A bright and easy holiday side dish, coming right up! This cauliflower rice pilaf hits all the right notes, with cranberries, pecans, sage, and white cooking wine. It is the perfect pairing to any main dish this holiday season.
Easy flavor is the name of the game this holiday season. Let’s face it, we tend to fall into a trap thinking big holiday dinners have to be an all day cooking event. This is particularly true if family and friends are coming over, and we want to impress them. It can be incredibly stressful at times.
Well the good news is that this doesn’t have to be the case at all. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and it doesn’t take much to bring out the best flavors.
This Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Pecan is a prime example. A pat of butter, some garlic, and some chopped sage make it delicious and ridiculously easy. And a splash of white wine helps give it depth and real pilaf flavor, without all the heavy carbs.
Best of all, with a few easy hacks this recipe takes only about 20 minutes, start to finish.
Stress Free Holiday Cooking
I promised you some tips on how to make your holiday meals less stressful. Trust me, this easy keto side dish will be something you can whip up in minutes if you follow my hacks.
You can literally have your roast beef or turkey out of the oven and resting while you make this.
Avail yourself with the pre-riced cauliflower option. Fresh or frozen, it doesn’t matter, as they both tend to cook just as quickly. And I don’t know of a single grocery store that doesn’t sell frozen cauliflower rice now. This saves you loads of time on both the chopping and the clean up.
Save yourself even more time by grabbing some pre-minced garlic. I love the little frozen cubes, but the pastes you find in the refrigerated section can work too.
Finally, use pre-chopped, pre-toasted nuts. Not only does this save time, but it saves you the grief of accidentally burning them. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done this when I am paying attention to other dishes. Nuts like pecans can toast incredibly quickly and burn very easily!
Need to feed more than 6 people? This recipe can easily be doubled. And the leftovers are fabulous.
Want more easy keto holiday recipes?
- The Best Keto Gravy
- Keto Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
- Keto Sausage Stuffing
- Keto Pumpkin Cream Pie
- Keto Turkey Pot Pie
Keto Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
- 16 ounces riced cauliflower fresh or frozen
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- ¼ cup sugar-free dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter and let melt. Once melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower rice and toss to coat in the butter wine sauce.
- Cover the pan and let cook until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, cranberries, and sage.
RES says
What could I use to substitute for the wine? I am in AA and alcohol is not something I allow in my home.
Carolyn says
Broth is fine!
Laura Reese says
I love to eat this way so this recipe is just what I am looking for. The rice is delicious too!
Rachael Yerkes says
This is awesome! love that it’s keto friendly
Sherry Corson says
Would dried sage work instead of fresh? Perhaps adding it with the wine to soften it?
Dee says
I don’t see the list o the other recipes sponsored by Holland House?
Carolyn says
Yes, I am actually waiting for the PR agent to send me all the links. FYI, none of the others are low carb.