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Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice

This Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a savory side dish to complement any low carb Mexican dish. Especially if you've been struggling to make cauliflower rice a part of your diet, you NEED to try this recipe!

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I've made very clear my love for Mexican food. In my opinion, it's one of the best cuisines available because it's usually pretty quick to make, extremely flavorful, and satisfying.

Just look at the Keto Chicken Enchilada Bowl or the Cheese Shell Taco Cups. DELICIOUS.

But most foods that you would either order at a Mexican restaurant, or prepare at home without a low-carb diet contain more of the carby, non-keto friendly ingredients like flour, corn, and beans. Thankfully, there are plenty of easy swaps that can take care of your cravings without the need to miss out on all the goodness.

That's where today's recipe comes in.

Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice

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Cauliflower has been increasingly popular, even outside of keto circles as a rice replacement for people who are generally trying to eat healthier. And for good reason! It might not be your favorite, but it is a low carb vegetable with plenty of nutrients to fill you up and make you feel good.

I agree, cauliflower can take some getting used to...and it's generally pretty plain. But the upside of the blandness is how easy it is to customize the flavors and really make it your own.

With just a few simple ingredients, and one skillet you can turn plain riced cauliflower into a steaming, savory, crowd-pleasing keto side dish.

Here's the nutrition info for a one cup serving:

Calories: 117
Total Carbs: 11g
Fiber: 4g
Net Carbs: 7g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 7g

Cauliflower and tomatoes are on the higher end of carb counts for vegetables that keto followers generally find acceptable. One tip to lower the carb count is to just bring down the serving size. You might find that one cup is more than you need, especially if you're pairing this dish more satisfying goodness.

Here's how I made it!

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Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

3.5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Hey Keto Mama
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x

Description

This Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a savory side dish to complement any low carb Mexican dish. Especially if you've been struggling to make cauliflower rice a part of your diet, you NEED to try this recipe!


Ingredients

Scale

4 cups fresh riced cauliflower (about 1 medium head)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup onion, chopped

1 small jalapeno, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili powder

salt & pepper, to taste

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

diced tomato, optional

sour cream, optional


Instructions

  1. Remove core and leaves from cauliflower. Cut into florets and pulse in food processor or use grater. Set aside.
  2. In skillet, over medium heat, add coconut oil and tomato paste. As coconut oil melts, gently mix with tomato paste.
  3. Add onion and jalapeno to pan. Cook until the mixture begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add garlic to pan and sir for 30 seconds, then pour in chicken broth.
  5. Add riced cauliflower to pan. Sprinkle salt and chili powder over cauliflower and gently fold into broth until coated and red.
  6. Continue cooking cauliflower until most moisture in the pan has evaporated and cauliflower is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
  7. Turn off heat and fold in cilantro. Serve with diced tomatoes, sour cream, and additional cilantro, if desired.

Notes

You can use frozen cauliflower, but you may need to reduce the amount of broth.

Nutrition info does not include optional toppings.

Please note that I am not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information that is discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates based on NET carbs. If nutrition is important to you, I highly encourage you to verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 117 Calories
  • Fat: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 11g Total Carbs, 7g Net Carbs
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 4g

 

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Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

aphia stanwood

Monday 30th of December 2019

Cumin and a squeeze of lemon or lime is needed as well

Alex

Tuesday 30th of October 2018

Made this tonight with the chicken enchiladas recipe! So yummy!! I didn’t have fresh cauliflower on hand, so I used the frozen already riced kind and it worked very well. I cooked the frozen cauliflower rice in the microwave for a bit, then I sautéed it with a tab of butter for about 7 minutes to get some moisture out, then proceeded with the rest of the ingredients. Turned out so so good and still had a little bit of a crunch (not mushy and yucky.)

Dee

Wednesday 22nd of August 2018

I'm new to keto. I found this recipe bland as written. I ended up using the prep method I would use for my traditional Mexican rice. Sauteing the onion, garlic and jalapeno in the oil, then sweating the spices with the onion, garlic and jalapeno , along with some fajita spice (recipe at Genius kitchen), then I added the riced cauliflower and bouillon rather than broth. I covered and stirred occasionally, until tender and all liquids were evaporated. We then had a delicious rice substitute.

Jenny

Wednesday 16th of February 2022

@Dee, Can you explain how to "sweat" the spices? Sounds like something I'd hear on a cooking show!! I have no idea how though!

Karen L Veloz

Saturday 15th of February 2020

I did the same thing and it came out pretty good. Even the hubby agreed it was pretty tasty.