Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice (WW Friendly)
Simple, low-carb side dish flavored with fresh cilantro and lime! Excellent rice substitute. Weight Watchers friendly, too!
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, may yield approx. 3 cups riced
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, or olive oil, see Notes
- 1 teaspoon garlic, finely minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt, or sea salt, to taste
- 1 green jalapeno, or serrano, seeded and finely minced, optional
- 1 lime, zested and juiced, (yields approx. 1 teaspoon zest and 2 tablespoons juice)
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, hardy stems removed and discarded
Instructions
- Please, read through the recipe before proceeding, as various methods of “ricing” the cauliflower are given.
- Remove the leaves from the head of the cauliflower. Cut the florets off the stem. Chop them into 1 - 1 ½” pieces. Rinse and dry the florets. A salad spinner or towel is fine.
- Using a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the florets into rice-size pieces. You will most likely have to do this in batches. My head of cauliflower took 3 waves in the processor. A box grater is an alternative method to ricing cauliflower. If you choose to use a box grater, you can chop the florets into 2 - 3” pieces.
- Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet/pan over medium heat. Add the riced cauliflower, garlic, and jalapeno if using, and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Continue to stir occasionally, until the cauliflower is just tender, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the lime zest and juice. Toss together to thoroughly combine. Taste and adjust any salt, pepper, or lime juice as desired.
- Scrape the rice into a serving bowl and allow it to cool for about 2 minutes. Add the cilantro and toss again. Serve warm.
Notes
I know you can purchase frozen or fresh cauliflower rice. My preference has been to rice my own. The frozen cauliflower is filled with ice crystals that bring a lot of moisture to the pan. The packages sold in the produce sections, along with broccoli florets, etc., are not the best quality. I have always noticed an odd smell in these packages. Even if you do not have a food processor, you can still accomplish the “riced” effect. Chop the cleaned florets, a few at a time, until the correct size. Scrape them into a bowl, and continue with the remaining florets. It will take some time, but it is worth it. You may also grate the cauliflower on a box grater.
You may be able to find an olive oil store that carries infused oils. We love Abingdon Olive Oil Company out of Abingdon, VA. I have used their Butter Infused and Persian Lime Infused Olive Oils in this recipe. Both are quite delicious!
The addition of the fresh chile was inspired by A Saucy Kitchen.
Nutrition Facts
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice (WW Friendly)
Amount per Serving
Calories
43.29
% Daily Value*
Fat
2.6
g
4
%
Saturated Fat
0.42
g
3
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.28
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1.76
g
Sodium
253.77
mg
11
%
Potassium
225.87
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
5.11
g
2
%
Fiber
1.8
g
8
%
Sugar
1.53
g
2
%
Protein
1.46
g
3
%
Vitamin C
36.84
mg
45
%
Calcium
22.1
mg
2
%
Iron
0.43
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!