The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
Profile photo of Natalie | Perry's Plate

Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice

Posted by in Step-by-Step Recipes

Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

If you’re familiar with the paleo lifestyle, you might know that this dish doesn’t actually have rice in it. 

The first time I saw cauliflower used as rice, it blew my mind a little. Cauliflower is one of the darlings of the paleo world because it can be manipulated to replace grains in a lot of meals. I’ve used it in place of rice, pureed it to thicken soups, seasoned and roasted it as a vegetarian “steak”, mashed it in place of potatoes, and my favorite, used it as a base for a pizza crust.

No, I’m not joking. And it was all delicious.

Even if you’re not a paleo eater and avoiding grains, dairy, legumes, and sugar for various reasons, replacing grains with vegetables (particularly refined grains) can be a great way to increase nutrient density in a recipe. 

This Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe submitted by TK member Dani is a perfect example of grain-swapping. I’m excited to share it with you!

So is the cauliflower. It likes to show off.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

I adapted this recipe slightly, adding a few more things (notes below), so you’ll need a whole head of cauliflower, salt, pepper, soy sauce (or tamari), mushrooms, coconut oil, an egg, fresh ginger, garlic, onion, green onion, a tomato, and cilantro.

If you’re a nit-picky paleo, you may not use soy sauce or tamari. I don’t mind it in very small amounts occasionally, but you can also use coconut aminos which is a good substitute. You may be able to find it at Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

First, dismantle the cauliflower, and cut it into fairly uniform pieces.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

My food processor holds 9 cupd, so I did half the head at a time to ensure even chopping. If you have a larger one you may be able to do it all in one batch.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Pulse several times until the cauliflower is about the size of rice grains. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Next, get the mushrooms prepped by wiping any dirt off with a paper towel, breaking off the stems, and quartering them. I used baby portabellas but any type of mushroom would do. Pulse the mushroom quarters in the food processor like you did the rice and transfer to a separate bowl.

You could just slice them into larger pieces and leave them big, but my little picky eaters aren’t into mushrooms, and I didn’t want to start a dinnertime battle. I minced mine out of survival. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Next, prep the onion, ginger, and garlic. Peel them all, then cut them into chunks. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Throw the ginger, garlic, and onion into the food processor and pulse to mince. That machine is going to earn its counterspace today. You could also use a knife. If you wanted. (I didn’t.)

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Now you have three bowls of minced ingredients ready to go!

Yes, there is quite a bit of chopping in this recipe (and we’re not quite finished yet), but the dish comes together really easily and quickly. You could do all of the prep a day or two ahead as well.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Alright, time for some heat. In a large saute pan, heat the coconut oil to medium-high heat. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Add the onion-ginger-garlic mixture and cook it for a minute or two.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Add the mushrooms and cook those for a few minutes as well.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Now for the cauliflower!

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Add salt, pepper, and a splash of soy sauce (or tamari). 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Put the lid on, reduce the heat a bit, and let it steam for a few minutes while you finish up the mix-ins.

While the “rice” is finishing up, dice the tomato, and chop the green onion and cilantro. If you hate cilantro, just leave it out. (And then seek help. Ok, not really. But maybe.)

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Remember that egg? Well now’s the time to pull it out. Beat it with a fork and cook it in a pan.

You can scramble it if you like, or you can make a flat omelet out of it and slice it up. Your choice.

You could also do it in the saute pan before you throw the vegetables in, but I have emotional meltdowns when I clean eggs out of stainless steel pans. So I do it in a small nonstick skillet. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

I made a flat omelet, rolled it up, then sliced it into ribbons. They’re much prettier than scrambles, but scrambles are perfectly fine.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

By now the cauliflower should be finished, so go ahead and drop in the tomato and green onions …

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

And the cilantro and eggs.

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Stir everything gently, and done!

If you want to add more protein, you could stir in some pre-cooked shrimp, chicken, or steak. 

 
 
 
Tasty Kitchen Blog: Paleo-friendly Cauliflower Fried Rice. Guest post by Natalie Perry of Perry's Plate, recipe submitted by TK member Dani of Expat Cucina.

Like I mentioned earlier, you could have dinner on the table in 15 minutes if you prep everything beforehand. I love quick meals like this! 

Thank you, Dani! Be sure to check out Dani’s TK Recipe Box and her blog Expat Cucina for more dinner inspiration!

Recipe notes:
1. I used brown mushrooms, but if that “dirty rice” look bothers you, just use white mushrooms.
2. I added two cloves of garlic, an inch of ginger, and one green onion to boost the flavor of the dish and substituted cilantro for the basil and mint out of personal preference. 
3. I doubled the recipe, but left the mushroom quantity the same.

 
 

Printable Recipe

Paleo-friendly Fried Rice (With Cauliflower)

See post on ExpatCucina’s site!
0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 50 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 1

1
x

Print Options

Page size Letter 3x5 4x6
Text Size Small Medium Large
Content Include description
Include prep time, etc.
Show image

Description

If you are a paleo-diet person or just on a low-carb diet, this recipe is perfect for you!

Ingredients

  • ⅔ pounds Cauliflower
  • 7 ounces, weight White Mushrooms
  • 2 Tablespoons Chopped Onion
  • ¼ cups Chopped Tomatoes
  • 1 whole Egg
  • 1 whole Egg White
  • 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
  • 1 dash Soy Sauce
  • 1 pinch Salt And Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Basil And Mint

Preparation Instructions

Wash the cauliflower and place it into your food processor. Pulse it until pieces are the size of rice.

Wash and slice up the mushrooms, chop up onion and tomatoes.

Beat the egg and egg white with a pinch of salt and cook on a hot nonstick skillet (like an omelet). Remove and slice it up.

In the same skillet, heat p the coconut oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms and stir around until browned. Next, add the minced cauliflower, a splash of soy sauce and salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and add the tomatoes. Stir around. Chop up some fresh mint and basil and add it to the pot together with the eggs. Stir everything together and serve immediately. You can garnish the dish with more chopped herbs if desired.

 
 
_______________________________________

Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

 

5 Comments

Comments are closed for this recipe.

Naz H on 5.24.2014

Wow!!! Thank you so much! I don’t even like cauliflower, but boy do i love this cauli rice! I made it a little more indian, just added cloves a bay leaf to the frying onion/garlic/ginger mix and didn’t use the aminos. I ate it with an amazing paleo indian chicken curry! This dish was a hit in our home, and now I don’t think I’ll miss rice at all! Thanks again.

Tracey @ Don't Mess with Mama on 4.2.2014

Yum! I make a similar version and use Coconut Aminos instead of soy. I do gluten-free too using white rice but again with Coconut Aminos and it’s delicious.

Profile photo of Colette (Coco in the Kitchen)

Colette (Coco in the Kitchen) on 4.1.2014

That is so very interesting and delicious!
I was craving fried rice last night, actually.
Gotta try this. Thanks!

Medeja on 4.1.2014

This is really beautiful and flavorful dish!

Profile photo of ExpatCucina

ExpatCucina on 3.31.2014

Thanks for featuring me :)