Our cauliflower rice stir-fry recipe is an excellent option if you’re craving fried rice.
Not only does this recipe feature a wide variety of ingredients, but it is also an incredible low-carb option. By replacing regular white rice with cauliflower, you get to taste the grainy texture without worrying about carbs.
Additionally, this is a one-pan recipe, making it a perfect option for weeknight dinners.
Is Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry Healthy?
Yes, cauliflower rice stir-fry is healthy.
This dish has 6.4 g saturated fat and 594 mg sodium per 462-calorie serving, well within the limits of our nutrition guidelines.
Cauliflower proves itself to be a worthy main ingredient, adding a host of valuable nutrients to the dish. This cruciferous vegetable is also a great source of dietary fiber and antioxidants, especially vitamin C.
The other vegetables in this recipe, carrots, peas, and corn, also bring other micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.
Last but not least, there are also 25.8 g of protein in each serving of this dish, thanks to chicken thighs and sausage.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Cauliflower
Cauliflower rice is a superb way to enjoy this vegetable, as it is both delicious and easy to make. All you need to do is cut the cauliflower into florets and let the food processor do the heavy lifting. You can also rice cauliflower by hand with a box grater if you don’t have a food processor.
We mix the cauliflower rice with eggs to give it a nice golden color and a protection layer against the high heat.
- Toppings
A plate of fried rice is only as delicious as its toppings. Using a diverse group of ingredients makes the dish taste and look amazing, but it’s equally important to make sure they work well with each other and don’t overwhelm the rice.
For vegetables, we use the popular and colorful trio of diced carrots, frozen peas, and corn. You can’t go wrong with these three, which is why they become staples in fried rice recipes.
For protein, we pair chicken thighs with smoked sausage.
Chicken thighs have a deep flavor and tender texture, creating a nice contrast with the crunchy vegetables. Meanwhile, smoked sausage adds its signature meaty and smoky bite to our dish.
- Seasonings
Smoked sausage and the aromatics (garlic, onion, and ginger) already pack a bunch of flavors into this dish, so we don’t need to use much seasoning.
We lightly season the rice with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Garnish
We sprinkle some scallions and cashews on top of the rice as a finishing touch.
FAQ
1. How Do You Make Riced Cauliflower Not Soggy?
Leaving riced cauliflower rice on the heat too long will turn it soggy, so make sure to keep an eye out while it’s cooking. Also, don’t use too much sauce or condiments for cauliflower rice because it doesn’t absorb liquid like starchy rice.
2. Is Cauliflower Rice the Healthiest Rice?
While cauliflower rice is healthy, we won’t say it’s the healthiest rice, as each type of rice has its pros and cons. The better option is the one that best fits your preferences (palate, diet, and nutritional needs).
3. Can You Overcook Cauliflower Rice?
Yes, you can. Overcooked cauliflower rice can be mushy and soggy, not appetizing at all. Pay close attention to it while cooking and remove it from the heat as soon as it reaches a tender-crisp texture.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
When refrigerated in airtight containers, cauliflower rice stir-fry should last for 3 to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing cooked cauliflower rice because it doesn’t taste the same when frozen.
You can reheat cauliflower rice in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
What to Serve With
Here are some soups that we find delicious when served alongside cauliflower rice stir-fry:
Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry Recipe
Add a brand new low-carb item to your everyday menu with this delicious cauliflower rice stir-fry recipe, a flavorsome dish with tasty ingredients.
- cook TIME 25 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main Dish
- CUISINE Global
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 462 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 24 oz cauliflower (cut into small chunks)
- 6 oz skinless boneless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 4 oz smoked sausage (diced)
- 4 oz carrot (diced)
- 4 oz frozen peas
- 4 oz corn
- 2 oz onion (chopped)
- 4 large eggs (cracked and whisked)
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp ginger (minced)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 oz cashew
- 1/2 cup scallions (sliced)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Cut the cauliflower: Place the cauliflower on the cutting board with the stem facing up. Slice the large florets away from the large stem with a paring knife. Half or quarter the florets to get even chunks.
Cut the chicken thighs: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken thighs crosswise into strips, then cut the strips crosswise into bite-sized pieces.
Dice the sausage: Quarter the sausages lengthwise to get four equal pieces. Slice the pieces crosswise to dice.
Dice the carrot: Slice off the top part of the carrot. Cut the carrots lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then cut the slices crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide sticks, and cut the sticks crosswise to dice.
Whisk the eggs: Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them thoroughly.
Mince the garlic: Slice off the root of the cloves and peel the skin. Mince the cloves with a knife or garlic press.
Chop the onions: Cut the onion in half lengthwise and peel the skin. Leaving the root intact, make vertical cuts towards the root and 1/4 inch apart from each other. Turn the onion half 90 degrees and grip the root, then make horizontal cuts 1/4 inch apart from each other. Slice the onion to have even cubes.
Mince the ginger: Separate the knobs and peel the skin. Cut the ginger knobs crosswise into thin slices. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut them lengthwise into thin strips. Mince the strips by rocking a knife back and forth.
Slice the scallions: Lay them on a cutting board and bunch them together. Cut the scallions crosswise into thin slices with a knife.
Cook:
Make the cauliflower rice: Add 24 oz cauliflower into a food processor. Close the lid and pulse until the cauliflower reaches a grainy, rice-like texture. Rice the cauliflower in batches if needed.
Mix the rice with eggs: Transfer the cauliflower rice to a bowl and add 4 large eggs. Mix them together until combined.
Stir-fry the sausage: Place a pan over high heat. When hot, add 4 oz smoked sausage and stir for 1 minute.
Caramelize the aromatics: Add 3 tbsp canola oil, 2 tbsp garlic, 2 oz onion, and 1/2 tsp ginger to the same pan. Stir for 2 minutes to caramelize.
Add the chicken: Add 6 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs and stir for 3 minutes.
Add the vegetables: Add 4 oz carrots, 4 oz frozen peas, and 4 oz corn. Stir for 4 minutes.
Add the cauliflower rice: Add the cauliflower rice and egg mixture. Stir for 7 minutes or until the cauliflower rice separates. Stir constantly and thoroughly to prevent clumping.
Season the rice: Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir for 1 minute to combine.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with 1 oz cashews and 1/2 cup scallions. Enjoy!
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author