Cauliflower risotto with cheddar and sage makes the perfect keto side dish recipe. Rich and flavorful, but low in carbs so it won’t weigh you down. Great for a date night meal! This post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery.
Risotto has always been one of my favorite side dishes. It’s easy, it’s elegant, and it pairs well with just about anything. But classic Italian risotto made with arborio rice is no longer on my healthy menu.
Cauliflower risotto to the rescue! You might not believe that cauliflower rice can be a good substitute for real risotto but it actually does a pretty great imitation. You just have to know how to treat it right, with a little wine, a little cream, and plenty of cheese.
And I’ve given this keto cauliflower risotto a little bit of a flavor twist. I have already done the classic mushroom cauliflower risotto, which stands as one of my most popular recipe of all time.
But today’s version is a departure from the classic, and isn’t even made with the standard Parmesan (gasp!). It’s made with some of the World’s Best Cheddar… and it’s amazing!
World’s Best Cheddar!
I can stand here and tell you that Cabot is the world’s best cheddar until I am blue in the face but don’t take my word for it. They’ve won numerous awards for their sharp cheddar varieties, year after year, both nationally and internationally.
It really is some of the best cheddar I’ve ever had. Living in New England for 11 years, I became quite a Cabot devotee and I find myself measuring every other cheddar by that standard. It’s just really, really good, and really, really consistent.
I always know that I am going to enjoy my meal that much more if it includes some Cabot Creamery cheddar.
And it turns out that sharp cheddar is an excellent and delicious substitute for Parmesan in cauliflower risotto. It has a similar tanginess, but with a richer, creamier mouthfeel.
A healthier date night meal
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to make a delicious side dish that was both easy and elegant enough for “date night”. Something that could pair with steak, chicken, seafood or whatever you love to have for a special celebration.
We paired ours with a good medium rare steak. I figure you know how to cook steak to your liking so I won’t go into those details. Or perhaps you prefer a pork tenderloin or some crispy skinned chicken thighs. All great date night food, in my opinion!
But it’s often hard to come up with new and different keto side dishes to pair them with. I know I have a tendency to fall into a side dish rut, relying on roasted cauliflower or broccoli much of the time.
Risotto is a date night classic and this cheesy cauliflower risotto is so rich and creamy, you might be tempted to eat it as your main course.
Tips for making Cauliflower Risotto
Let’s be honest – making risotto with cauliflower rice is, by necessity, going to be a lot different than making conventional risotto. It has a far higher moisture content and little to no starch compared to arborio rice.
So you have to treat it quite a bit differently when making the classic Italian dish. The cooking time is much shorter and you only need a little bit of liquid, rather than several cups of broth.
Here are a few tips for getting it right.
Crisp up the sage
If you’ve never had crispy sage before, you’re in for a treat. Sage leaves become more fragrant and crisped up when they are lightly fried in a little butter. Remove it after it crisps because it will get soggy again if you cook it with the cauliflower risotto. Use it as a garnish at the end.
Reduce the wine or broth
Wnite wine is a standard addition to risotto and helps to deepen the flavor. Broth is a good substitute if you prefer not to use wine. Add it to the butter in the pan and cook it until it’s reduced by half.
Fresh or frozen cauliflower rice?
Either works but I like to use frozen for the convenience factor. They both take about the same amount of time to cook. Frozen cauliflower will release more liquid so if you’re using fresh, you may need to add a bit more broth or water until the cauliflower is tender.
Adding heavy cream
Conventional risotto does not take cream, but then again, it has quite a bit of starch to create that creamy mouth feel. Adding a little heavy cream will make your cauliflower risotto feel more like the real thing.
Stir in the cheese
Add plenty of grated sharp cheddar and stir in until melted. You’ll be glad you did!
Want more keto cauliflower rice recipes?
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Keto Jambalaya
- Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice
- Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice
- Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower Risotto with Cheddar and Sage
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- ¼ cup dry white wine can sub chicken broth
- 16 ounces frozen riced cauliflower
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 6 ounces grated sharp white Cheddar such as Cabot Extra Sharp, grated
- ¼ tsp glucomannan optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the sage and saute about 1 minute, until crispy. Remove the sage to a plate for garnish.
- Add the wine to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
- Add the cauliflower and toss to coat in the liquid. Sauté until the cauliflower is tender crisp, then stir in the cream and continue to cook until tender.
- Push the cauliflower off to one side of the pan so that the liquid runs to the other side. Add the cheese to the liquid and stir until melted. Then stir the liquid back into the cauliflower rice.
- For a thicker sauce, whisk the glucomannan in with the cheese.
- Serve with the crispy sage sprinkled over each serving.
Christa says
Perfect timing! I have a bag of fresh riced cauliflower in the fridge, begging for purpose. After trying the fresh, I’ll say I really do prefer frozen—not just for convenience, but I feel like it works better in the recipes I’ve done.
LOVE your recipes, Carolyn! You’re my fav keto cooking go-to—appreciate how consistently amazing your recipes are.
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Sandee Harris says
Looks great! Could you freeze it?
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried. I think it might be a bit watery as it thaws.
Angela Cardamone @marathonsandmotivation.com says
Such a delicious recipe, can’t wait to make it again!!
Donna Houchins says
This looks fantastic! There used to be a Cabot outlet place within walking distance when I lived in Vermont so I’m very familiar with how wonderful Cabot cheese is
Mary Ann Jolley says
Tried it and loved the result. I didn’t have white old cheese but used old regular cheddar. Plus I didn’t have white wine but used white wine vinegar and it turned out great. Flavourful and a wonderful texture as well. Will look forward to trying other risotto recipes.
Thanks
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out!
Cindy says
This is utterly delicious – I used pecorino cheese from the supermarket here in Australia and it had just the right sharp flavour. Everyone in the family loved it
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Joyce says
Now that things have returned to normal here in the heart of Texas, I will make this tonight! Thank you, Carolyn, for all your help during this time, and all your lovely recipes that got me through al last year and the storm and still lost a little weight!
Carolyn says
I’m so glad you’re safe and warm!
Betsy says
I am so with you on the Cabot Cheese! I like to treat myself to the Cabot Alpine White Cheddar Cheese. It’s got such a lovely nutty flavor. Their regular white sharp cheddar is so good, too! Love the cheese in the cauliflower risotto. Cauliflower is almost magically paired with sharp cheddar, don’t you think? Yum.
katerina @ diethood.com says
This Cauliflower Risotto was absolutely delicious!! Everyone enjoyed it!! I will definitely be making this again and again!
Natasha says
This is one of the best risotto recipes that I have tried and it’s healthy too, I highly recommend this recipe! It is so tasty, and I LOVE the cheese used in this recipe.
Natalie says
I could eat this as my meal! It’s so comforting & rich in flavor! So happy it’s low in carbs!
Betsy says
Absolutely delightful! This faux risotto is a perfect low carb side dish! Using the Cabot cheese is a stroke of genius. It’s my absolute favorite cheese. I always have some Cabot cheese on hand as it’s my absolute favorite of all the cheese brands.
Lisalia says
I am so glad I made this recipe because I did not know how much I needed it in my life!! It’s SO delicious and rich. So much flavor – I don’t miss regular rice at all.
Rachel says
Delicious! I didn’t have any liquid left in the pan by the time I cooked the rice to the texture we prefer but maybe I’ll partially cook it next time to get it started.