Meet coconut lime cauliflower rice, your Whole30 best friend.
When I did my first full Whole30 in January, I didn’t realize how much cauliflower rice I’d go through. It even went into a legume-free version of Whole30 cauliflower hummus I conjured up. But after a while, all that cauliflower rice at the bottom of my taco bowls and under my roasted chicken got a little ho-hum.
Enter coconut lime cauliflower rice. Green onions, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and coconut milk give the finished dish incredible flavor. If you’re one of those people who can’t stand cilantro, just substitute parsley or leave it out entirely.
For some reason, the final outcome of this recipe is much better if you use frozen riced cauliflower. When I tested the recipe with fresh riced cauliflower it cooked faster and turned to watery mush. Frozen riced cauliflower had better texture in the finished dish, trust me.
Make this soon, and you’ll have no regrets if you top it with Nom Nom Paleo’s Thai Curry Chicken, spatchcocked chicken or simple roasted salmon. That’s called a win-win.
Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice
A staple of my Whole30 dinners, this cauliflower rice has a zingy lime and coconut flavor. Warm it up for lunch, topped with leftover veggies. Be careful not to overcook the cauliflower rice or the consistency turns mushy and unappealing. If you're not a fan of cilantro, just swap it out with parsley or omit it entirely.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thin
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 12-ounce bag frozen riced cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons coconut milk (I prefer full fat, but low-fat is fine too)
- 1 limes, juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmery. Add the green onions and sauté about a minute, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or so, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the cauliflower rice and coconut milk to the sauté pan and stir to combine. Cook approximately 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring. Cauliflower should be al dente and not completely soft, or the texture will be mushy.
Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Taste for seasoning and add more lime juice or salt if necessary.
Courses Side Dish
Cuisine Vegetarian
Yay!! Love love hearing that. So glad it was a hit!
This was literally the easiest recipe…EVER! And, such a crowd pleaser. My family voted and I am to double the recipe next time. Which if my oldest had her way would be tomorrow night! Thanks again for making me look like a total rockstar! And, bonus…frozen cauliflower? So I can stockpile it and have this at the ready when I am scrambling for a side…pure GENIUS!! Marcia-you never cease to amaze. Thanks!
This recipe was easy to follow and more importantly delicious! I was so pleased with how flavorful the cauliflower rice was in comparison to the many times we’ve eaten it plain. Definitely will be making this on repeat. Thanks!
Love hearing that!! Thank you so much for leaving a comment — appreciate it!
I love this recipe. However, next time I’ll add the lime to taste versus the full amount shown in the ingredients list 😊