Cauliflower Fried Rice

5 from 55 votes

This fried cauliflower rice is a great healthy vegetable side dish. Quick to make and loaded with flavor, it's a low carb, gluten-free twist on the classic!

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This Cauliflower Fried Rice is a great low carb veggie loaded side that comes together quickly and easily. Dairy-free and easily made gluten-free, this makes for a great vegetable side for lots of your favorite Asian recipes.

Serving of riced cauliflower fried rice in a bowl with chopsticks dipped inside with skillet nearby.
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What ingredients do you need for fried rice

  • Cauliflower: Cauliflower rice is a great low carb alternative and it’s so tasty! Loaded with vitamins and minerals, it’s a great healthy swap. You can make your own cauliflower rice or buy rice cauliflower.
  • Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds a great nutty flavor to finish the dish. I also used avocado oil to cook the recipe but it is not pictured below.
  • Vegetables: Green onion, peas, carrots just like in regular fried rice recipes which is the base mix of veggies. But feel free to add other vegetables.
  • Egg: This adds great flavor, texture and protein to the dish.
  • Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder.
  • Soy sauce: Use tamari to make this dish gluten-free
Ingredients for recipe: frozen peas and carrots, sesame oil, avocado oil, salt and pepper, garlic, soy sauce, green onions, cauliflower, and eggs.

How do you make fried rice with cauliflower

Cauliflower florets in food processor before processing.
Step 1: Place half the cauliflower florets in a food processor.
Cauliflower after processing in a food processor into rice sized pieces.
Step 2: Pulse a few times until it resembles rice or couscous. Remove from the processor and repeat with the remaining cauliflower being careful not to process too much or it will become mushy.
Cauliflower rice in large skillet with white parts of green onion, peas and carrots.
Step 3:  Place the riced cauliflower, white parts of green onions, peas and carrots in the skillet, and cook until they soften.
After cooking with garlic and seasoning added.
Step 4: Add the garlic, salt and pepper and continue cooking.
Veggies moved to side of pan with whisked eggs added to other side.
Step 5: Move the vegetables to one side of the wok and pour the whisked eggs on the other half of the wok. You could alternatively cook the eggs separately, but this is easier.
After scrambling eggs, still separated .
Step 6: Scramble the eggs until they are set, then combine them with the vegetables.
After tossing eggs with veggies with soy sauce and sesame seed oil being poured in
Step 7: Add the soy sauce and sesame oil.
After tossing sauce with veggie mixture.
Step 8: Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and softens.

Tips for making low carb fried rice

  1. Use pre-riced cauliflower. Cauliflower rice has become so popular recently that many stores sell cauliflower rice prepackaged and ready to use in recipes. You can find them in the produce isle or in the freezer isle with the other vegetables.
  2. Follow my guidelines for how to quickly and easily cut cauliflower. If you are making your own cauliflower rice, be sure to check out this post for the step-by-step tutorial.
  3. Use high heat when you add the cauliflower: This will help to brown the rice and vegetables well. You want to avoid the steaming the vegetables and having them stick together, but instead fry them.
  4. Add in cooked protein to the rice to turn it into a full meal. Rotisserie chicken or cooked shrimp stirred into the dish at the end of cooking work really well.

Frequently asked questions

How long does fried cauliflower rice keep?

This side dish is great for make ahead meals. Once it has cooled, place it in an airtight container and it will keep well for up to 3 to 5 days. It also freezes really well. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and gently reheat in the stovetop.

What do you serve with cauliflower fried rice?

Because of the seasonings in this dish, this rice works best with Asian dishes like beef and broccoli stir fry or chicken vegetable lo mein. This is also great to add into salad bowls and lunchboxes as it’s just as tasty cold.

What does cauliflower rice taste like?

Cauliflower has a mild and nutty flavor. The best thing about adding it to dishes like this is that it soaks up all of those flavors. In fact, I find it way more flavorful than white rice.

Chopsticks lifting up a bite of cauliflower rice stir fry with skillet nearby.

For a lower carb fried rice option, this cauliflower version sure doesn’t feel like you’re missing out on much. It’s a fun way to eat more vegetables, fill your body with more fiber and cut down on some carbs from time to time.

More cauliflower recipes

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

This Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe has was originally published on June 9, 2020 and has recently been updated with new photography and step-by-step images to help make the recipe. The ingredients have slightly changed to use green onions only, and frozen peas and carrots instead of fresh. If you loved the original recipe, you can still find it in the recipe notes section of the recipe card below!

Cauliflower Fried Rice

This fried cauliflower rice is a great healthy vegetable side dish. Quick to make and loaded with flavor, it's a low carb, gluten-free twist on the classic!
5 from 55 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Entree, Side
Calories 105
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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Video

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium head head cauliflower cut into florets
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 4 green onions sliced, whites and greens separated
  • 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large eggs whisked
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

  • Place half the cauliflower florets in a food processor, and pulse until the cauliflower is small and resembles couscous. Remove and set aside. Repeat for the other half being careful not to over-process so it doesn’t turn mushy.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, salt and pepper, and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Move the vegetables to one side of the skillet and pour the whisked eggs on the other half of the skillet. Scramble the eggs until they are set, then combine them with the vegetables.
  • Add the soy sauce and sesame seed oil and continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and softens, about 5 more minutes.
  • Sprinkle with the reserved green parts of the green onions and serve.

Notes

Recipe video note: Please note that the recipe has recently been updated and has been modified to use a frozen veggie blend and just green onions instead which slightly changed how the recipe is made. The recipe video is the original recipe, which is still good to follow!
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
 
 
Original Recipe
1 medium head cauliflower
▢2 tablespoons sesame oil
▢1 small onion diced
▢½ cup peas
▢½ cup chopped carrots
▢2 eggs whisked
▢½ teaspoon salt
▢½ teaspoon black pepper
▢½ teaspoon garlic powder
▢3 tablespoons soy sauce
▢Sliced scallions for servings
Instructions
Remove the cauliflower core and then cut into florets. Place half the cauliflower in a food processor, and pulse until the cauliflower is small and resembles couscous. Repeat for the other half being careful not to over-process so it doesn’t turn mushy.
Heat the sesame oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Place the onions, carrots and peas in the work and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes.
Move the vegetables to one side of the wok and pour the whisked eggs on the other half of the wok. Scramble the eggs until they are set, then combine them with the vegetables.
Add the riced cauliflower on top of the vegetables, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and soy sauce and continue to cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and softens, about 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle with fresh sliced scallions and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 105kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 617mg, Potassium: 440mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 4647IU, Vitamin C: 53mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American, Asian
Course: Entree, Side
5 from 55 votes (52 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Alana says:

    I made this for my family last night and it was a hit all around! Even my kids loved it and I can never convince them to eat veggies. This is a new family favorite thank you!

  2. Andrew E Mann says:

    Can you add chicken to this? How would suggest incorporating it?

    1. Yumna J. says:

      Most definitely! I would add it in (fully cooked) at the fourth step after the seasonings and sauce.

  3. Joseph Azariah says:

    Really good, made it a couple of times. Fine tuning the recipe to suit my taste, adding chills to spice it up. Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙏🏽

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      That’s awesome! So glad to hear it.

  4. Feras Shaw says:

    I’m writing as I am enjoying its goodness! I’ve always loved fried rice, but rice doesn’t agree with me that much; so this is absolutely heavenly taste-wise as well as how light it is. would def make over and over again.

    1. Yumna Jawad says:

      Thank you so much Feras! So glad you made it and loved it 🙂