Take my advice, my friends, and run to your kitchen to make this easy keto-friendly cauliflower risotto. It is so rich and delicious, you won’t believe it’s not made with actual rice. It’s one of my all-time favorite cauliflower rice recipes.
It elevates all of your favorite low carb meals. Pair it with keto pork tenderloin or pecan crusted salmon for a healthy gourmet dinner!
One reader says…
“This is a favorite at my house! I always double the batch for leftovers. I do add the mushroom umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s for just an extra zip of flavor.
As a Type 1 diabetic it’s great to have a quick & delicious side dish that adheres to my keto diet. Thank you!” — Amanda
Back in the day, I loved traditional risotto and I blame Trader Joe’s for that. It was my first introduction to cooking with arborio rice, and I was amazed that this gourmet side dish came from my own pan.
When I went low carb, I missed that flavor so much, I decided to give it a go with keto-friendly ingredients. And to my absolute delight, I found that I liked it just as much as the real thing. Possibly more, as it didn’t fill me up or spike my blood sugar.
I first created this recipe back in 2016 and I decided to use all the same tricks I’d learned over the years. The key to getting that ideal creaminess is the slow addition of liquid that evaporates before the next addition. I used this approach here as well, since cauliflower has a much higher moisture content than grains of rice.
I tested this cauliflower risotto recipe with both fresh and frozen riced cauliflower. There seemed to be very little difference between how they cooked. So you can make it with whatever is available: fresh, frozen, or cauliflower florets that you rice yourself.
Why readers love this recipe
- Classic flavor: Thanks to the combination of sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and Parmesan, it tastes like the classic Italian dish.
- Creamy texture: The texture mimics real risotto without becoming watery or mushy.
- Quick and easy: Even with all the simmering, this recipe takes only 25 minutes to make. Perfect for an easy keto dinner recipe.
- Wholesome ingredients: Cauliflower rice is a great choice for anyone want to lower carbs or avoid grains.
- Keto-friendly side dish: With less than 8 grams of carbs per serving, it won’t knock you out of ketosis!
- Customizable: You can easily turn it into a complete meal by adding cooked shrimp, chicken, or sausage!
Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower rice: You can rice it yourself or buy cauliflower rice.
- Fat: You can use butter, olive oil or coconut oil.
- Mushrooms: I like the look and flavor of cremini mushrooms.
- Garlic: I love the flavor that fresh garlic offers. Garlic powder just can’t compare!
- Broth: You can use chicken or vegetable broth.
- White wine: This adds depth to the dish but you can replace it with more broth if you prefer.
- Heavy cream: This lends a creamier texture to the cauliflower risotto.
- Parmesan cheese: Don’t skip this! It gives the whole recipe a classic flavor and texture.
- Herbs: Feel free to add a little fresh thyme or sage in there as well!
Quick Overview: How to Make Cauliflower Risotto
- Prep the vegetables: This recipe comes together quickly so it’s good to have everything prepared before you start. Chop the mushrooms in small pieces and mince the garlic. And if you’re working with whole cauliflower, grate it or process it until it resembles grains of rice.
- Melt the butter: Set a large skillet over medium heat and let the butter melt.
- Sauté the mushrooms and garlic: Once the butter is nice and hot, add the mushrooms and garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Add the riced cauliflower: It really doesn’t matter if it’s fresh or frozen, it takes just about the same time to cook through and become tender. Toss to coat in the butter and mushrooms.
- Slowly add the liquids: Just like traditional risotto, you want to add the liquid a little at a time, allowing it to evaporate between additions.
- Stir in the Parmesan: I recommend freshly grated Parmesan for this. It will help thicken the risotto as you mix it in.
Tips for Success
The trick to a really creamy consistency is to add the liquid a little at a time and let it evaporate before adding more. This is the same technique used for conventional risotto and it’s worth the time and effort.
Chopping the mushrooms finely gives great coverage and flavor throughout the whole dish.
If you need to be dairy-free, try using avocado or olive oil for the butter, coconut cream for the heavy cream, and dairy-free Parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’re in luck! I have another great keto risotto recipe that doesn’t use any mushrooms at all. Check out my Cheesy Keto Risotto.
Yes, this cauliflower reheats really well. Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing it.
This mushroom cauliflower risotto recipe has 7.5g of carbs and 2.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 5.2g net carbs per serving.
Keto Side Dishes
Want to round this out for a full meal? Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
Cauliflower Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) riced cauliflower, (the frozen version works just as well as the fresh, no need to thaw)
- 1/4 cup (60 g) dry white wine
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup (58.75 g) chicken broth
- 2 to 4 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, add more as desired
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add the chopped mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and just turning golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, add the cauliflower, and toss to coat in the butter. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid has bubbled away. Add the broth a few tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently and letting it evaporate each time.
- When the cauliflower is becoming tender, add a little more broth and a few tablespoons of cream. Cover with a lid and continue to cook, allowing the cauliflower to steam until tender. Addi a bit more broth and/or cream if needed.
- Stir in the Parmesan and add any additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with additional grated parmesan as desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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absolutely delicious!!
This turned out so delicious and it was super easy to make!! Definitely a keeper recipe. My husband even liked it, that’s saying a lot!! Thank you!
Oh wow! This is pure yum and comfort! Definitely good enough for company that doesn’t eat keto. Oooh we’ll be making this regularly! Hubby is raving and that takes a lot!
Excellent recipe!
I made this for dinner tonight and we all thought it was delicious – I served it with chicken thighs and a salad. Perfect dinner – will definitely be making it again. I love searching through your recipes and we’ve loved every one that I’ve made!
Thank you so much!
Great to hear!
Made this tonight to go with baked stuffed chicken breast!! So Good!!
Didn’t have any cauliflower, so used Palmini Rice. Turned out delicious!
My husband had two helpings!
Thank you Carolyn for another great recipe!
Very nice! And faster than risotto. Hence I am calling it Mushroom Cauliflotto ( ‘flott’ meaning fast in my native language:-)
I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite from all your great keto adapted recipes, but this one is at the top of my list! It’s so creamy and delicious and even better than the high carb version I made for years. Thank you, Carolyn, for creating another fantastic and healthy five star recipe.
I am so glad!
This is very flavorful! We made it with a concoction my son made; boneless skinless chicken with different seasonings and a sauce made from the drippings with heavy cream and chicken broth. Everyone liked it even my son who thinks he doesn’t like mushrooms and my husband who doesn’t like rice calling. Lol
OMG….this taste so good, I could have eaten the whole pan myself. Next time I make this I’m going to double it so I have leftovers
I wish I could say that I enjoyed this dish as much as everyone else did. But for me it was just meh. There are some things that can’t be replicated and a risotto dish is one of them. The mushrooms gave it the most flavor. This was too laborious for a minimal payout.
Excellent! I was dubious about the cauliflower rice being used but it was amazing! And I did not even use wine as I did not have any. Will do so next time and make much more as my non-Keto husband gobbled most of it up.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very good and satisfying!
Very good.
This was DELICIOUS! I made a few changes. I added some red pepper flakes, sautéed a small yellow onion with the mushrooms, and didn’t use white wine (only because I didn’t have any). My husband loved it, as well. This will absolutely be added to our dinner rotation! And it will be a side at my next dinner party for sure!
Please take my advice – DOUBLE the recipe! You will need it – Oh.So.Good! This is the best riced cauliflower recipe I have ever made and so easy – Winner Winner, perfect with a chicken dinner 🙂
Thank you!