Low carb, Vegan, and Gluten-Free, this delicious Mexican Cauliflower Rice screams flavor. Not a cauliflower fan? This recipe will change it for you.
Looking for more interesting Cauliflower recipes, then try this – Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup, Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Easy Asian Cauliflower Rice, and Cauliflower Cheese Sauce.
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About This Recipe
Cauliflower Rice is basically cauliflower florets chopped into fine pieces that resemble rice grains. It is a healthy, high in fiber and low carb alternative to regular rice and can be used to make preparations in which rice is used.
To be frank, I was a little skeptical about the taste when I made this Asian Cauliflower Rice, but one spoonful, and I was in love with this concept. So cauliflower rice tastes good surprisingly. You have to try it once to believe it. This is all I can say!
Now that we know what is Cauliflower Rice, let’s talk about the Mexican version of the same.
In this recipe, the finely grated or chopped Cauliflower is sautéed along with garlic, onion, Jalapeno pepper, bell peppers, peas, corn, carrot, tomato puree, salt, pepper powder, cumin powder, and paprika, all the Mexican flavors in one bowl!
It hardly takes any time to prepare this dish, and thus it is great for your everyday dinner meals. You can even pack it in your Lunch Box.
All in all, making this flavourful cauliflower rice doesn’t take more than 30 minutes. So, serving it this on a lazy weekend day or for a busy weekday is surely a great idea. It is also low in carbs, thus great for those weight watchers.
So if you have fresh cauliflower florets and bell peppers at home, Don’t wait and get the ball rolling to make this delicious recipe.
Want to try some more Mexican recipes? Then, try these ones – Horchata, Refried Bean Dip, Moist Mexican Cornbread, Mexican Couscous, One Pan Mexican Quinoa, and Salsa Chicken.
This Cauliflower Rice is
- Low Carb
- Grain-Free
- Vegan
- Keto-friendly
- Paleo
- Customizable
- Super easy to make
- Quick to make
Ingredients
Cauliflower Rice – You can either use store-bought cauliflower rice or make the same at home using fresh cauliflower.
I have mentioned below how to prepare it at home. So if you have extra time on your hands, you can make it in bulk and store it in the freezer.
Vegetables – Along with cauliflower, this low carb dish is loaded with vegetables such as Jalapeno pepper, bell peppers, peas, corn, and carrot. You can add in more vegetables of your choice in the same to make it extra filling and wholesome.
Tomato Puree – Add in some tomato puree, which provides it that tart and tangy taste. You can use homemade tomato puree or even the store-bought one.
Garlic & Onion – Garlic adds a nice flavor to this rice recipe, so do not miss on this one. Also, add in some onions, that adds a nice crunch in the Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe.
Spices – Add in pepper, paprika, cumin powder, and salt to further enhance the taste of the same. You can adjust the amount of paprika as per your taste and preference.
Oil – Use good quality olive oil for this dish. If not olive oil, you can even use vegetable oil or butter.
Step By Step Recipe
Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash them well. Put it in a food processor and pulse until it is broken down into rice-like pieces.
Heat olive oil in a large pan. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and onion and fry till onion turns pinkish.
Add the riced cauliflower and fry for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring gently.
Add Jalapeno pepper, bell peppers, peas, corn, and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Now add tomato puree, salt, pepper powder, cumin powder and paprika.
Cover the pan and cook the cauliflower rice on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cook for 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although these days, you get packed cauliflower rice ready to be cooked in most grocery stores, it’s super easy and very economical to make it at home.
All you need is a cauliflower head and a food processor. Cut the cauliflower in small florets.
Heat water in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Add the florets in boiling water and drain them in a minute. This will make sure that if there are any insects hidden inside the florets, they die and float on top of the water. You can then remove them and drain the water.
Add the florets in the food processor and pulse until they cut into very small, rice-sized pieces.
If you don’t have a food processor, fret not. You can easily make it using a simple grater.
Just grate the cauliflower on the medium grate and you are good to go. I suggest not using a blender to make it because it will make a paste of the cauliflower which we don’t want.
Cauliflower rice is a high fiber and low carb alternative to the regular price. It is packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
People following vegan, paleo, whole 30 diets can also have it. You should read about this Cauliflower Recipe to know more about it.
To make a Keto Version of Mexican Cauliflower Rice, heat oil in a skillet and brown the ground beef.
Then follow the recipe as mentioned below. At last, sprinkle some grated cheese on top and let the rice cook until the cheese melts. You can use any ground meat of your choice in place of beef. You can also choose to skip the cheese if you want rice with only meat.
Storage Suggestions
This Low Carb Mexican Cauliflower Rice will last for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Store it in an air tight container. Make sure you close the container properly after every serving.
You can make the rice in bulk and freeze in freezer-safe bags. Before using, just thaw for an hour.
It can be easily reheated in a microwave. You can even heat this in a pan with a little oil.
Serving Suggestions
This rice is a one-pot meal that tastes delicious in itself, but you can use it as a base to top with a spicy stew or curry, use it in tacos or burritos, or even in a fajita salad.
You can even make Cabbage Tacos and fill this Cauliflower Rice into the cabbages.
You can also serve it along with a piece of grilled chicken, shrimps, or avocado.
To make this rice more filling, you can top it with a half fried egg, avocados, blistered corn, and tomatoes.
A dollop of sour cream goes a long way.
A little garnish of Jalapeno and cilantro makes it even more inviting.
Pro Tips by Neha
Use a food processor or a grater to make the cauliflower rice. Using these will ensure that the result is rice-like and not a paste of cauliflower.
You can increase or decrease the amount of paprika according to your liking.
Add Shrimps, shredded chicken, or eggs to your rice if you wish to.
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Recipe Card
Mexican Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium Cauliflower
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic (Finely Chopped)
- 1 cup Onion (Chopped)
- 1 Pickled jalapeno (Chopped)
- ¼ cup Red Bell pepper (Chopped)
- ¼ cup Yellow Bell Pepper (Chopped)
- ¼ cup Peas
- ¼ cup Corn
- ¼ cup Carrot (Chopped)
- ¼ cup Tomato (Puree)
- Salt to taste
- ½ tsp Black Pepper Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Paprika
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets and wash it well.
- Put it in a food processor and pulse until it is broken down into rice like pieces.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add garlic and onion and fry till onion turns pinkish.
- Add the riced cauliflower and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Keep stirring gently.
- Add Jalapeno pepper, bell peppers, peas, corn and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, salt, pepper powder, cumin powder and paprika.
- Cover the pan and cook the cauliflower rice on low heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Top with cilantro and sour cream.
- Serve hot.
