Cauliflower rice is an unsung superhero in my kitchen.
Sure, superfoods are awesome. Blueberries, kale, chia, avocado. All of those things. We love them all. But, how about super shortcut staples? What’s SSS, you ask? Those types of ingredients that are total shortcuts. They save time. They save money. Best of all, they save a little brain space, aka sanity. Last time we talked about bagged slaw mix and how to use it to save time and stress.
Now, we’re talking about cauliflower rice. Riced cauliflower. Whatever it’s going by these days. Specifically, frozen riced cauliflower. Read on for more on why we love this ingredient and how it’s going to save you time, money, and sanity.
Why I love riced cauliflower.
You can find it pretty much anywhere. From Trader Joe’s (the og frozen riced cauliflower), Aldi, Kroger, Walmart, etc. It’s typically less than $2.00/bag for 10-12 ounces. Most brands you can steam in bag, but I don’t really like microwaving plastic. I like to thaw on the counter for a bit (30 minutes maybe, but it’s not necessary) and throw in a skillet meal or soup.
I use this shortcut ingredient in pretty much any recipe where you would use rice, or as a filler for tacos, burritos, lettuce wraps, etc. Here are my favorite ways to use riced cauliflower.
How To Use Cauliflower Rice in Stir fry
Throw a bunch of cut, sliced, or diced veggies in a large skillet with some avocado or coconut oil. Keep the veggies moving and grooving. After about 8-10 minutes, add the thawed-ish cauliflower and a few glugs of coconut aminos or soy sauce. Once the cauliflower is soft (maybe 2-3 additional minutes) remove from heat and serve.
Lettuce Wraps
This goes so well in lettuce wraps! We love making lettuce wraps, but I always feel like they need a little something-something extra to really fill me up. Cauliflower rice is the perfect addition! Try it out in these easy lettuce wraps with a creamy peanut sauce:
Taco Skillet
Start by cooking your protein. Diced chicken, ground turkey, beef, etc. Add your spices. Throw in a can of black or pinto beans (drained and rinsed). Add about a ½ cup-1 cup of salsa. Add cauliflower rice. Let it cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle 1-2 cups of shredded cheese.
Serve with extra salsa, avocado, sour cream, etc. You can also add extra veggies like diced bell peppers or corn.
How To Use Cauliflower Rice in Soup
Caulflower rice is a great filler for soups. You can find our Cabbage Roll Soup recipe here.
Egg roll in a bowl
I like to do this in the Instant Pot, but it totally works on the stovetop as well.
Brown beef or turkey on sauté setting of Instant Pot. Add diced onion and cook another 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic. Pour in cauliflower rice. Add about a half cup of water, since the cauliflower will release water as it steams. Set pressure to 0. Yup. Zero. Naturally releases when it’s finished and add a few glugs of coconut aminos or soy sauce.
Cajun Sausage and Peppers Skillet
This is such a simple and delicious one-pot meal!
- 12 ounces of cajun pork sausage
- 2 bell peppers, any color, cut into strips
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp of tomato paste
- ½ cup of chicken broth
- 10 ounces of frozen riced cauliflower
- 1/2 tsp each of smoked paprika & garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Saute your peppers and onions. Add sliced sausage to pan. Once it’s rendered a bit, add tomato paste, spices, cauliflower, and broth. Let that simmer for 5-10 minutes, until cauliflower is soft and mixture thickens slightly.
Cheesy Chicken Broccoli rice skillet
Dice and cook a pound of chicken. You can also use leftover shredded chicken here. Just skip to next step if you’re using that. Add onion and diced broccoli to large skillet. Add cauliflower. I like to cover the skillet to speed up the steaming/cooking process. After about 5 minutes, check for doneness. If veggies are soft, sprinkle with garlic powder and salt and pepper. Add in chicken and sprinkle on 1.5 cups of sharp cheddar cheese. Let it melt through and serve immediately.
Cauliflower Rice BONUS:
This little cauliflower rice recipe is VEGAN and perfect for a side dish or lunch prep. With just a handful of superfood (and super shortcut) ingredients, we promise you’ll love it.
Here’s a sneak peek of some of the other superfood ingredients we’ll be featuring:
Salsa
Frozen rice
Mini naan
And more. Stay tuned!
But wait…before you go… Do you think you could pin this recipe for later, or share to your favorite social media? Yes-thanks! You’re the best. If you use cauliflower rice in a way that we NEED to know about, tag us on Instagram (@fourganicsisters) 😊
