Gone low carb but craving fried rice? We got you! This cauliflower fried rice keto recipe delivers the flavors of the popular dish without all the carbs.
Keto Fried Rice
When using traditional grains of rice, the carb count can quickly add up. For example, just one cup of cooked, plain white rice has over 53 grams of carbs!
White rice is almost entirely made up of starch with only trace amounts of fiber, so net carbs are almost just as much at 52.58 grams per cup. If you’re doing keto, there goes your daily carb limit!
To make keto fried rice, replacing the white rice is the number one priority. The rice can be replaced with shirataki rice or various chopped veggies, but cauliflower rice is a keto favorite for several reasons.
Is cauliflower allowed on keto?
Yes! Cauliflower is low in total carbs and high in fiber, which yields a net carb count that is compatible with a ketogenic diet.
How many net carbs are in cauliflower?
In 100 grams of raw cauliflower, there are 4.97g total carbs, 2.0g fiber, and 2.97g net carbs. One cup (~85g) of riced cauliflower is only 4g total carbs, 2.0g fiber, and 2.0g net carbs.
Net Carbs in Cauliflower Rice: 2g Per Cup
Is cauliflower rice better than rice?
The flavor of cauliflower and rice is quite a bit different, but when cooked with other ingredients the cauliflower takes on the flavors of the other dish. Hence why cauliflower fried rice works so well. “Better” is subjective when it comes to taste.
Nutrition, however, is not so subjective. Cauliflower is by far the better option when it comes to nutrient density. Cauliflower, and therefore cauliflower rice, is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, and potassium.
On the other hand, unless it has been enriched, white rice is largely void of micronutrients. It can be a good source of energy for individuals who have high carb dietary patterns, but it’s not an ideal choice for keto. In this context of keto, cauliflower is better than rice.
How to Make
To make cauliflower fried rice keto style, you will need a
To make riced cauliflower, you can use a standard cheese grater or food processor with the grater attachment. The food processor will be the quickest option, but if you don’t have the tool just use a grater and treat the cauliflower as if it were a block of cheddar. Alternatively, mincing cauliflower into tiny bits with a knife will work for this dish as well.
The keto fried rice comes together in a wok or large frying pan on the stovetop. Onions, cauliflower, celery, and bell peppers are cooked in sesame oil with coconut aminos (or gluten-free soy sauce) and combined with eggs.
To intensify the depth of flavor, begin by sauteing onions in sesame oil until they become golden and develop brown edges. Add in the remaining veggies to the pan, drizzle coconut aminos over the top, and toss ingredients until well coated.
In a separate pan, scramble eggs seasoned with salt and pepper to your liking. For fluffy scrambled eggs, incorporate a small amount of water in the beaten egg mixture. Once cooked, fold the scrambled eggs into the cauliflower fried rice. Season the entire dish with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with chopped green onion. Additional coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce may be used to taste when serving.
How to Store
This dish can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, but cannot be kept at room temperature beyond reasonable serving times.
To store in the fridge: Place the prepared cauliflower fried rice in an airtight container, preferably glass for ease of reheating. Store refrigerated for up to 7 days. To reheat, microwave for one-minute bursts, stirring in between, until it reaches the desired temperature. Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop in a frying pan over medium heat.
To store in the freezer: Place the dish in a freezer-safe container. Store refrigerated for up to 2 months. To prevent freezer burn and extend the food’s freezer shelf-life, consider using a food vacuum sealing system. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a microwave or stovetop as described above. This can be a great option for meal prep and make-ahead meals!
Tools to Make
Food Processor - A food processor is really great for finely chopping cauliflower in only a matter of seconds. If you fix a lot of cauliflower rice dishes in your day to day, this tool can be a huge time-saver.
Wok or Stir Fry Pan - Woks and stir fry pans can be great when tossing a large amount of ingredients over heat. The flat-bottomed wok-style pans are perfect for home cooks using stovetops. Rounded bottoms can be tricky to use on flat stovetop ranges.
Specialty Ingredients
Coconut Aminos - You can use traditional soy sauce to make cauliflower fried rice (it’s low carb too), but coconut aminos are fantastic for those looking for soy and gluten-free alternative. The taste is nearly identical to soy sauce.
Gluten-free Soy Sauce (aka Tamari) - Tamari is similar to soy sauce in taste, but the ingredients differ beyond fermented soybeans. Tamari does not contain wheat like traditional soy sauces, therefore it is gluten-free. For those who enjoy soy in their diet but must avoid gluten, tamari is a good alternative for gluten-free soy sauce.
More Keto Cauliflower Recipes
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce, to taste
- 1 tbsp sesame oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1 head cauliflower riced, minced, or grated (or bag of frozen cauliflower rice)
- 2 stalk celery chopped
- ¼ yellow onion diced
- ¼ bell pepper red or yellow, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp water
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 stalk green onion chopped or cut into slivers
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Heat half of the sesame oil (or cooking oil of choice) in the pan, and add onion. Cook onion until golden and edges brown--about 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower, celery, and bell pepper to pan and toss ingredients together. Continue cooking for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, or until cauliflower is cooked to your liking.
- Pour coconut aminos over top of vegetable mixture. Toss to thoroughly coat the vegetables and stir as needed to prevent burning.
- Heat a small frying pan over low-medium heat.
- Whisk the eggs, water, salt, and pepper. Heat remaining sesame oil in small pan. Pour beaten eggs into small pan and use a spatula to scramble until eggs have set.
- Add scrambled eggs to the vegetable mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Tasha–nutritionist, recipe developer, and multi-published cookbook author.
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