This cauliflower risotto recipe is the perfect low carb side dish. It’s full of classic mushroom risotto flavor with a mere fraction of the carbs. And it takes only 25 minutes to make!
Take my advice, my friends, and run to your kitchen to make this easy keto 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.
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.
Creamy cauliflower risotto recipe
I first created this recipe back in 2016 when I had a hankering for a delicious side dish. Having mastered the real thing, 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.
To help the wine and broth evaporate properly, I decided to cook the whole thing in a large skillet instead of a deep pot. And also I added a little heavy cream at the end to achieve a thicker consistency.
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.
Ingredients
This easy recipe takes only 9 basic ingredients that you can get at any grocery store. You will need:
- Cauliflower rice
- Butter or olive oil
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- White wine
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
Feel free to add a little fresh thyme or sage in there as well!
How to make cauliflower risotto
This keto risotto is so easy and the results are fabulous!
- 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
- 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.
- Simmer until tender: Cover it with a lid and allow it to continue to cook until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- Stir in the Parmesan: I recommend freshly grated Parmesan for this. It will help thicken the risotto as you mix it in.
- Grab a bowl and dig in!
Frequently Asked Questions
Replace the wine with a little more broth, and proceed as directed.
Sure! Replace the butter with olive oil or coconut oil and use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream. For the Parmesan, you can use either nutritional yeast or a dairy-free cheese.
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.
What to serve with cauliflower risotto
Want to round this out for a full meal? Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- Keto Pork Tenderloin
- Tomato Basil Chicken
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Easy Caprese Chicken
- Tenderloin Steak
- Keto Meatballs
Cauliflower Mushroom Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ 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)
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¼ to ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese add more as desired
Instructions
- In a large saute pan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add the chopped mushrooms and garlic and sauté until 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.
Wanda says
Can I use diet sprite in place of the wine? I don’t like wine.
Carolyn says
Just use more broth.
Donna Voets says
This was amazing…drizzled just a tad of truffle oil….sooo good….
Ronnette says
I made this tonight for our side dish, minus the white wine.
We absolutely loved it. This recipe is a keeper.
Genevieve Eisan says
This was absolutely delicious! My 15 year old son and hubby (who are both not low carb) LOVED it too. The only thing I did differently was substitute more chicken broth for the white wine as I did not have any on hand. Fantastic flavor!
Elizabeth says
I loved this recipe! The white wine added a beautiful dimension of flavor. I added a chopped onion, but followed the rest of the recipe to a T. So, so good. I could seriously eat a bowlful for dinner.
Tiffany says
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.
Carolyn says
Well I am so glad I inspired you to actually leave a comment. Thanks so much!
Kathy says
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.
Vanessa says
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!
Carissa says
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.
Carolyn says
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.
Claire says
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
Christine Reda says
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?
Carolyn says
If you make it ahead and then just put it in the crockpot on warm, I think it will end up okay.
Mary Alice Ladwig says
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.
Carolyn says
Aw, thanks so much, Mary Alice!
Sophie says
TJ now carries rice broccoli- and that works out for your recipe, too!
Thanks for all your great recipes !
Carolyn says
Good to know!
Andrea says
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.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Maria says
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.
Carolyn says
Great tip!
Maria says
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
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it that much!
Mary S. says
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! ?
Liz L says
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!!!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Mary S says
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 🙂
Becky says
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?
Carolyn says
4 to 5 cups. But it’s a pretty forgiving recipe. Just add more liquid as needed.
Becky says
Thank you. I was absolutely delicious, and so easy. I will definitely be making it again.