Healthy doesn't have to mean flavorless. This easy recipe for Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower is super simple, but full of flavor in every bite. Juicy meatballs with a crisp crust, and flavor packed gravy spooned over delicious mashed cauliflower delivers a wonderful dinner recipe for you to try tonight!
What are Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower?
The meatball part is pretty straightforward here. Ground beef with some of our favorite flavorful mix-ins rolled into bite site balls of delightful goodness. Mashed Cauliflower, meanwhile, is a little newer to the home-culinary scene. Simply put, mashed cauliflower is cauliflower that is steamed, then pureed with a few flavor mix-ins so that it resembles mashed potatoes. Make it really well and you'll barely tell the difference. All the flavor, none of the carbs. You're keto-friendly diet will thank you!
Why I love Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower
As a warm-blooded male, I love a good meat-and-potato dinner. After a trip to the gym and a hard day's work, there's few things more satisfying than the full belly you get from a hearty salt of the earth kind of meal. But, like a lot of you, I have to be health conscious at the same time, which means the occasional carb-sub. The key is finding something to sub in that doesn't sacrifice flavor. This meal delivers just that. The parmesan and butter mix-ins give you some of the starchy-like texture you get from a good mashed potato. You could easily fool some folks with this meal.
Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower Tips and Tricks
- Meatball size here is key. The perfect meatball size is about an inch in diameter, about the width of a quarter. You want to easily be able to fork a meatball while scooping some cauliflower and gravy all in one bite. For that, an inch is our goal.
- Another key here is cooking the cauliflower to the right amount of tenderness. Steam it just until the point where a fork can easily pierce the stem without much resistance. Less and it won't mash well, more and it will turn to mush. Remember, it should be just soft enough that you can easily pierce it with a fork or knife. As soon as it's there, remove it from the steamer.
- I work flour in at a couple points in this recipe in a couple small pinches. This is obviously optional if you're looking to go totally carb free, but it really helps the flavor. Especially dusting the meatballs with flour before sauteing them in a pan. This gives them a super crisp crust, and locks in the juicy flavor of the meatball. It's well worth the small carb hit.
- I invest in a box of food service gloves (affiliate), which definitely come in handy when mixing ground meat, among other things. A box of 500 runs about $15 and lasts me over a year, easily.
Let's Make Meatballs over Cauliflower Mash
Mise en place
Before we begin, it's important to prep your mise en place.
- Dice shallot finely and chop garlic. Add to small prep bowl and set aside.
- Cut cauliflower into equally sized flowers and wash.
- Grate in one cup of parmesan cheese into a food processor (affiliate). Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp butter. Set aside.
Prep Meatballs
In large mixing bowl (affiliate), combine beef, egg, dry mustard, onion powder, minced garlic, diced shallot, dill weed and 2 tbsp freshly ground parmesan cheese. Combine well until fully mixed, about a minute. Roll mixture into ¾ inch balls, about the size of a golf ball. You should get about 24 balls for a pound of beef. Place each ball on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to hold form.
Steam & Mash Cauliflower
After about 20 minutes, begin heating your steamer for your cauliflower. Steam for 7-10 minutes, until just fork tender. When cauliflower has reached this point, remove from the steamer immediately. Reserve about ⅓ cup of the cauliflower and set aside. Add remaining cauliflower to food processor (affiliate) with butter, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse processor a few times, then run it for about 10-15 seconds, until cauliflower is so finely chopped it's turned into a mashed potato-like consistency. Remove from food processor (affiliate) and into a bowl.
Meanwhile, roughly chop the reserved cauliflower, and fold into mix in bowl. This again will give your mash a little more of a potato like texture. For best results, try to time your cauliflower up to finish around the time the meatballs and gravy are done, below.
Cook Meatballs
Preheat large cast iron pan (affiliate) over medium heat. Remove meatballs from the oven and dust with flour. Lightly shake the baking pan back and forth to cover the meatballs lightly. This will help to form a nice crust on the meatballs. Season the meatballs with salt and pepper and add avocado oil to pan. When pan is hot, add meatballs. I add the first one at the 12 o'clock position and work around clockwise to keep an eye on cooking. Cook until well seared on all sides, then remove to pan. Drain off excess fat, then add beef stock.
Cook beef stock until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Dredge a tablespoon of butter in flour and add to pan, stirring as it melts. Turn heat back on medium-low and stir for a couple minutes, until stock turns into a gravy-like viscosity. Add meatballs back into pan and stir in, cooking for another minute to bring back up to temp.
Place mashed cauliflower on the bottom of your plate, then place meatballs on top. Spoon over a little extra gravy. Garnish with freshly chopped chives and serve immediately.
What to serve with Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower
I like mine alongside a nice caesar salad (shown above). Some weeknight green beans could go well with it too, or maybe Lemon Parmesan Roasted Broccoli. Something green, for sure.
What do do with leftover Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower
This will keep pretty well in the fridge for a few days. A quick reheat in the mircowave will work okay. For best results (microwaves are weird, arrange mash in a circle on your plate, using a spoon to create a hole in the center. Heat it like this and it will heat evenly. Keeps for up to 5 days, doesn't freeze well.
Print
Awesome Healthy Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
Healthy doesn't have to meat flavorless. This easy to execute recipe for Meatballs over Mashed Cauliflower is super simple, but full of flavor in every bite. Juicy meatballs with a crisp crust, and flavor packed gravy spooned over delicious mashed cauliflower delivers a wonderful dinner recipe for you to try tonight!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 lb ground chuck
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp dill weed
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp cold butter (dipped and rolled in flour.)
- 1 cup beef stock
Mashed Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp butter (room temp.)
- 1 tbsp flour (for dusting)
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In large mixing bowl (affiliate), combine beef, egg, dry mustard, onion powder, minced garlic, diced shallot, dill weed and 2 tbsp freshly ground parmesan cheese. Combine well until fully mixed, about a minute. Roll mixture into one inch balls, about the size of a quarter. Place each ball on a baking sheet and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After about 20 minutes, begin steaming your cauliflower. Steam for 7-10 minutes, until just fork tender. When cauliflower has reached this point, reserve about ⅓ cup of the cauliflower and set aside.
- Add remaining cauliflower to food processor (affiliate) with butter, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse processor a few times, then run it for about 10-15 seconds, until cauliflower is so finely chopped it's turned into a mashed potato-like consistency. Remove from food processor (affiliate) and into a bowl.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the reserved cauliflower, and fold into mix in bowl. For best results, try to time this up to finish around the time the meatballs and gravy are done, below.
Cook Meatballs and Make Gravy
- Remove meatballs from fridge and dust with flour. Lightly shake the baking pan back and forth to cover the meatballs lightly. Season with salt and pepper and add avocado oil to pan. When pan is hot, add meatballs. Cook until well seared on all sides, then remove to pan.
- Drain off excess fat, then add beef stock. Cook beef stock until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Dredge a tablespoon of butter in flour and add to pan, stirring as it melts. Turn heat back on medium-low and stir for a couple minutes, until stock turns into a gravy-like viscosity.
- Add meatballs back into pan and stir in, cooking for another minute to bring back up to temp.
- Place mashed cauliflower on the bottom of your plate, then place meatballs on top. Spoon over a little extra gravy. Garnish with freshly chopped chives and serve immediately.
Notes
- Meatball size here is key. The perfect meatball size is about an inch in diameter, about the width of a quarter. You want to easily be able to fork a meatball while scooping some cauliflower and gravy all in one bite. For that, an inch is our goal.
- Another key here is cooking the Cauliflower to the right amount of tenderness. Steam it just until the point where a fork can easily pierce the stem without much resistance. Less and it won't mash well, most and it will turn to mush.
- I work flour in at a couple points in this recipe in a couple small pinches. This is obviously optional if you're looking to go totally carb free, but it really helps the flavor. Especially dusting the meatballs with flour before sauteing them in a pan. This gives them a super crisp crust, and locks in the juicy flavor of the meatball. It's well worth the small carb hit.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 meatballs & 1.5 cups cauliflower
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1606mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 101mg
Keywords: Meatballs, Keto, Family Dinner