If you’re looking for a low carb dinner idea, you’re going to love this guide on how to make cauliflower fried rice! Ready in just 15 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients, this keto rice has become a favorite in our house (and our community loves it too, see comments!)
I resisted hopping on the cauliflower bandwagon for a while. But with so many friends (and the general internet) going keto crazy, I thought I’d give the cauliflower faux recipes a try. And let me tell you, they do not disappoint.
The Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes” were fluffy and creamy. The Cauliflower Pizza Crust held up to my critical pizza test. And don’t get me started on the Cauliflower Smoothie (not even joking, friends).
And so today I’m sharing one of the easiest low carb recipe swaps, Cauliflower Fried Rice!
Reader rating
“Five star. I’ll make this my go to from now on. Only addition I made was celery. You would never know you were eating cauliflower.” —Judy
Ingredients for Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower is the low carb foundation of this fried rice. Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor or grate them with a box grater to create “rice”! You could also try adding in a bit of broccoli rice for a pop of color!
- Flavor Foundation: Onion and garlic bring instant Asian flavor. Feel free to throw in fresh ginger if you have it!
- Veggies: As if there isn’t already enough vegetable deliciousness here, we’ll add chopped carrots and frozen peas to spice things up and add some color.
- Eggs: Eggs help to make this recipe to be even more filling. To make a vegan cauliflower stir fry, swap out the eggs for scrambled tofu.
- Finish it off: Drizzle with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil at the end for a final punch of smoky, umami flavor. (Gluten-free? Here are some soy sauce replacements!)
Can you use frozen cauliflower rice?
Not feeling like ricing the cauliflower yourself? Store bought cauliflower rice works well in this recipe and cuts down on prep time! You’ll need about 4 cups of cauliflower rice to replace the amount you get from a head of cauliflower. Just be sure to use a large enough pan so that steam can escape while cooking – store bought tends to be more wet.
How to make cauliflower Rice
Making this Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe might even be easier than traditional fried rice, because there’s no boiling involved! First, you’ll turn your cauliflower into rice. There are three ways of doing this:
- Food processor (my preferred method)
- Box grater
- By hand with a knife
Here’s our guide to making cauliflower rice using all of these methods (the recipe card below includes instructions for using your food processor!)
How do you keep cauliflower rice from getting mushy?
There are a few causes for mushy cauliflower rice, so when cooking your Cauliflower Fried Rice, avoid these pitfalls:
- Don’t overcook the rice! It should be cooked briefly, just until tender
- Make it homemade. I’ve found that while store bought cauliflower rice is convenient, it’s often much more wet than when you make your own cauliflower rice.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your cauliflower rice doesn’t have a large surface area for steam to escape, it can become soggy. Use the largest skillet or wok you have, and avoid using a pot, which could trap the moisture.
Ok but…does cauliflower rice taste good?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: yesssssss. The taste of cauliflower is enhanced by the flavor combination of garlic, onion, and veggies, along with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce. The result is a low carb fried rice that’s packed with flavor (but way less carbs).
How to store cauliflower fried rice
Cauliflower Fried Rice will last 4 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also freeze it in a freezer safe container for a few months! When ready to eat, just let it thaw then saute until hot and fluffy.
Serving Ideas
I use this in a Cauliflower Rice Meal Prep (complete with crispy tofu and sriracha mayo). Lunch just got real tasty. It would also be great served alongside these low carb PF Changs Lettuce Wraps!
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 30 mL
- 1 cup diced white onion about ½ an onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup diced carrots diced
- 1 cup frozen peas 150 g
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup soy sauce for a gluten-free option use tamari, 60 mL
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 5 mL
Instructions
- Rice: Cut 1 head cauliflower into chunks and throw into a food processor. Blitz briefly, just a few times until “rice” forms. (You will probably need to do this in batches!)
- Flavor Makers: In a large saute pan or wok, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced white onion, 1 cup diced carrots, and 4 cloves garlic, cooking until carrot is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Veggies: Stir in cauliflower rice and 1 cup frozen peas. Cover and cook until cauliflower rice is slightly tender, about 5 more minutes.
- Egg: Make a hole in the middle of the mixture so you can see the bottom of the wok. If not using a nonstick pan, spritz the center with a little oil. Crack 2 eggs into the middle of the hole and scramble them, then stir to evenly combine with everything else.
- Serve: Stir in ¼ cup soy sauce and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Serve hot.
Tomie Lee Edwards says
LOVED this recipe UNTIL the carrots and peas which are NOT KETO friendly. I will be doing the rice but NO peas and carrots.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip, Tomie!
Judy Hawkins says
Five star. I’ll make this my go to from now on. Only addition I made was celery. You would never know you were eating cauliflower.
Sarah says
Yay! So happy to hear you liked it, Judy! 😀
Nicole says
Can you use the already made frozen rice cauliflower? If so, is it as good?
Sarah says
Great question, Nicole! I haven’t tried it so I’m not completely sure, but I think it would work. Would love to hear how it goes if you try it out! 😀
Grace says
Any tips for swapping the frozen peas with canned?!?
Sarah says
That should be fin! Just rinse them well before adding 🙂
Heidi says
How much is one serving? A Cup?
Sarah says
It depends on the size of your cauliflower, so a serving is about 1/4 of the recipe 🙂
barbara says
This is the first time trying this, and while I was making it my daughter was arguing the whole time that she wasn’t going to eat it. When we sat down to eat she actually asked for second and requested to have it again tomorrow night. I couldn’t believe my ears. Thank you so much.
Sarah says
I love reading comments like this! So happy to hear she liked it, Barbara. Enjoy!
Kortneii MacKenzie says
So freakin easy and delicious! Wow I can’t believe I was apprehensive about cauliflower rice ever. I don’t want to stop eating it!🙌 thanks for sharing.
Heidi says
Excellent. My husband added chicken, broccoli and corn. Delicious 😋
Michelle says
This was so so good! I will definitely make it again and a bigger batch for leftovers!
Della says
Delicious! I followed the recipe except before serving, I used some Yum Yum Sauce.
Sarah Bond says
Yummm! Thanks for letting me know how it went, Della! Enjoy! 😀
Kitty says
This was yummy! We had it with a crockpot Mongolian Beef recipe. I added black pepper. My husband added garlic chili sauce for heat. We will definitely make this fried cauliflower rice again and again! Easy and tasty!
Damu says
Very very good!
Emily says
Thought I’d try this for my fiancé and I.
I get funny looks when I try different recipes like this, but he actually quite enjoyed it.
He thinks it’s missing something, though, so might add some shredded chicken next time and perhaps some tomatoes.
I’m very much new to cooking (properly, from scratch), so this was a lovely meal to start off with from this website. Thanks!