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
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- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic (2 cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon 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 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/4 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 paste. 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
