This creamy mushroom cauliflower rice is the perfect low carb side dish. It’s so rich and delicious, you won’t believe it’s grain-free. A gourmet keto recipe, now with a how-to video!
Trader Joe’s is a magical land filled with fairy-tale ingredients at astonishingly unfairy-tale like prices. The first time you visit a TJs store, you are quite overcome at the dazzling array of “gourmet” foods that don’t have a gourmet price tag. You stand there, dazed, picking up a wedge of triple cream brie that costs less than 4 dollars and putting it down again, for fear that it isn’t actually real. When you finally dare to believe, you start filling your cart with any number of delights that would cost far more elsewhere. You grab some of this and some of that…oh, might as well get two or three of those, just in case you can’t come back anytime soon. Next thing you know, you’ve spent about twice as much as you intended. But you don’t care, because you are so excited to get into all those tasty treats. It’s the Trader Joe’s Phenomenon. It’s a chronic disease and there is no cure.
Low Carb Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
At least that was my experience back in grad school, when Trader Joe’s was the mecca of grocery shopping in Tempe, Arizona. To my uninitiated Canadian eyes, that store at the corner of McClintock and Guadalupe was a temple of foodie delight and I worshipped there as often as my budget would allow. And it was Trader Joe’s that introduced me to arborio rice and hence to homemade risotto. Armed with a solid recipe from Mark Bittman, I mastered the creamy, delicate mushroom risotto on the first try. I was immensely pleased with myself and my gourmet cooking abilities. It quickly became a staple in our house.
And now credit once again goes to Trader Joe’s for helping me tackle a low carb mushroom risotto made with cauliflower rice. Ever the innovators, they are leading the charge on the cauli-rice front with not only their frozen organic bags but now with the fresh riced cauliflower in the produce section. Not that cauliflower rice is all that difficult to make at home as it is, but sometimes it’s nice to have someone do a little of the manual labour for you. Plus it’s one less kitchen appliance to wash at the end of the evening.
I decided to put everything I knew about making regular risotto into making the low carb version, replete with the slow addition of liquid which then are allowed to slowly evaporate. I figured this was critical as it was, since cauliflower comes with its own high moisture content, unlike arborio rice. To help the wine and broth evaporate properly, I decided to cook the whole thing in a large sauté pan instead of a deep pot. And then I added a little cream to get a more creamy consistency. Interestingly, I found that the cauliflower did not cook as quickly as I might have thought it would and with this slow, careful cooking, it did not become mushy. I also tried it with both the frozen AND the fresh riced cauliflower from Trader Joe’s and there seemed to be little difference in how they cooked. The frozen simply took a little bit longer. So the good news is that you can use any riced cauliflower here…the frozen pre-made, the fresh pre-made, or some you’ve simply riced yourself at home.
Creamy Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 245 Calories from fat 177 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 19.68g | 30% |
| Cholesterol 60mg | 20% |
| Carbohydrate 7.57g | 3% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.33g | 9% |
| Protein 9.18g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
This creamy mushroom cauliflower rice is the perfect low carb side dish. It's so rich and delicious, you won't believe it's grain-free.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces riced cauliflower (the frozen version works just as well as the fresh, no need to thaw)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 to 4 tbsp heavy cream
- Copious amounts of grated parmesan cheese (okay, about 1/2 cup to start...add more as desired)
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add chopped mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms are tender and just turning golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium low, add cauliflower, and toss to coat in the butter. Add white wine and cook until the liquid has bubbled away. Add broth a few tbsp at a time, stirring frequently and letting it evaporate each time.
- When cauliflower is becoming tender, add a little more broth and a few tbsp of cream. Cover with a lid and continue to cook, allowing the cauliflower to steam, until tender (adding 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.
Recipe Notes
Serves 4 as a side dish. Each serving has 5.24 g NET CARBS.
Food energy: 245kcal Total fat: 19.68g Calories from fat: 177 Cholesterol: 60mg Carbohydrate: 7.57g Total dietary fiber: 2.33g Protein: 9.18g
Your post made me smile this morning! That same store was my Trader Joe’s introduction, too, and it’s funny because I was just thinking about that yesterday.
Looking forward to trying out the recipe, thank you!
I just recently discovered TJ. I was thrilled to see that they had the cauliflower rice in the fresh section. I have tried to rice cauliflower and found it to be a big mess and so this is well worth the price for the convenience. It really isn’t any more than a head of cauliflower in my area and I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks so much!
No Trader Joe shops here in Holland I’m afraid, just the occasional item (nuts etc) at Aldi’s.
I’m a 1-person-household, so when cauliflower was on sale at a rediculous price last year I bought *4* large heads, riced them in my food processor and dehydrated it. Didn’t stop to blanch it, so now I’ll have *brown* rice LOL.
I luvvv mushrooms and garlic and all the rest, so I’m definately going to try this as soon as I start my induction. RICE in induction, who woulda thunk it?
Do let me know how it turns out with the dehydrated cauli. That would be great to know!
Me too! We have cauliflower gluts in Cornwall, so making a whole lot of ‘rice’ would be good, to freeze or dehydrate – can do both!
Aldi and Trader Joe are the same company ! Owned by a German family .
They’re actually distinct companies with a common ancestry. The family split up over disagreements and became two separate companies.
TJ’s is amazing! The Cauliflower Rice is huge for me – I was buying so many bags at once, that they put a sign up limiting customers to 2 bags at a time. I’m convinced, I was the catalyst for that sign! I use it for everything and it’s great to be able to order Chinese or Indian carry-out and while my family eats the white rice, I don’t feel like I’m missing out with my cauli-rice that I whipped up in 3 minutes in the microwave!
I’d been toying with the idea of using it for risotto, but was uncertain – you’ve given me the tools to give it a try! Thank you! (as always for all that you do)
Seriously, they put a limit on your cauliflower? I bought 8 bags last time I was there.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I didn’t know TJ’s has riced cauliflower. One of my “whines” about eating low carb is that, although I’m a chef-trained cook and I love cooking, sometimes I wish for the convenience of just going to the store and buying things. I also have Type 2 diabetes, so I can’t fudge. I have to make a lot of things myself, if I’m going to keep my glucose levels under control. I eat a lot of cauliflower rice, so this tip will save me a lot of time. 🙂
Me too, a little convenience food is a necessity, simply not to spend all our time cooking!
I had no idea this was available, planning a trip this week!!
Ya-UMMMMM. #FlatOutGenius. Thank you. Once again (as in most of your recipes), I have everything in the my kitchen to make this. Tonight.
To TXGrandma: If you HAVE to make cali-rice, toss the florets in a blender with enough water to cover and just give it a whirl. Life-changing. Not so messy as the food processor and waay quicker. Just strain and you’re good-to-go.
I know, I just discovered that way too!
Right?! So much better than the processing thing. NOT quite as easy as TJs, tho’. Love that option.
BTW – This risotto is DELISH. Readers: Make this now!
So glad you liked it, Karen!
This will be a great side dish!!! Can’t wait to try it. Again, you are amazing and thank you for all you do!
By the way, love reading your stories before the recipe. 🙂
Thank you!
I love everything about this low carb risotto dish!
Can’t wait to try this! I’d been wondering about a cauli alternative to risotto, and here it is!
My husband made this last night and wowie was it delish. Thanks for a great recipe, I’m already thinking about all the other things I can do with this riced cauliflower.
Yay, so glad you liked it!
Long time lurker of your fabulous website! Rice and I used to be inseparable but not anymore. So I was very excited to see this recipe and headed straight to TJs. I just whipped up a batch and it is DELICIOUS! Good thing I bought enough to make seconds because the first batch is almost gone.
Yay, so glad you liked it!
Oh my stars! I just made this to accompany our ribeyes and it was so delicious. Another winner. It’s great to make dishes that both my husband and I can enjoy, when I’m the one who has to eat low-carb. Let’s just say that no one felt deprived! Creamy and flavorful — thank you!
Wonderful to hear!
Wow, I just made this, simple to prepare and soooo delicious. I will be making this often.Thank you so much Carolyn you rock!
I’m going to attempt the Coconut Cream pie sometime this weekend.
Yay!
Made this last night, and my teenage son and I both loved this!! This is going to be a regular recipe for us, it’s awesome!!!
This recipe sounds awesome, and I will be making it soon. My husband and I love cauliflower, and this will be a great substitute for rice. I am diabetic and so glad that I found your site on Pinterest. Thank you for sharing your amazing reciipes!
Hope you love it. It’s getting good reviews thus far!
I am 100% in agreement on the convenience aspect of cooking low carb. As a working mom with 2 teenagers, sometimes I wish I could add 2 hours to each day! Can you freeze the cooked risotto? I was wondering if it would change the texture? Once I get all of my ingredient assembled, cooking 2 batches is just about the same amount of work as cooking 1 batch:-)
I didn’t try freezing it. I’d say it’s worth a shot!
Freezing worked great! Couldn’t tell the difference between the two!!! Thank you!
I practically live at Tarder Joe and was unaware of this item . Thank you so much for the information. I just called my store here in Folsom California and was informed that the frozen cauliflower is difficult to keep in stock ! It is flying off the shelf!
I used to shop often at that Tempe TJ’s too. Moved to the west valley so it’s a trek to get to one now. I will do it though, now I know about this cauli. About 45 yrs. ago I discovered I could put carrots in my blender with water to chop them up for carrot raisin salad. But after all these years it never occurred to me to use it for other veggies. What a great day full of discoveries, ( read risotto, in all its glorious forms) thanks to you, Carolyn. P.S. I love your red hair.
Thanks!
I used to shop often at that Tempe TJ’s too. Moved to the west valley so it’s a trek to get to one now. I will do it though, now I know about this cauli. About 45 yrs. ago I discovered I could put carrots in my blender with water to chop them up for carrot raisin salad. But after all these years it never occurred to me to use it for other veggies. What a great day full of discoveries, ( read risotto, in all its glorious forms) thanks to you, Carolyn. P.S. I love your red hair.
This looks delicious! Im starting off with a whole cauliflower, and am going to rice it in the food processor. How many cups of rices cauliflower do you figure I should use?
4 to 5 cups. But it’s a pretty forgiving recipe. Just add more liquid as needed.
Thank you. I was absolutely delicious, and so easy. I will definitely be making it again.
I can’t wait to try this! I’ve been using cauli “rice” for a while now with chili and curries and even pasta sauces while my hubby eats regular rice or pasta. I don’t even cook mine if it’s just straight cauliflower with no added ingredients…..the heat from the main dish on top heats it up and keeps the texture of the cauliflower al dente since that’s the way I like it.
I use the multipurpose shredder “wheel” on my Cuisinart and it shreds the stuff up in no time with no mess. After I figured out how to attach and load the sucker properly, that is 🙂
What a fabulous addition to a low carb repertoire!!! Rich, delicious and easy!! I used Trader Joe’s frozen — the step where you cover it — I let it gently cook for 10 minutes as I like it on the softer side. Follow directions exactly and you won’t be disappointed!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!!
So glad to hear it!
Update: cooked this dish tonight and have to say it’s every bit as good as risotto with real rice!!!! The mushrooms and wine add depth of flavor, and the cream along with the cheese add the starchy mouth feel. Bless you, Carolyn, for giving us the gift of low carb cooking with a soul! 💕
Pure perfection. I just made it as a main course for dinner and I had to throw in a “side dish” of leftover chicken just to stop myself from eating ALL four servings lol (p.s. 38 more minutes to go before my meringue cookies will be out of the oven)
Thank you Carolyn for tonight’s dinner and treat and for all the amazing recipes you share. You are truly so gifted and talented. Bravo
So glad you liked it that much!
One more thing, I only had frozen cauliflower florets so I threw them in my Ninja, and pulsed them for a few seconds. They chop into cauliflower-rice perfectly when you do it while still frozen.
Great tip!
I was looking for something other than mock mash or mock mac & cheese to make with cauliflower. Made this tonight with dinner and even my picky “it’s low carb, I won’t like it” 12 year old daughter loves it! This will definitely be a frequent side dish. I didn’t have any white wine on hand so just used chicken broth; delish! Thank you so much; it isn’t easy to incorporate low carb foods my family loves, but your recipes have helped tremendously.
So glad you liked it!
TJ now carries rice broccoli- and that works out for your recipe, too!
Thanks for all your great recipes !
Good to know!
I googled “low carb cauliflower rice recipes” since my husband came home with four bags of cauliflower rice from Costco yesterday. I was thrilled to see ADIDAF pop up at the top of the list because I know your recipes are great and as a T1 on Dr. Bernstein’s program, I know I can trust you for delicious, sane, lower carb goodies. Thanks for your contribution to my success in controlling my diabetes.
Aw, thanks so much, Mary Alice!
I am going to large Holiday gathering and would like to make this. Do you think it would be ok to place in a crock pot to stay warm or would that ruin it and make it too mushy?
If you make it ahead and then just put it in the crockpot on warm, I think it will end up okay.
Just came across this in my Facebook feed and instantly decided on my tea. Easy to make and really delicious. The portion size looked small (I am vegetarian so it was a main not a side) so I served with a green salad) and gosh it was good!
Thank you
Is there anything I can substitute the mushroom with that wouldn’t alter the recipe too much? I love risotto and cauliflower but my boyfriend hates mushrooms.
Honestly, it should be fine without anything. Just melt the butter, saute the garlic a few minutes, add some S&P and then put in the cauliflower.
I just made this recipe for my dad. He’s a very picky eater and is not a fan of cauliflower but he gobbled it right up. It came out a little salty for my taste. Next time I won’t add any salt, I think the chicken broth and cheese has enough. Overall, great recipe!
Just made this and I have to say jt is absolutely deliciiis and I could eat this every single night with dinner!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Wow! I don’t leave comments on recipes very often but I just couldn’t NOT in this case. This was divine! My whole family loved it! Thanks for another spot on delicious recipe.
Well I am so glad I inspired you to actually leave a comment. Thanks so much!