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About This Recipe
Cauliflower rice is one of my favorite high volume foods. You can eat a lot per serving size while keeping calories low, making it a great option when you are in a pinch and trying to stay on track for your nutrition goals. It also absorbs flavor so well that you can use it in almost any dish!
This Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is fresh, flavorful, and insanely delicious! It’s a great base for protein packed dishes, makes a tasty side, and is a wonderful substitute for regular rice in other recipes.
It’s a perfect low carb alternative for my Salsa Verde Chicken Bowls or my Carnitas Burrito Bowls!
The hardest part of making this rice is grating the cauliflower, which really isn’t too bad at all. Just requires a little elbow grease. 😉 Everything else comes together quickly and easily.
And if you’re looking for a similar recipe with regular rice, check out my Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice!
Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Requires only a handful of ingredients.
- Super simple & easy to make!
- It’s a great low carb, low calorie alternative to rice.
- A voluminous, filling side that will leave you feeling satisfied.
- Absolutely delicious and full of flavor!
- Extremely versatile. You can pair this rice with so many kinds of meals!
- Cauliflower rice – I recommend making fresh cauliflower rice with a head of cauliflower and a grater (or food processor!) This will have the best taste and texture. However, you can use frozen cauliflower rice if needed.
- Onion
- Jalapeno – Adds great flavor. As long as you de-seed the jalapeño, your rice will NOT be spicy!
- Lime – We’ll use the zest and juice for a powerful flavor punch.
- Cilantro – Adds the most amazing sharp freshness.
- Other flavor enhancers: Minced garlic, chicken or vegetable broth, and salt will help make this rice super flavorful.
How To Make
- Rice the cauliflower.
- Sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño in pan until soft.
- Add cauliflower rice, chicken or vegetable broth, cilantro, and lime.
- Serve up and enjoy!
To Rice Cauliflower
- Food processor: Cut the cauliflower head into florets and then pulse in a blender or food processor for a couple of seconds at a time. If you do this in a blender, you may need to work in batches so the cauliflower at the bottom doesn’t get soggy.
- Grater: If you don’t own a blender or food processor, you can use a box grater and grate the cauliflower using the large holes normally used to grate cheese.
- Buy packaged fresh riced cauliflower: You can buy fresh cauliflower rice. This would probably be the best and quickest option. I know Trader Joe’s and some other grocery stores sell it prepackaged.
- Use frozen: I recommend using fresh cauliflower rice if you can, but frozen will still be delicious. Frozen and fresh have the same weight, so use same amount of grams. The actual cup size may be off. (If you’re using a kitchen scale, you don’t have to worry about that anyway.) No need to heat it up first, either. Adding the frozen rice to the pan works just fine. You may just need to cook it for a few extra minutes.
What should I eat cilantro lime cauliflower rice with?
There are so many options to enjoy this cauliflower rice! Serve as a side with any dish (especially Mexican dish). Or, use this cauliflower rice as a base and top with your favorite protein and roasted vegetables.
How do I store this cauliflower rice?
Store leftover cauliflower rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
What kind of cauliflower rice should I use for this recipe?
I recommend making fresh cauliflower rice with a head of cauliflower and a grater (or food processor!) This will have the best taste and texture. However, you can use frozen cauliflower rice if needed.
More Healthy Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love
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Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15g)
- 1/2 cup large onion (100g) chopped
- 1 garlic clove (5g) minced
- 1 jalapeño deseeded & chopped (optional)
- 3 cups riced cauliflower (325g) about 1 medium head
- 2 Tbsp chicken or vegetable broth (30g)
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- Zest from 1/2 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped and divided
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
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Instructions
- In a large skillet, add olive oil and set to medium heat.. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until they become soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic jalapeño and cook for a minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Stir continuously. Add the cauliflower to the skillet and stir to mix everything together well.
- Stir in the broth, salt, zest, and half of the cilantro. Turn the heat up to high and cook for another minute. The high heat will draw out excess moisture in the cauliflower so it doesn’t get too mushy. Lower the heat again and add the lime juice. Mix in to the rice well.
- Taste and season with more salt as needed. Stir in the remaining cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
