Low Carb Cauliflower Fried Rice

Tasty cauliflower fried rice is the low carb, Paleo recipe that satisfies your craving for takeout. Learn to make riced cauliflower the easy way with frozen, defrosted cauliflower.

We are lucky enough to have a Chinese restaurant within about 10 miles that has a reliable gluten free menu. So if we want gluten free fried rice, we don’t absolutely have to make it ourselves.

Now, we don’t get takeout very often at all, mostly because it’s so expensive. But when we do, I can’t help but be mindful of how unhealthy it is. I know. Total Debbie Downer.

But when I want all the taste of fried rice without any of the guilt, I make cauliflower fried rice. And you should, too.

Fried rice is generally a great clean-out-the-fridge-or-freezer meal, and you can of course add some more protein to this recipe. Shrimp fried rice is a family favorite, for sure.

If you’re holding back from making any stir fry meals because you don’t have the “right” pan, though, let me put your mind at rest. I have gone through many woks in my time.

The Joyce Chen carbon steel wok lasted me for quite a while, but I’m sure I didn’t care for it properly and everything started to stick to it. I even tried buying an electric wok, from Breville I think. That was returned after 2 uses.

You really, really don’t need a wok, though. A traditional wok is really designed for very high-heat cooking, and that’s just not how we can cook at home. Just use a large skillet and call it good!

Have you ever riced cauliflower? Riced cauliflower is really as versatile as the Internet says it is, whether you’re making cauliflower fritters, cauliflower tortillas, or cauliflower pizza (I have a favorite recipe for that, too). I used to start with raw cauliflower, and finally wised up.

Lately, to make cauliflower rice, I begin with frozen cauliflower. If I’m being very organized, I defrost frozen florets in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight.

Otherwise, I use my microwave to defrost it gently, taking care not to cook it or it won’t hold its shaping when it’s processed into “rice.” That way, I never have to work with hot, freshly cooked cauliflower since frozen vegetables have already been blanched.

Although this recipe does call for using a food processor, I use my mini chop food processor (link at bottom of post). It takes just minutes to clean, and it’s quite the workhorse.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can try just chopping the defrosted cauliflower with a knife. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

Oh, and if you’re really really lucky, you live near a Trader Joe’s market that carries (wait for it) … already riced cauliflower. Just defrost, wring out the water and you’re ready to go. Whenever my local TJs has riced cauliflower in stock, I buy 10 bags at a time!

Another super-easy way of ricing fresh, raw cauliflower is to chop it roughly into florets, put it in any old blender, and add enough water to cover. Then pulse in the blender and drain. So easy!

When I first served this healthy fried rice to my family, I told my children straight up that it was made with cauliflower and asked if they’d like to try some.

My oldest is a vegetable hater from way back, but she does already love cauliflower pizza. Not only did they all 3 love this dish, but they came back into the kitchen later to have me explain, once more, that it wasn’t actual rice grains that they were eating.

Links:
Serious Eats Guide to Buying a Wok
Mini chop food processor (aff link)