Indian Cauliflower Rice

Whether you are watching your carbs or just like cauliflower, you will love this Indian Cauliflower Rice. It's full of smoky spices, carrots, onion, peas, and chickpeas. {gluten free + dairy free}

Have you had cauliflower rice yet?  If not, it's time you did!

Cauliflower rice has gone from being a thing to being a THING.  I can't believe that I can get it fresh in all my local grocery stores and now Costco is carrying it.  I bought two huge bags and keep them in the freezer for dinners like this Indian Cauliflower Rice.

Everything you need to know about Cauliflower Rice...

• you can buy it just about anywhere now, I like Costco and Trader Joe's
• divide it up into smaller portions and put in plastic bags in the freezer so you can quickly grab it on a busy night
• the best way to cook it is to saute it in some olive oil for a few minutes
• you can also steam it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes with a lid on
• use it as a replacement for rice, pasta and white potatoes
• cauliflower rice has 25 calories per cup vs 218 for brown rice, woo hoo!

This Indian Cauliflower Rice is full of spices like cumin, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne. Using shredded carrots is important because this is a quick dish so big slices of carrots won't finish cooking.  The peas add color and a sweet pop of flavor.

Health Benefits of Cauliflower

1. low in calories, only 25 per cup
2. high in fiber and choline
3. good source of antioxidants
4. helps with weight loss

Learn more about the health benefits of cauliflower on Healthline.

Ingredients to Make This Recipe

• cauliflower rice - I love using frozen cauliflower rice as it makes putting together recipes like this one a breeze!
• olive oil - Sauteing the rice in olive oil provides more flavor.
• garlic powder - Garlic powder helps to produce a more full-flavored dish.
• cumin, turmeric  - Essential spices for Indian inspired recipes.
• cayenne pepper - Adds a little extra "oomph".
• salt - Brings out the flavors in the dish.
• carrots - Shredded carrots work the best in this recipe as they have a better texture and they take less time to cook.
• onion - Slicing, instead of dicing, the onion provides the dish with more texture.
• peas - Peas are used in a lot of Indian recipes, so naturally they are the perfect addition to this dish.
• chickpeas  - Use canned chickpeas in this recipe.
• chicken - Chicken is optional, but it's a great source of protein if you do decide to use it.

How to Make the Rice

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add cauliflower rice and seasonings.  Cook until tender.
2. Remove cauliflower from pan and add another tbsp oil.  Cook onions and carrots.
3. Return cauliflower to pan and add peas.  Add cooked chicken if using.  Toss gently and taste.

Cauliflower Rice FAQs 

Can you overcook cauliflower rice? 

• Overcooking cauliflower rice can make it mushy. This is why I recommend not cooking it for longer than 4-5 minutes.

How long does cooked cauliflower rice last?

• Cooked cauliflower rice can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Does cauliflower rice taste like white rice?

• Cauliflower rice is a great healthy alternative to white rice, but the flavor is certainly different. It doesn't have the same neutral flavor, but it does have a mild yet versatile flavor that perfectly complements the seasonings in this Cauliflower Indian Rice recipe.

Cauliflower rice can be an important staple if you are watching your carbs.  I have been keeping it in the freezer and using it in place of pasta and rice.  So, when I make my kids spaghetti, which is at least once a week, I eat mine with cauliflower rice instead of pasta. When we have turkey tacos I make a taco salad with cauliflower rice as the base and no taco shells.

I also use it to make this raw Green Cauliflower Rice Salad.  Perfect for all the seasonal veggies in the Spring.

It's an easy switch if you have it on hand.  Give it a quick saute in a pan or I have even heated it up in the microwave.  It basically takes on the flavor of whatever you put on it.

And no my kids don't eat it!

More Cauliflower Recipes You'll Want to Try

• Green Cauliflower Rice Salad
• Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice
• Cauliflower Tabbouleh
• Cauliflower Broccoli Bake with Alfredo {Keto}
• Roasted Cauliflower Bowl

If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!

Indian Cauliflower Rice

Whether you are watching your carbs or just like cauliflower, you will love this Indian Cauliflower Rice. It's full of smoky spices, carrots, onion, peas, and chickpeas. {gluten free}

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: cauliflower, cauliflower rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Karen Kelly

Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup peas
• 1 14 oz can chickpeas
• 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced or shredded (optional)

Instructions

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add cauliflower rice and all seasonings.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes stirring often, until tender.
• Remove cauliflower from pan and add another tbsp oil.  Cook onions and carrots for about 4 minutes, stirring often. 
• Return cauliflower to pan and add peas.  Add cooked chicken if using.  Toss gently and taste.  Add more salt and spice if necessary.  I added more cumin and salt at the end.
• Serve with peanuts and cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5715IU | Vitamin C: 57.3mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.6mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @seasonal_cravings or tag #seasonal_cravings!

This recipe is adapted from Veggie-Full.