Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice takes only 5 simple ingredients and has spectacular flavor. This copycat of the famous Chipotle rice goes with all of your favorite healthy dinners.
This easy Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice might just be the perfect keto side dish. It’s light and fresh, has only 5 ingredients, and takes 10 minutes to make. I developed this recipe years ago after a trip to Chipotle and it was an instant family favorite.
And I’ve been making it the same way ever since. It goes with just about anything, but is particularly good with Mexican inspired dishes. We love to pair it with mains like Mexican Shredded Beef, Keto Carnitas, and Easy Keto Chicken Fajitas.
Why you need this recipe
If you’ve been craving Mexican food on your keto diet, then you’re going to love this Chipotle cauliflower rice. It’s so incredibly simple and yet bursting with fresh flavor.
And unlike dishes made with real rice, it doesn’t weigh you down or spike your blood sugar. So you can enjoy your meal without worry and without feeling overly full afterwards!
You could easily consider this keto convenience food. You can use fresh or frozen cauliflower rice, so it’s easy to have the ingredients on hand at all times. And it really is ready in about 10 minutes, start to finish.
And this easy cauliflower rice recipe has a mere 4g of carbs per serving.
Reader Reviews
“Made this many times…so often, in fact, that I made my husband plant cilantro in our backyard. This is a religious experience.” – Lynn
“I love Chipotle cilantro lime rice and THIS tastes just like it!!! My husband who does not like cauliflower rice didn’t know he was eating cauliflower rice!” – Lisa
“I served this with your Chicken Fajita Kebobs recipe, and they were a hit even with the young grandkiddos. Both of these recipes are definitely keepers!” – Lynn B.
Ingredients you need
- Riced cauliflower: I don’t bother making my own cauliflower rice anymore as almost every grocery store carries pre-chopped versions. You can use fresh or frozen, as they take about the same time to cook. If you are making your own, a medium head of cauliflower should be about right for 4 cups of rice.
- Butter: I like to use butter for the rich flavor but you can use any oil. Want a dairy free version? Use good quality olive oil or avocado oil.
- Cilantro: Nothing compares to the flavor of fresh cilantro. Add as much or as little as you like.
- Lime: Please don’t use bottled lime juice. Fresh is always best and you can taste the difference. I find that a single lime usually has enough juice for this recipe. You can also use some lime zest for added flavor.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and chipotle powder. The chipotle powder is entirely optional but it gives the rice a nice little kick.
Step-by-step directions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to froth. Add the cauliflower rice and toss to coat in the butter.
- Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and chipotle powder, if desired. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender crisp and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro, lime juice and any additional salt and pepper to taste.
Expert Tips
Although I prefer to buy riced cauliflower, you can easily make it yourself at home. I like to pop the florets in my blender with some water and blend until it resembles grains of rice. Then I simply pour everything into a sieve to drain off the water. Adding water like this helps the grains become more uniform.
I recommend doing half a head of cauliflower at a time at a time when making your own. Otherwise you tend to overwhelm the blender or food processor.
Choose a good sized skillet for this, one that is at least 10 inches in diameter. Cast iron, stainless steel, or good non-stick skillets are your best choices. Don’t use a saucepan, as they are too deep and the cauliflower rice doesn’t cook through as quickly or evenly.
Chopping cilantro is an exercise in frustration, as it likes to stick to the knife. But I learned a great trick from a chef friend. Place the cilantro in a glass and use scissors to cut as you turn the glass frequently. It works like a charm and you can see it in action in my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice video!
Frequently Asked Questions
Overcooking cauliflower rice makes it become soggy quickly. I recommend sautéing it in oil or butter until it’s just becoming tender, then removing it from heat. It will continue to cook a little longer in the pan so this ensures you don’t overcook it.
This cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe has 6.4g of carbs and 2.4g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4g net carbs.
The popular fast food chain Chipotle came out with a cauliflower version of their popular Cilantro Lime Rice in 2021. Sadly, they removed this low carb option from their menu later that same year. But the good news is that you can easily make it at home in 10 minutes!
More Delicious Keto Cauliflower Recipes
Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cauliflower rice , (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder, (optional)
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to froth. Add the cauliflower rice and toss to coat in the butter.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little chipotle powder, if desired. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender crisp and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped cilantro, lime juice and any additional salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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We loved the chipotle seasoning.
Trying this today!
I made this today along with the Pecan Crusted Salmon! It’s a keeper! AND that salmon was gourmet restaurant quality!!
To be honest, I didn’t really believe that another cauliflower-rice recipe would live up to Carolyn’s Mushroom Risotto recipe, well I was dead wrong! This is an absolute fabulous recipe! Again, you’d never know it was cauliflower and for this Cali girl who grew up on Mexican food, this is just PERFECTION! I added a few sliced scallions and a sprinkle of cheese on top and I was in heaven! Thanks again Carolyn!
DELISH!!
Absolutely great, served with chicken fajitas. I zested the lime and added it with the cilantro.
Did not see any video attached for the chopping cilantro hack😔
Seems like my YouTube video embed went missing from the recipe card. That’s weird! I will try to re-add it when I can. Basically you put the cilantro at the bottom of a glass and take scissors and cut while turning the glass.
OMG! This has transformed my Mexican cooking nights. Bright and perfectly tangy. Goes well with carnitas or topped with shredded rotisserie chicken, shredded cheese, green onions, chopped pickled jalapeños and a touch of sour cream.
Excellent flavors! I added some chopped green onions as well!
Carolyn, how do I get the video for the cilantro lime cauliflower rice to play? I’ve located the videos, but when I click the “play” arrow, it takes me straight back to the print version. I want a better way to cut cilantro.
P.S.
For the easiest to use, look for a market that sells skimpy bunches in loose rubber bands. It saves cleaning off all of the spoiled mess jammed into the banded part of the bunch.
I served this with your Chicken Fajita Kebobs recipe, and they were a hit even with the young grandkiddos. Both of these recipes are definitely keepers!
I absolutely love this recipe and use it for roughly chopped cauliflower, too.
The comments were right on, so good! Definately a new favorite! I made mine without the chipotle spice and it was very yummy.
I love Chipotle cilantro lime rice and THIS tastes just like it!!! My husband who does not like cauliflower rice didn’t know he was eating cauliflower rice!
Also I LOVE your tip for chopping cilantro thank you!!!!
So amazingly delicious! This will become a staple in my home. I’m not a fan of chipotle so I omitted it.
Just tried this, easy to make and so delicious, will definitely make again!!! Thanks
I love how light and fresh this tastes. We make it several times a week. I just have a quick question about the serving size. It says the serving size is 1 cup and I buy my cauliflower rice frozen from Costco, it comes in 4 – 1lb bags, but I usually only get 2 cups per batch. I may be over packing the measuring cup, but I just wanted to confirm I had the serving size right.
Thanks!
The serving size is referring to the raw, frozen rice. Once cooked, it’s more like 2/3 cup (unpacked… definitely don’t pack it in).
My lady friend discovered you a while back and we’re hooked. Love your style and been loving every recipe we’ve tried. Also, we have gotten all your cookbooks as well. Thank you for sharing your expertise and great taste with us. Johnny
Thanks so much!
Just made. So good. The lime and cilantro combo is perfect for summer.
Thanks again, Carolyn.
E
I’m not a big fan of Chipotle, but I love the idea of a burrito bowl, so I decided to make one for dinner last night. This cauliflower rice was a fantastic addition and is amazing on its own too! I came out with a meal that was far better than anything I’ve ever gotten from Chipotle and it was easy to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe.