If you're aiming to cut carbs or just want a tasty way to add more vegetables to your diet, this Easy Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice is perfect. It's low-carb, delicious, and quick, and easy to prepare!
My Inspiration
My husband was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic and advised to reduce carbs and sugars. With all the buzz around cauliflower rice, I decided to give it a try as a substitute for plain rice. However, plain cauliflower rice tastes, well, like cauliflower—which isn’t my favorite. So, I got to work creating the best-tasting cauliflower rice recipes. This Easy Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice is the first of many I've perfected, and it’s one of the easiest, tastiest, and most versatile. So, cauliflower rice it is!
Why do you want to make this delicious low-carb Mexican-style cauliflower Rice?
Here are 3 reasons to make this Easy Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice recipe:
- Low-Carb and Healthy: It's a perfect substitute for regular rice if you're cutting carbs or managing conditions like diabetes, without sacrificing flavor.
- Quick and Easy: This recipe is simple to prepare, making it a convenient option for busy weeknights or meal prepping.
- Versatile and Delicious: The bold Mexican flavors make it a great side dish that pairs well with a variety of meals, while still being tasty enough to enjoy on its own!
Since they share similar flavors, Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice could easily be called Spanish Style Cauliflower Rice. In fact, this recipe was inspired by my Spanish-style Chicken and Rice, also known as Arroz con Pollo. And while it's spicer than my recipe for Authentic Mexican Style Rice, the flavors and methods are easily interchangeable.
Jump to:
- My Inspiration
- Why do you want to make this delicious low-carb Mexican-style cauliflower Rice?
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fresh, Frozen, or Pre-Packaged Cauliflower? That is the question.
- Step-by-Step Instructions (Using Fresh Cauliflower)
- Who Reaps the Benefits?
- FAQ
- Variations
- Storage
- Related
- Serve with:
- Easy Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice - Low-Carb and Delicious
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is what you need to make this recipe for Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice
- Riced Cauliflower - Fresh, packaged, frozen
- Fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice - If you want less spicy, you can use regular canned diced tomato
- Fresh Vegetables - Onion, bell peppers (use any color or a combination of colors)
- Jalapeno or Serrano Peppers - The main heat is in the seeds and the membranes, so remove them if you want a milder flavor
- Garlic
- Spices - Chili Power, oregano, and cumin (salt and pepper not pictured)
Fresh, Frozen, or Pre-Packaged Cauliflower? That is the question.
While any of these preparations will work with this recipe, keep the following in mind:
Here are 3 main differences between cooking fresh, frozen, and pre-packaged cauliflower rice:
- Texture:
- Fresh cauliflower rice tends to have the best texture, staying firm with a slight bite.
- Frozen cauliflower rice can become softer or watery when cooked due to the moisture from freezing.
- Pre-packaged (fresh, not frozen) cauliflower rice generally retains a good texture, but generally is more expensive than fresh and may not be as crisp as freshly grated.
- Cooking Time:
- Fresh cauliflower rice requires the longest cooking time, about 5-7 minutes.
- Frozen cooks quicker, usually in 3-5 minutes, but you may need to drain excess water.
- Pre-packaged cauliflower rice cooks in a similar time frame to fresh, around 5 minutes, but needs less prep.
- Flavor:
- Fresh cauliflower rice has the most vibrant flavor.
- Frozen cauliflower can sometimes taste a bit muted due to the freezing process.
- Pre-packaged cauliflower rice often has a neutral flavor but can vary based on freshness and packaging methods.
Step-by-Step Instructions (Using Fresh Cauliflower)
- Remove all green leaves from a fresh head of cauliflower and cut it in half. (Half a head makes enough cauliflower rice to serve 4 as a side dish. Store the remaining half, covered, in the refrigerator for future use.)
- Roughly chop the half head of cauliflower into florets.
- You can make cauliflower rice with a box grater, but I find using a mini food processor is much easier.
- Chop, using on/off pulses, until it resembles rice kernels.
Add a teaspoon of olive or other heart-healthy oil to a saute pan set over medium heat. Add the aromatics, onion, peppers, jalapeno, and garlic.
Saute, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and some of their juices are given up.
Stir in the riced cauliflower along with the spices, mix well.
Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular tomatoes if going for the milder version) along with a bit of water, if the mix seems to dry. Simmer over low heat for 7 - 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower rice is tender, but firm.
The basic cooking methods for cauliflower rice work for all types, but the key differences are cooking time and moisture. Fresh cauliflower rice typically cooks faster with less liquid release, while frozen cauliflower rice may need a bit more time and can release extra water, which might dilute the flavor. Adjust cooking times and drain excess liquid as needed for the best texture and taste.
Who Reaps the Benefits?
- Low-carb dieters (e.g., keto, Atkins): Cauliflower rice is low in carbs compared to regular rice.
- Diabetics: Its lower glycemic index helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.
- Calorie-conscious individuals: Cauliflower rice has fewer calories, great for those looking to reduce calorie intake.
- Gluten-sensitive individuals: It's naturally gluten-free.
- Vegetable enthusiasts: A great way to sneak in more veggies while maintaining a rice-like texture.
FAQ
The average head of cauliflower, weighing about 2 pounds, will yield about 6 cups of riced cauliflower.
Yes, you can use any color of cauliflower—white, yellow, purple, or orange—in this recipe. However, keep in mind that the more exotic colors tend to be pricier than white cauliflower. Also, with the addition of spices and tomato sauce, the vibrant colors won't stand out much, so the visual impact will be minimal.
No, cauliflower rice cannot fully replace regular rice in all recipes. It doesn’t absorb liquids like gravy or sauces in the same way white or brown rice does. While cauliflower rice can be flavored and works well in recipes like stir-fries or this Mexican-style dish, it lacks the absorbent qualities of regular rice. However, it's great for adding bulk to soups, stews, or casseroles without the carbs of traditional rice.No.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish, or use a spicier pepper such as banana or habanero peppers
- Milder- use plain diced tomato instead of the spicier fire-roasted tomato
- More Vegetably - Add toasted or roasted corn to the mix for a taste and texture. change. Or try some added diced squash, zucchini would work very well with this dish
- top with chopped cilantro
Storage
- Fresh Cauliflower Rice: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Cooked Cauliflower Rice: Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Frozen Cauliflower Rice: Store for up to 6 months in the freezer. Freeze in airtight bags to avoid freezer burn.
Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture before storing fresh cauliflower rice, and reheat on the stovetop to avoid sogginess.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Serve with:
These are some of my favorite dishes to serve with Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice:
Easy Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice - Low-Carb and Delicious
Equipment
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 4 cups riced cauliflower Fresh, pre-packaged, or frozen
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or as needed
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup diced bell pepper red, yellow, or orange (do NOT use green for its strong vegative flavor)
- ¼ cup finely minced jalapeno or serrano, or combination about 1 large jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder Gebhardts preferred
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed between your fingers, or to taste
- ¾ cu fire-roasted tomatoes with juice or regular diced tomato, I like to chop my slightly in the mini-processor so they are not large chunks of tomato
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set a medium-large saute pan over a medium-high heat; add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the aromatics (onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic, saute until soft.
- Once the aromatic are soft, add the riced cauliflower and saute for 2 - 3 minutes, then add the spices. Stir the spice in well, then add the diced tomatoes with their juice. Cook over medium-heat until the cauliflower is tender, 5 - 7 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep the cauliflower moist. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
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