This easy recipe for Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice adds a lot more flavor to your meal. It’s a low carb, gluten free side dish that pairs well with any meal that you’d normally serve rice with.
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If you’re following a low carb or keto diet, or just trying to cut carbs and squeeze more vegetables into your diet, you’ve probably found yourself reaching for cauliflower...a lot.
It’s an awesome substitute for potatoes, rice, and other carbohydrate-heavy foods. But, it’s easy to grow tired of cauliflower.
This recipe for Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice is a simple way to add more flavor to your cauliflower.
It’s a great side dish for recipes like Pan Seared Chicken with Coconut Cilantro Sauce or as a base for recipes such as this one for Coconut Curry Chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is super quick and easy – the way that vegetable side dishes should be.
It’s perfectly suitable for those following a low carb or keto diet. It’s also naturally gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan.
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice makes a great side dish to many different kinds of recipes for pork, chicken, steak, or even seafood. It’s a simple way to add a little more flavor to a meal.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
What You Need to Make This Recipe
All you need to make this recipe is a head of cauliflower, a lime, fresh cilantro, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
It takes about 4 to 5 cups of riced cauliflower for this recipe. That’s about the amount that you will get from a medium to large size head of cauliflower.
Tip: ricing your own fresh cauliflower is best, but frozen can be used. If you use frozen, you will need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.
Prep!
Rice the cauliflower, zest the lime, and roughly chop the cilantro.
Tip: you can reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed.
Create!
You can cook your cauliflower rice with any method that you prefer. You can check out this post on How to Cook Cauliflower if you’d rather use another method other than the stove top method this recipe details.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the riced cauliflower and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, until tender. This takes about 5-7 minutes depending on how finely riced the cauliflower is.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime zest and cilantro.
Present!
Garnish with additional chopped cilantro, if desired.
Tips and Techniques
- Using fresh cauliflower is best, but frozen can be used. If you use frozen, you will need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.
- Please reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed.
- You can cook your cauliflower rice with any method that you prefer. You can check out this post on How to Cook Cauliflower if you’d rather use another method other than the stove top method this recipe details.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
Does Cauliflower Rice Taste Like Rice?
While cauliflower is pretty bland for a vegetable, it’s still not as bland as regular rice. You will be able to taste some of cauliflowers signature flavor when using it as a stand-in for traditional rice.
Is Cauliflower Rice Better Than Rice?
Cauliflower rice is much lower in calories and carbohydrates than regular rice. It’s an excellent option for those trying to lower their carb intake or lose weight.
Is Cauliflower Rice Keto?
Yes, cauliflower is a good choice for those following a keto diet. Depending on how strictly you follow the diet, you may have to limit how much cauliflower you consume as it does still contain some carbohydrates.
More Easy Low Carb Side Dish Recipes to Try
Sticking with the quick and easy side dish theme, here are a few more recipes that you may enjoy that are also low carb.
This recipe for Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice combines both riced broccoli and riced cauliflower in a rich, creamy cheese sauce.
You may also enjoy the simplicity of this Roasted Rutabaga recipe and the satisfying crunch of every bite of these low carb, gluten free Fried Zucchini rounds.
Love this Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups riced cauliflower * from one medium head
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lime * zested
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves * roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add in the cauliflower rice and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime zest and cilantro.
- Garnish with additional cilantro, if desired.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Using fresh cauliflower is best, but frozen can be used. If you use frozen, you will need to add a minute or two to the cooking time.
- Please reference this post on How to Rice Cauliflower, if needed.
- You can cook your cauliflower rice with any method that you prefer. You can check out this post on How to Cook Cauliflower if you’d rather use another method other than the stove top method this recipe details.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on February 13, 2107. It was updated with an improved recipe, new images, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in March 2020.
