This Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a one pan wonder! It’s an easy keto skillet meal that takes 8 ingredients and only 25 minutes to make. And the whole family loves it.
This Mexican Cauliflower Rice has been one of my most popular keto dinner recipes for many years now. Even people who swear up, down, and sideways that they don’t like cauliflower enjoy this easy and skillet meal. That includes my own children!
We love Mexican food, but the traditional versions are typically not very keto-friendly. I struggle to find decent low carb choices when we go out to eat, and often end up with a salad.
So I have to take matters into my own hands and create my own versions. They may not be authentic Mexican, but they always taste fabulous. Taco Pie is a family favorite, as are my Keto Chicken Fajitas.
And this easy Keto Mexican Rice dish is a perfect addition to the dinner rotation.
Why this recipe is so awesome
Not only is Mexican Cauliflower Rice full of bold flavor, but it’s also astonishingly easy to make. It takes eight basic ingredients that you can find at any grocery store. And it’s ready in 25 minutes, start to finish.
It’s also a full meal in one pan, so clean up is a snap. It’s a perfect recipe for busy weeknights!
I was inspired to create this recipe after seeing the Mexican rice skillet from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts. It looked like something my family would love, but it wasn’t even remotely keto.
Of course, it wasn’t as simple as simply swapping the real rice for cauli rice. I also left out the beans and corn, and back on a few other items to cut down on the carbs.
But the basic concept was the same: cook everything in the same skillet, sprinkle with cheese, put the lid on for a few minutes, and it’s ready to eat. So easy and so good!
Reader reviews
But don’t take my word for it. This Keto Mexican Rice gets rave reviews every time. Check out these reader reviews:
I’ve made this twice as in the last two weeks following a keto diet and it is delicious! I made it the first time with fresh cauliflower and the second with thawed frozen and they were both great, but I think I prefer the frozen cauli. It’s even better reheated! – Shanna
I have been slow to get on the cauliflower rice train due to the taste/smell, but I just made this… and my oh my, it is delicious! No one would know that there is cauliflower rice instead of regular rice in the dish. Definitely a make again recipe! Thank you for the recipe. – Angie
Ingredients you need
- Ground beef: I like to use good grassfed beef from Wild Pastures. But you can also use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meal.
- Onion: Just a little onion adds flavor, without adding too many extra carbs.
- Red pepper: Sweet peppers add color and flavor. You can use green or yellow as well.
- Taco seasoning: You can make your own or purchase pre-made seasoning. Just be sure to choose a spice mix that doesn’t have any additives, fillers, or sugars.
- Tomatoes: I like to use fresh tomatoes, but canned works too. I recommend draining off any extra juices.
- Cauliflower rice: It really doesn’t matter whether you use fresh or frozen. They both take about the same time to cook through.
- Chicken broth: You need a little extra liquid to help everything cook through.
- Shredded cheese: I like to use cheddar, but you can also use pepper jack, monterey jack, or a Mexican blend.
Step-by-step directions
- Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through, but still a little pink.
- Add some flavor: Add the onion and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender. Then stir in the taco seasoning.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients: Add the tomatoes and cauliflower rice and stir to combine. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the cauliflower rice begins to soften.
- Cover with cheese: Sprinkle the skillet with the cheese and cover. Let cook until the cheese is melted, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and top with your favourite toppings like sour cream, avocado, and chopped cilantro.
Expert tips
Make sure you use a large skillet, at least 12 inches in diameter, in order to accommodate all the ingredients. They will cook down but it’s hard to stir everything together in a smaller pan.
Customize your meal! Add your favorite toppings or put them out in bowls and let everyone add their own.
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Black olives
- Chopped avocados
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Hot sauce
- Chopped jalapeños
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these two terms refer to exactly the same thing. Cauliflower that has been “riced” means that it has been grated until it resembles grains of rice. However, most people simply call it cauliflower rice.
This recipe for Keto Mexican Rice has 6.4g of carbs and 2g of fiber. So it has a total carb count of 4.4g per serving.
Those of you who like to meal prep will be thrilled to know that this keto skillet meal can be made one to two days in advance. As several readers have noted, it tastes just as good re-heated. I don’t recommend freezing this one, as the fresh vegetables will become mushy upon thawing. Store the leftovers in the fridge in a covered container. It’s good for up to 5 days.
We love this recipe so much, I included it in my Easy Keto Dinners Cookbook!
Mexican Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb (453.59 g) ground beef
- 1/4 medium (1/4) onion, diced
- 1/2 medium (1/2) red pepper, diced
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup (149 g) diced tomatoes
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup (117.5 g) chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups (169.5 g) shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican Blend
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through (just a little pink). Add the onion and pepper and continue to cook until no longer pink. Stir in the taco seasoning.
- Add the tomatoes and cauliflower rice and stir to combine. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the cauliflower rice begins to soften (8 to 10 minutes for frozen).
- Sprinkle the skillet with the cheese and cover. Let cook until the cheese is melted, 3 or 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and top with your favourite toppings like sour cream, avocado, and chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I made your Mexican Cauliflower Rice last night and my whole family just gobbled it up! My son and I are on Keto, but my husband is not. We ALL LOVED it! I made a few changes because of what I had on hand and taste preferences: I used a whole red pepper and a whole Vidalia onion, two packets of Taco seasoning, a can of diced tomatoes, and frozen cauliflower rice. We added sour cream to each of our bowls after the cheese melted in and I’m testifying right now that this will go in our monthly rotation forever! I’m not a cauliflower lover, but I could not even tell that it was in this delicious entree! I have a couple of your cookbooks and love all of the recipes I’ve tried so far. Thank you so very much for creating and sharing this and all of your other recipes! My family and I appreciate you so very much!
I omit the tomatoes, onions, peppers and broth, and substitute a container of pico de gallo… usually, I add some spicy guacamole, too (can’t really tell the next day or the day after that it’s gone all brown and ugly LOL!). This is a great cook-once, eat-for-days meal.
This was such a satisfying dinner. After plating my serving I topped it with cheese and melted it with a blowtorch. Definitely adding to my regular meal prep rotation!
This is my second time making this delicious dish! It is now one of my favorites. Thank you Carolyn for another great recipe..
I made this and it’s absolutely delicious! I typed mine with sour cream and chalula! Perfection! Thank you!!!
My family loves this dish!
This was easy and good. My husband doesn’t like cauliflower rice but he liked this! Thank you!
ABSOLUTELY better than any sauce from the store and Leto compliant ❤️ I have a new favorite recipe. My kids both had seconds! I bet this would be an awesome filling in poblanos
I’ll bet some Hatch green chilis would be awesome in this! Gonna have to give it a try. 😁
Easy. Delicious. Not fan of cauliflower Mexican rice. But with beef , cheese , etc you have a winner. I used Rotel for little more bite. Either way simple healthy meal.
I hate the taste of cauliflower . BUT, this recipe ROCKS ! First time have liked a recipe with Cauliflower !
10 out of 10 ! I did add some chilli powder, cumin, tumeric and garlic powder.
This is a keeper for sure
Even if you’re not a big cauliflower fan, you’ll like this! Super easy, quick, & surprisingly really delicious!