This cauliflower fried rice recipe is made with fresh vegetables, eggs, cauliflower rice and seasonings, all cooked together to recreate the flavors of your favorite take out dish. The perfect healthier side dish with less carbs than traditional fried rice!
I make cauliflower fried rice when I’m trying to eat healthier, but still want to enjoy my favorite take out dishes. I pair this cauliflower rice with chicken lettuce wraps for a low carb meal that’s as good as what you would get in a restaurant.
Did anyone else get a little carb happy this holiday season? I love all of the carb filled holiday goodies just like anyone else, but now I’m ready to lighten things up a bit with this cauliflower fried rice! This dish has all the flavors of the classic fried rice with one change – I used cauliflower “rice” instead of regular rice.
What is cauliflower rice?
Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower that has been chopped into tiny pieces to resemble grains of rice. You can buy fresh cauliflower rice in bags in the produce area, make it yourself, or buy it in the freezer section.
How do you make cauliflower rice?
To make cauliflower rice, you’ll need to break apart a head of cauliflower into 2-3 inch sized pieces, then place the cauliflower pieces in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the cauliflower for 2-3 minutes or until the pieces are about the same size as a grain of rice. Cauliflower rice can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can freeze some for later use.
How to make cauliflower fried rice
For this recipe, you’ll need to start with some chopped carrots, onion and garlic, which get cooked until tender. The next step is to scramble up some eggs, then add in the cooked veggies, cauliflower rice and some frozen peas. This cauliflower fried rice is seasoned with both sesame oil and soy sauce for an authentic flavor. Add a sprinkling of green onions over the top, then serve and enjoy.
Cauliflower Fried Rice Variations
This is a basic recipe for cauliflower fried rice, you can add so many different ingredients to make it your own!
- Protein: Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu to the pan.
- Bacon: Sprinkle 1/3 cup of cooked crumbled bacon over the cauliflower rice.
- Greens: Stir in some kale or spinach leaves towards the end of the cooking time.
- Spicy: Add either crushed red pepper flakes or a few teaspoons of sriracha.
So here’s the thing – obviously cauliflower is not a 100% exact substitute for real rice. The flavors are spot on here, but the texture is slightly different only because the cauliflower is softer than rice. But it’s definitely a great way to get that take-out taste with a lot less calories and carbs!
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More low carb recipes
- Pizza Stuffed Chicken
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
- Garlic Steak Bites
- Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Cauliflower Fried Rice Video
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups of riced cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil divided use
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and carrot to the pan, cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the vegetables from the pan, place them on a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Pour the remaining teaspoon of oil into the pan; add the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up with a spatula until the eggs are scrambled and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the cauliflower rice, reserved cooked veggies and frozen peas to the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and cook until cauliflower has just softened, 4-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with sliced green onions.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 2, 2017 and was updated on March 12, 2019 with new content.
Alison says
This is super flavorful and delicious! Better than the unhealthy fried rice you’d get for take-out.
Tara says
Oh wow! Such a fun way to use cauliflower. This sounds absolutely amazing paired with the lettuce wraps. I love all the color from the variety of vegetables and egg.