Instant Pot Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients

• 2 lb. chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup chicken stock or water
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 cup cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 cup + 3 T grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 slices + 1 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup + 1 T diagonally sliced green onions
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Chop the cauliflower into largish pieces that are all close to the same size. (You can use them stem and core for this too.)
2. Put steamer basket (affiliate link) or other insert that will hold the cauliflower into the Instant Pot with 1 cup chicken stock or water. Put cauliflower on top of the basket.
3. Cook on MANUAL, HIGH PRESSURE, 2 minutes, let it natural release for 1 minute, and then quick release. Keep the Instant Pot on KEEP WARM setting.
4. While the cauliflower cooks, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook until crisp, draining well and blotting off the fat as much as you prefer when it’s done. (I used pre-cooked bacon from Costco and cooked it for a little over a minute in the microwave, then blotted off most of the fat.)
5. Measure out the butter, cubed cream cheese, and grated cheese, and thinly slice the green onion.
6. Set aside some of the grated cheese, bacon, and green onions to garnish the finished dish.
7. Drain the cooked cauliflower into a colander placed in the sink and put the stainless steel inner pot back into the Instant pot. Let the cauliflower drain well, then put it back into the inner pot with the butter.
8. Use an Immersion Blender (affiliate link) to puree cauliflower to your desired consistency. (You can probably do this with a hand mixer (affiliate link), or even mash with a potato masher (affiliate link), but I have only tried it with the Immersion Blender.)
9. When the cauliflower is as mashed as you prefer, add the cream cheese and 1 cup of grated sharp cheddar and stir them into the cauliflower until cream cheese and cheese is mostly melted. Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.
10. Then add most of the crumbled bacon and the 1/4 cup green onions and stir into the cauliflower. Check to see if the cauliflower is as hot as you’d like it, and if not cook for a minute or two on SAUTE/LOW to heat the cauliflower. (Be careful; if you heat too long or use too high of heat it will scorch on the bottom of the stainless steel pot.)
11. Serve hot, with the rest of the grated cheese, bacon, and green onion sprinkled over the top
12. TO COOK IN A PAN ON TOP OF THE STOVE: