Cauliflower fried rice is flavored with ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil, and cooks up in one pan! Lighter, yet filling, it has soft scrambled eggs, chicken and cashews.
Low carb does not meal low flavor! Need proof? Check out this low carb satay beef and these Santa Fe low carb chicken bowls.
Cauliflower fried rice is another great option that is deliciously flavorful! Flavored with ginger, garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce, you get a big serving of vegetables, yet are full and satisfied thanks to the soft scrambled eggs, chicken and cashews.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- it is low carb and low calorie, yet filling
- it works great as a meal prep option
- you can switch up the veggies as you'd like, or add in some chicken or leftover turkey for some extra protein
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Ingredient notes
- cauliflower rice- you can use store bought cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen), or make your own; because commercially available cauliflower rice can vary in size, you may need to adjust the cook time.
- carrots & frozen peas- I love adding carrots and frozen peas to this recipe, but if you are following a keto diet, you may want to reduce them or omit them to further reduce the carbs in this dish. When chopping your carrots, make sure you cut them very small.
- soy sauce- to make this meal gluten-free, swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid aminos
- chicken- you'll need cooked, cooled & cubed chicken; use chicken breast or thighs. You can leave this out if you'd prefer.
Making cauliflower rice
You can make your own cauliflower rice easily using a food processor, box grater or knife; you can also use store-bought cauliflower rice for this recipe.
Food processor (best)
- Chop cauliflower into uniform pieces, then add it to a food processor fitted with a steel S blade.
- Pulse the cauliflower 10-15 times, until the cauliflower is in small, uniform, rice-sized pieces.
Box grater
You can also make rice by 'grating' the cauliflower on a box grater. This is messy and time consuming but gets the job done.
Knife
You could also just chop the cauliflower really finely using a knife. The only issue is that it can be a challenge to get uniformly sized pieces of rice and it might not cook evenly.
Step by step directions
1. Scramble your eggs- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, then the eggs. Season with salt and pepper, then cook, scrambling until soft, fluffy and set. Transfer to a clean plate and clean the pan if necessary.
2. Sauté onions and carrots- Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, then add the onions and carrots. Sauté for 5 or so minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic & ginger- Make a space in the middle of the onions and carrots, and add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook, stirring slightly, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Then mix everything up so the garlic doesn't burn.
4. Add vegetables & chicken- Add the riced cauliflower, frozen peas and chicken to the pan. Stir until everything is combined. Cook for another 5 or so minutes until cauliflower rice is softened slightly (but not mushy).
5. Add eggs and soy sauce- Lastly, add in the scrambled eggs and soy sauce to the pan. Toss everything up for 1-2 minutes, until the eggs are heated back through and soy sauce coats everything. ENJOY!
FAQ
With only a fraction of the carbs and calories of regular fried rice, and packed full of veggies and healthy protein, I definitely consider this to be a healthy option.
Make sure you don't overcook your cauliflower rice- cook it al dente (so there is still some bite to it), but not until it is mushy. If you use frozen cauliflower rice, do not thaw first, just add it right to the pan.
Yes! Definitely, although I've found the size of commercial cauliflower rice to vary a lot, so use your judgement in adjusting the cook time.
Meal prep & storage
This recipe is a great option for meal prep, though I should warn you that cauliflower never smells great after around day 2-3; it still tastes great though!
- After cooking the cauliflower fried rice, portion it out and allow to cool completely.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the riced cauliflower absorbs the sauce and gets mushy.
- Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
TIP- if you plan to use this recipe for meal prep, undercook your cauliflower rice. Remember that when you reheat it in the microwave, it cooks for a second time.
Variations
- vegetarian- omit the chicken; you can increase the number of eggs for added protein if you'd like.
- vegan- omit the chicken and try adding scrambled tofu for a protein source
- broccoli- swap the cauliflower rice for broccoli rice
- tofu- add crispy baked tofu or scrambled tofu (cook separately)
- shrimp- cook the shrimp in some sesame oil before cooking the eggs; add them back in when you add the eggs back in.
- mushroom- sautée sliced button or cremini mushrooms with the onions & carrots
- Vietnamese- swap the soy sauce for a mixture of fish sauce, rice vinegar and sugar to make it Vietnamese-style
More cauliflower recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Perfect Cauliflower Fried Rice (with cashews!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil divided
- 4 eggs beaten
- salt & pepper
- 1 onion chopped very small
- 2 cups carrots chopped very small
- 2 tablespoons ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups riced cauliflower roughly half a large head of cauliflower; see note 1
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups chicken optional; cooked, cooled, chopped; see note 2
- ¼ cup soy sauce
To serve
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons green onions
- 5 tablespoons cashews
Instructions
- Scramble your eggs- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, then the eggs. Season with salt and pepper, then cook, scrambling until soft, fluffy and set. Transfer to a clean plate and clean the pan if necessary.
- Sauté onions and carrots- Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, then add the onions and carrots. Sauté for 5 or so minutes, until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add garlic & ginger- Make a space in the middle of the onions and carrots, and add the garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook, stirring slightly, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Then mix everything up so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add vegetables & chicken- Add the riced cauliflower, frozen peas and chicken to the pan. Stir until everything is combined. Cook for another 5 or so minutes until cauliflower rice is softened slightly (but not mushy).
- Add eggs and soy sauce- Lastly, add in the scrambled eggs and soy sauce to the pan. Toss everything up for 1-2 minutes, until the eggs are heated back through and soy sauce coats everything.
- Garnish- Top with sesame seeds, green onions and cashews. Enjoy!
Tips:
Video
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Simon says
does the chicken change the amount of calories or not?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Simon, I just double checked and the chicken is included in the nutritional information.
Audrey says
I’m new to your site and looking forward to understanding more about meal prep.
Denise says
Hi Audrey! I'm so happy you're interested in learning about meal prep! I have a comprehensive post here all about it: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/how-to-meal-prep/