Mexican cauliflower rice is a simple sheet pan dinner with lots of south of the border flavor! Make it a gluten free, low carb recipe using chorizo. Or, make it vegetarian or vegan with my BBQ tempeh recipe.
Alright, so Summer is “almost” behind us and school is in session, both online and in person. Phew! What a year. That being said, I think it’s time we focus on easy dinners that can accommodate everyone’s dietary needs. Whether that be vegetarian, low carb, dairy free, etc. It’s tricky, but doable!
Sheet pan meals are a favorite of mine when my work schedule keeps me busy right up to dinner time. Like my recipe for Honey Mustard Chicken with Brussels Sprouts , Mexican cauliflower rice with chorizo takes just under 30 minutes to make, start to finish.
This one pan meal is a COTTER FAVORITE! It’s super simple to make, and even better, it’s the perfect use for leftover veggies or meat.
Also, baked cauliflower rice freezes really well. So, make it ahead and freeze it to use later, for an easy meal prep dinner on a busy night!
INGREDIENT NOTES
- For the vegetarian / vegan option, substitute ground tempeh for chorizo. You may want to toss the tempeh with Mexican spices before adding it to the pan. This will help establish the flavor. Or, feel free to make vegan chorizo. This is a great looking vegan chorizo recipe!
- Cauliflower rice – If you like to make cauliflower rice yourself (versus buying it from the store) then dice the rice a little thicker than normal. Not only does this help when combining it with the sauce, but it also ensures that everything bakes up nice and crispy. If the pieces of cauliflower are too small, they may overcook and become mushy.
- Using canned tomatoes – If you prefer to use canned tomatoes instead of fresh, you’ll want to use diced tomatoes, and be sure to drain them completely before using.
How to make Mexican Cauliflower Rice
1. Prep the ingredients.
Clean all of the veggies, then chop or slice them (according to the recipe below), and set them aside.
If you will be making cauliflower rice from a head of cauliflower, you can use a knife to cut the florets apart. An even easier method is to use a food processor. Just place a few large florets at a time in the bowl of processor. It should only take a few pulses to chop them into pieces that are the size of grains of rice.
2. Saute the vegetables.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add the oil and sauté the onion for 4 minutes before you add the garlic to the pan. This will prevent the garlic from burning.
3. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and cook them.
Add spices, salt, pepper, and chorizo. Turn heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
Stir, then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until peppers are soft but not cooked through. Add cauliflower rice and broth, mix to combine, then cover the pan.
Cook an additional 5 minutes on medium heat.
4. Bake, garnish, and serve!
Spread the mixture into an even layer on a half sheet pan. Add any optional toppings of choice.
Bake covered for 15 minutes then remove foil, mix with spatula, and bake for another for 10 – 15 minutes. This makes the cauliflower rice extra crispy! If you have a family with food allergies, you can omit cheese and sausage from part of the pan before baking.
Bake at 350 F. for 25 minutes.
Remove sheet pan from the oven, transfer the Mexican cauliflower rice to plates for serving. If desired, garnish with shredded cheese and parsley or cilantro
Other baked cauliflower recipes
Whether you plan to prep your own cauliflower rice or buy some ready to use, you may have extra on hand. That’s won’t be a problem, because there are a plenty of things you can make with it!
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Baked Mexican Cauliflower Rice with Chorizo (Vegan Option)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Mexican cauliflower rice is a simple meal with lots of flavor! Make this a gluten free, low carb recipe with chorizo. Or, make the vegetarian or vegan option by using my recipe for BBQ tempeh.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 1 tsp garlic (2 cloves)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika/cumin each
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 oz crumbled or sliced chorizo (or 3 oz. tempeh, for vegan or vegetarian option)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.25 cups diced cherry, plum, or grape tomatoes (for canned tomatoes option, see notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, any color
- 3 cups cauliflower rice (1 small head)
- 1/4 cup broth or stock
- chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish
Optional ingredients
- cooked chicken sausage, sliced
- 1 oz green chilies, optional
- 4 oz shredded cheese of choice (omit for paleo/whole 30 option)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, When pan is hot, add oil and sauté onion for 4 minutes . Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute, or until fragrant.
- Add spices, salt, pepper, and chorizo. Turn heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir, then cook for 2-3 minutes, or until peppers are soft but not cooked through. Add cauliflower rice and broth, mix to combine, then cover the pan. Cook an additional 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Spread the mixture into an even layer on a half sheet pan. Add any optional toppings of choice. Example, cooked/sliced chicken sausage, canned green chiles, spices, etc. Bake covered for 15 minutes then remove foil, mix with spatula, and bake for another for 10 – 15 minutes. This makes the cauliflower rice extra crispy! Total baking time 25-35 minutes depending on your oven.
- Note – If you have a family with food allergies, you can omit cheese and sausage from part of the pan before baking.
- Remove sheet pan from the oven, transfer the Mexican cauliflower rice to plates for serving. If desired, garnish with shredded cheese and parsley or cilantro.
Notes
- For vegan option, replace chorizo with ground tempeh. You might want to toss the tempeh with Mexican spices before adding it to the pan. This just helps with the flavor. Or, feel free to check out this vegan chorizo recipe! https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/02/vegan-chorizo-food-lab-recipe.html
- Cauliflower rice – If you are making your own cauliflower rice (versus buying it from the store) then dice the rice a little thicker than normal. Not only does this help when combining it with the sauce, but it also ensures that everything bakes up nice and crispy. If the pieces of cauliflower are too small, they may overcook and become mushy.
- Using canned tomatoes – If you prefer to use canned tomatoes instead of fresh, you’ll want to buy diced tomatoes, and be sure to drain them completely before using.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 209
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 420.9 mg
- Fat: 14.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9.6 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: baked cauliflower rice, Mexican cauliflower rice, vegan, vegetarian, Whole 30, paleo, chorizo, tempeh
Hope this sheet pan meal makes it to your table soon. And, as always, if you have ANY questions about this recipe (or gluten free eating in general), please don’t hesitate to comment, email, etc. We’re here for ya!
Cheers,
LC
