Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Not too long ago, one of my treasured clients commented on an Instagram post. They suggested that my presence was needed where they were staying in Mexico to help guide them through eating Keto while taking advantage of the beautiful local produce & market fare. While the opportunity to go never quite came to pass this time around, it sure did inspire some “MexiKeto” creativity! And so, I begin with Mexican cauliflower rice, a low carb, high-fiber salsa-infused treat.

Rice is such a staple of Mexican, TexMex, and even California-Mexican cuisine (hello, you big beautiful burrito!). Unfortunately, it’s also 45 grams of carbs per delicious cup. Thankfully, cauliflower – as well as a few other vegetable options like turnips, rutabagas, and daikon among others – has come to save the day! With only 5 grams of carbs per cup, cauliflower is the winner. And mixing with with only salsa & salt makes for the easiest preparation of super-tasty Mexican cauliflower rice.

Mexican-Style Cauliflower Rice and Ingredients: Cauliflower, Salsa, and Salt!

Mexican-Style Cauliflower Rice

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

With just three ingredients and a cook time of 25 minutes in the oven, this is one of the easiest recipes you will come across. It is absolutely delightful and full of flavor on its own, but pairs well with so many things like pollo al horno or Caribbean grilled snapper! AND makes an amazing ingredient in Keto burritos, enchiladas, and even individual Mexican breakfast casseroles (my next recipe!). If you like rice with a kick, this is the recipe for you, and the recent trend of grocery stores selling pre-riced cauliflower makes it even easier!

Author: Nicole Poirier

Recipe type: Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: Mexican, Keto, American, Healthy

Serves: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

• ~1 lb/475g cauliflower, riced
• 1 cup/235 ml salsa of your choosing (I used La Cascada brand)
• ½ teaspoon/5 g salt

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 400ºF/205ºC.
2. Using a food processor, rice your cauliflower if necessary. You can also chop it very finely. There is no 100% “right” texture – you just do what you like best! I like slightly larger chunks in mine for texture.
3. Once it is riced, combine cauliflower, salsa, and salt in a bowl. Mix thoroughly so that all of the cauliflower bits are covered in salsa.
4. Pour this mixture into a parchment-paper-lined tray and spread into an even layer for even cooking.
5. Pop it in the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes.
6. At 15 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and stir the ingredients around. SPread into an even layer again and replace in the oven with timer set for 10 more minutes.
7. Once 10 minutes has passed, the rice is ready! You can eat straightaway, or leave in for a few extra minutes until it really gets golden crispy bits (this is how I like it!).
8. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cilantro or chopped green onion, if so desired. Enjoy!

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How-To In Pictures:

Gather your ingredients – riced cauliflower, salsa, and salt.

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until all cauliflower is coated by salsa.

Spread the mixture on a parchment paper lined tray and bake for 25 minutes, stirring at 15 minutes.

Once it is cooked to your liking, minimum 25 minutes, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro or chopped green onions for color, if desired.

It makes a wonderful addition to any feast, like this one with Cumin-Chili-Baked Broccoli and Chef Nicole’s Pollo al Horno!

The Salsa-bilities are Endless!

I am absolutely addicted to this recipe, and have been playing with it as an ingredient since I made it. Check out my next post to learn how to make this into a yummy and easy breakfast casserole!

And how about you? How do you plan to use this simple dish to enhance your weeknight meals? I’d love to hear in the comments!