliflower florets would be approximately equal to 2 heads of cauliflower, stems removed.