Cauliflower Fried Rice
Cauliflower fried riceĀ is a healthier alternative to traditional fried rice. Itās aĀ low carbĀ and vegetarianĀ dishĀ that is great as a side for your favorite take-out-inspiredĀ dishes.
Iāve shared my obsession with cauliflower, and Iām using it a lot to lighten up some of my favoriteĀ dishesĀ like fried rice.
Traditional fried riceĀ is made with day-old leftover rice, but when you substitute cauliflower for the rice, you donāt have to wait for the rice to dry out. Plus, itāsĀ low-carbĀ but with all of the sameĀ flavors.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower rice
- Beaten largeĀ eggs
- Chopped fresh green beans
- Cooking oil spray
- MincedĀ garlicĀ cloves
- Soy sauce
- SaltĀ andĀ pepper
- Chopped bellĀ peppers
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Cauliflower rice:Ā You can rice your ownĀ cauliflower floretsĀ or you can buy frozen or freshĀ cauliflower riceĀ at the grocery store. I make so manyĀ cauliflower riceĀ recipes that I usually buy it frozen. You can also make your ownĀ cauliflower riceĀ with aĀ food processorĀ orĀ box grater.
How to Make It
Lightly coat a wok or largeĀ panĀ with cooking oil spray and heat it overĀ medium-high heat.
Add theĀ garlicĀ to theĀ panĀ and cook it until fragrant. This usually takes 30 seconds. Add the green beans andĀ stir-fryĀ them until they are almost cooked through.
Add the cauliflower and bellĀ peppersĀ and mix in theĀ soy sauce,Ā salt, andĀ pepper. Cook until everything isĀ tenderĀ and cooked through.
Move theĀ ingredientsĀ to the side of theĀ panĀ to make room to cook theĀ eggs. Add the beatenĀ eggsĀ to the empty space andĀ scrambleĀ them.
When they are close to being cooked, combine them withĀ cauliflower riceĀ and stir to mix everything together. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and itās ready to serve.
Recipe Tips
Use a wok or largeĀ skilletĀ to make yourĀ cauliflower fried riceĀ so you have plenty of space to cook everything.
This is a vegetarian cauliflower fried rice recipe, and I used green beans, bell peppers, and garlic. Other vegetables like snow peas, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and green peas work well, too. Depending on the kind of vegetables you add, you may need to cook them longer. You can also add tofu, too.
If you want to add a meat protein, chicken, beef, and shrimp are great. If your meat is already cooked, you can just add it at the end of the cooking time to warm it through. If it is raw, you will want to cook it first and add the vegetables after.
This is a quick recipe, so be sure to prep all of your ingredients before you start cooking.
DoesĀ cauliflower riceĀ tasteĀ like regular rice?
Cauliflower riceĀ looks like regular rice, but theĀ tasteĀ is different. Raw cauliflower has a mildĀ flavor, but when itās cooked theĀ flavorĀ turns a little nutty and sweet.
Like rice,Ā cauliflower riceĀ will easily absorb otherĀ flavorsĀ you add to theĀ dish, masking most of the cauliflowerĀ flavor, so it does work in a variety ofĀ dishes.
As far as texture,Ā cauliflower riceĀ is not that different from regular rice. As long as you donāt overcook it, it has a slightly chewy and firm texture.
Variations
There are quite a few ways to change thisĀ dish. You donāt have to make it the same way twice just by switching theĀ ingredientsĀ and addingĀ garnishes.
- Vegetables:Ā Any stir fry veggies you like will work in cauliflower fried rice. The only thing that might be different is how long it takes to cook them. Frozen peas, chopped broccoli florets, chopped red bell pepper, and mushrooms are all good.
- Protein:Ā You can also add cookedĀ chickenĀ breast, Chinese BBQ pork, and sliced cooked steak. Or try adding some cookedĀ shrimp.
- OtherĀ flavors: GrateĀ some freshĀ gingerĀ into the rice or add a littleĀ rice vinegarĀ orĀ sesame oil.
- Garnishes:Ā For serving, you can add a sprinkle ofĀ sesame seeds, slicedĀ green onions, or choppedĀ scallions.
MainĀ DishĀ Ideas
I like to pair this lightened-up fried rice with my healthier orangeĀ chicken, Mongolian beef, and sheetĀ panĀ beef and broccoli. It goes with pretty much anyĀ takeout-style recipesĀ you like!
Storage Tips
Leftovers keep really well, so I like to make cauliflower fried rice for meal prep. You can make a batch, let it cool, and then store it in meal prep containers. It will keep for up to four days in the fridge.
For me, even though itās not exactly the same, cauliflower rice is a great way to eat some of my favorite dishes without all the guilt. I love that you can make it with a variety of ingredients, so itās a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Itās also really great if you like toĀ meal prep.
MoreĀ Cauliflower RiceĀ Recipes
- GarlicĀ Cauliflower Rice
- ParmesanĀ Cauliflower Rice
- MexicanĀ Cauliflower Rice
- Cilantro-LimeĀ Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cupĀ chopped fresh green beans
- PAM oil spray
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into florets and steam until just cooked but not too soft. Place into food processor and pulse a few times until they resemble grains of rice. Careful not to pulse too much or it will turn into a mash. I pulsed mine about 5 times.
- Using a wok or large pan for stir fry, lightly coat with PAM spray and turn stove to medium-high heat. Add in garlic and cook until they begin to brown and aroma of garlic comes out. Add in green beans or any other ingredients you are adding which might take slightly longer to cook. Stir-fry until almost done. Add in the cauliflower, bell peppers. Mix in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper. Cook until everything is done.
- When everything is cooked, shift it to the side and then add beaten eggs to the empty side of the wok. Swirl the eggs to break them up and scramble them. When they are close to being cooked, add them back with the rice. Continue to stir and cook until everything is cooked and combined. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese. You can also garnish with fresh chopped scallions.
My first attempt could almost Ā be called an epic fail, but it does taste great. Ā it helps to make sure that the food processor is turned to Off before use. Ā Makes for better pulsing, less mashing.
yikes! yes make sure your food processor is off first!
I think you should write a cauliflower cook book š I saw this recipe many years ago and have been wanting to try it. I don’t have a food processor though – can you suggest another method for those who don’t have one? I’d make my version with Chinese sausage and shitake mushrooms I think!Ā
i guess you can try chopping it yourself but it would be quite a pain to do