Looking for the perfect paleo and gluten-free side dish for a south of the border feast? This simple Whole30 Mexican Cauliflower Rice is made from pantry staples and cauliflower. It’ll level up your Taco Tuesdays!
A healthier Mexican rice!
Craving a tasty burrito bowl but tired of having to tell the nice person assembling it, “YES I KNOW THE GUACAMOLE IS EXTRA”? Make one at home! Of course, a burrito bowl isn’t quite the same when you can’t eat traditional rice ’cause it spikes your blood sugar. The solution? Whip up this Mexican Cauliflower rice recipe!
Perfect for Whole30 Taco Tuesdays
This easy-peasy flavor-packed Mexican Cauliflower Rice is made from pantry staples and spices and it’s the perfect vegetable-packed accompaniment for your favorite Mexican-inspired home-cooked meals. It’s super-quick to make, too—I always have bags of riced cauliflower in my freezer or fridge so I can cook this side dish without making a big mess with my food processor. You don’t even have to change out of your pajamas to scratch that Whole30-friendly burrito bowl itch!
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, or cooking fat of choice
- Small white onion
- Garlic
- Small cauliflower head: To turn cauliflower into “rice,” put the cauliflower florets into a food processor and pulse until the the cauliflower is about the size of rice grains. You can also use a 16 ounce bag of frozen (no need to thaw) or fresh cauliflower rice.
- Ground cumin
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Tomato paste
- Jalapeno pepper
- Cilantro
- Lime, cut into wedges (optional)
How to make Mexican cauliflower rice
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour in the olive oil or fat of choice. Toss in the onions…
…and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Dump in the riced cauliflower…
…and season with ground cumin and kosher salt.
Stir in the tomato paste, diced jalapeno pepper…
…and mix thoroughly.
Tuck a couple of cilantro stems in the cauli rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes…
…or until the rice is tender but not mushy. Pluck out the cilantro…
…and taste the rice. Adjust the seasonings as needed.
Serve with lime wedges so folks can squeeze fresh lime juice on top!
Serving suggestions
May I suggest a Mexi-Cauli Rice bowl topped with seasoned ground beef, Instant Pot Carnitas, Instant Pot Salsa Chicken, or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas? And yes, you should totally add guacamole to it. Now, eat it up!
How to save leftovers
This Mexican cauliflower rice is perfect for meal prep because it reheats beautifully in the microwave. You can keep it in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More cauliflower rice recipes
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil avocado oil, ghee, or cooking fat of choice
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small cauliflower head riced (or 16 ounces riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 jalapeno pepper ribbed, seeded and minced
- 2 cilantro stems and leaves
- 1 lime cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour in the olive oil or fat of choice. Toss in the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Dump in the riced cauliflower and season with ground cumin and kosher salt. Stir in the tomato paste, diced jalapeno pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- Tuck a couple of cilantro stems in the cauli rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender but not mushy. Pluck out the cilantro and taste the rice. Adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Serve with lime wedges and your favorite cooked protein!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely Delicious!! So simple and low calorie. Did the math and the entire recipe is only 300-ish calories. What a winner!! I could eat the whole thing if I wanted to and not feel guilty!!
This was so good! Made for my family they didn’t believe it was cauliflower rice!