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    Make It Skinny Please » Recipes » Side Dishes » Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe

    Published: Jan 21, 2022 · Modified: Jan 20, 2022 by Toni Dash · 19 Comments

    Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe

    Weight Watchers Points1
    Calories: 73kcal
    Carbs: 8g
    Protein: 2g
    Fats: 4g
    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    mexican cauliflower rice with text overlay

    Mexican Cauliflower Rice has all the traditional flavors of authentic Mexican rice. It's slimmed down on calories by using cauliflower rice with the same flavors as traditional Mexican rice! No compromising on flavor in this perfect low carb recipe.

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    This delicious recipe is a version of an authentic Mexican rice recipe given to me from a friend in Mexico. We've made it skinny while keeping all the well loved flavors. No more having to go to a Mexican restaurant for this favorite Mexican dish.

    The only difference in this recipe is use of cauli rice instead of white rice. It uses simple ingredients with Mexican flavors. It's a great recipe for a simple side dish or ingredient in other Mexican recipes.

    Jump to:
    • Difference between Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice
    • What makes this skinny?
    • Recipe Ingredients Notes
    • How to make riced cauliflower
    • How to make Mexican Cauliflower Rice - Step-by-Step
    • Variation and Substitutions
    • Pro Tip
    • How to Use
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to Store
    • More recipes you'll love!
    • Recipe

    Difference between Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice

    You may have heard this dish called Spanish Rice too. It's a Mexican recipe but the Spaniards brought rice to Mexico hence the name.

    The rice dish is not spicy. It has lots of flavor with a strong tomato flavor base.

    What makes this skinny?

    The use of cauliflower rice instead of regular rice. You'll use whole head of cauliflower. This is a grain free recipe.

    Recipe Ingredients Notes

    mexican cauliflower rice labelled ingredients

    Cauliflower. Though frozen cauliflower rice can be used making it fresh gives a better result. It's easy and less expensive too! There are a couple methods which we share below. Select a large fresh head of cauliflower without blemishes. One large head of cauliflower will make aproximately 4 cups of raw riced cauliflower.

    Tomato paste. This gives the classic tomato flavor to the rice. We use tubes of tomato paste which can be stored in the refrigerator for multiple uses.

    Tomato bouillon. You may not be familiar with this ingredients. It's available in both granules (recommended) or cubes. It's a staple ingredient in Mexican rice and is most often found with the Mexican food ingredients at the grocery store or online. Knorr Swissa brand is popular. It's actually called 'tomato bouillon with chicken flavor'.

    If using cubes you'll need to break them into granules before starting the recipe.

    Carrots and Peas. These are optional but commonly included in authentic Mexican rice recipes. We use a timesaving carrot and pea frozen mix. There is no prep time cutting up the carrots and reduced cooking time.

    Cilantro. Freshly torn cilantro is used to garnish the finished rice.

    How to make riced cauliflower

    There are two main methods for making homemade cauliflower rice. Both work well.

    Preparation for both methods:

    1. Rinse a large cauliflower head and pat dry with paper towels.
    2. Discard any green leaves.
    cauliflower and box grater

    Use a box grater (our preferred method)

    Cut the head into quarters. Grate using the medium holes in the box grater to get small pieces the size of rice.

    Use a food processor or chopper

    Cut the cauliflower head into pieces the size of a quarter (refer to images below). Place the pieces in a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds and check to see if all the pieces are about rice size. Pulse longer if needed.

    food processor cauliflower rice 3 images

    How to make Mexican Cauliflower Rice - Step-by-Step

    Detailed printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

    STEP 1. Heat carrots and peas

    In a small saucepan, heat chicken broth to simmering. Stir in the frozen carrots and peas, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit while making the next portion of the recipe.

    STEP 2. Sauté

    In a large skillet (with lid) heat the olive oil (or vegetable oil )over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute one additional minute.

    mexican cauliflower rice recipes steps 1-4

    STEP 3. Make the cauliflower rice

    Drain the peas and carrots discarding the broth.

    Stir in the tomato paste and tomato bouillon, then add the cauliflower, carrots and peas and stir until combined.

    Cover the skillet with the lid. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cauliflower will release its moisture and then it will need to cook till it's “fluffy” and drier.

    STEP 4. Season and serve

    Season with salt to taste and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

    mexican cauliflower rice on fork

    Variation and Substitutions

    Swap: chicken bouillon. If you cannot find tomato bouillon use chicken bouillon instead (granules). It has a similar spice mixture and the tomato paste provides most of the tomato flavor in the rice.

    Want it spicy? Add some sliced jalapeno pepper, red pepper flakes or green chilis

    Add some protein. To make it a full meal you can stir in browned ground beef or ground turkey after the rice is cooked.

    Pro Tip

    Cauliflower contains a lot of natural liquid so it's not necessary to add much liquid when cooking it like with regular rice. The cooking process will release the liquid then it needs time to evaporate for the best end result. This total time takes about 10 minutes.

    How to Use

    Low carb Mexican cauliflower rice is a tasty side dish or ingredient in other recipes. Here are some ideas:

    • burrito bowls
    • for taco night and Taco Tuesdays - add it right into tacos
    • fajita salad

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I use frozen cauliflower for this Mexican Cauliflower Rice recipe?

    Yes though frozen cauliflower rice can be soggier and the flavor is often not as good as fresh cauliflower rice. We highly suggest making it yourself for the best results.

    mexican cauliflower rice on plate

    How to Store

    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    The rice can also be frozen. Allow to cool and place in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat.

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    Recipe

    mexican cauliflower rice

    Mexican Cauliflower Rice

    Weight Watchers Points1
    Click to track Weight Watchers Points
    An authentic Mexican Rice recipe switched up for a low carb lower calorie option keeping all the same traditional flavors!
    5 from 178 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 14 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 29 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 approximately ¾-1 cup servings
    Calories: 73kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    • ½ cup chicken broth
    • 1 cup frozen carrots and peas mix
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon chicken bouillion can be substituted if needed
    • 1 large heat cauliflower riced**
    • Salt to taste
    • Cilantro leaves for garnish

    Instructions

    • In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth to simmering. Add the frozen carrots and peas, stir, cover and remove from the heat.
    • In a large skillet (with lid), heat the olive oil and add the onions. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for one additional minute.
    • Drain the peas and carrots and discard the broth.
    • Stir in the tomato paste and tomato bouillon. Add the cauliflower, drained carrots and peas and stir until fully combined.
    • Cover the skillet with the lid and cook over medium for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. NOTE: The cauliflower will release its moisture and then it will need to cook till it's “fluffy” and drier.
    • Season with salt to taste and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

    Notes

    Ingredient Notes
    If tomato bouillon is not available use chicken bouillon granules.
    A large head of cauliflower should yield about 4 cups of cauliflower rice.
    How to make Cauliflower Rice
    Both methods: Rinse cauliflower, remove leaves. 
    Method 1. Use a box grater
    Cut the head into quarters. Use the large holes on a box grater to grate the cauliflower florets into rice size pieces.
    Method 2. Use a food processor or chopper
    Cut florets into quarter sized pieces. Keeping them about the same size will help the rice to become a uniform size. Place the pieces in a food processor and pulse for 20 seconds and check to see if all the pieces are about rice size. Pulse longer if needed.
    How to Store
    Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    The rice can also be frozen. Allow to cool and place in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3508IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutritional Coach and certified Weight Loss Specialist, writer/blogger, photographer, chief recipe developer and creator of Make It Skinny Please. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her slimmed down recipes using real food ingredients bring excitement to the dining table and never taste like 'diet food'. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 178 votes (157 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Bobby says

      April 18, 2024 at 7:49 am

      5 stars
      This rice turned out amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    2. Andrea says

      April 18, 2024 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      What an easy to make and fantastic flavored side dish. It's perfect for Mexican night in my house.

      Reply
    3. Katherine says

      April 18, 2024 at 6:38 am

      5 stars
      I sort of forgot about cauli rice, but saw this on pinterest so had to make it. It's soooooo good and full of flavor.

      Reply
    4. Paul says

      April 18, 2024 at 6:30 am

      5 stars
      Delicious mexican cauli rice! This was so good!

      Reply
    5. TAYLER ROSS says

      April 18, 2024 at 6:30 am

      5 stars
      I made this cauliflower rice with our tacos last night and it was delicious! I loved that it was low carb!

      Reply
    6. Andrea Thueson says

      January 24, 2022 at 1:40 pm

      5 stars
      I am a big fan of cauliflower rice, and this recipe had the perfect blend of flavors! So DANG good!

      Reply
    7. Nathan says

      January 21, 2022 at 2:10 pm

      5 stars
      This Mexican cauliflower rice is so tasty, there's so much flavor and I love that it's low-carb! I'll definitely be making this again. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    8. Tayler Ross says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      I've been looking for healthier cauliflower swaps, and this rice is by far my favorite! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    9. Stacey says

      January 21, 2022 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious and the perfect side dish to pair with all of my favorite Mexican food dishes to help lighten the caloric load!

      Reply
    10. katerina says

      January 21, 2022 at 11:49 am

      5 stars
      This Mexican Cauliflower rice was AMAZING! My whole family loved it!

      Reply
    11. Heather Perine says

      January 21, 2022 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      I've never been a big fan of cauliflower rice because it's usually just so bland..but this had SO much flavor!! It was delicious!

      Reply
    12. Holley says

      January 21, 2022 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      I'm loving this flavorful, low carb option! Easy to make and super delicious!

      Reply
    13. Kristyn says

      January 21, 2022 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      What a delicious option for regular Spanish rice. This was light & loaded with flavor. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    14. Beth says

      January 21, 2022 at 6:46 am

      5 stars
      Believe it or not I had all the stuff in the house to make this although I used chicken bouillon. This fits into my new healthy eating lifestyle.

      Reply
    15. Jessica Stroup says

      January 21, 2022 at 6:31 am

      5 stars
      So flavorful! This recipe was easy to follow and a hit with the whole family!

      Reply
    16. Gina says

      January 21, 2022 at 6:16 am

      5 stars
      Great way to liven up a cauli rice side dish - love all the big flavors in this!

      Reply
    17. Jess says

      January 21, 2022 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      I love this healthier version of one of my favorite side dishes! So glad I can enjoy it without the guilt now!

      Reply
    18. Savita says

      January 21, 2022 at 5:59 am

      5 stars
      This Mexican rice was so amazing, perfect for lunch and dinners.

      Reply
    19. Kate says

      January 21, 2022 at 5:31 am

      5 stars
      Ah I love Mexican Rice and so excited to have a low-carb version of it I can enjoy any night of the week! So many gorgeous flavours.

      Reply

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I'm a Certified Nutrition Coach and NASM certified Weight Loss Specialist. I'm excited to share Classic Recipes made more calorie friendly using real food!

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