Mexican Cauliflower Rice – Keto

This Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a one pan wonder! An easy keto skillet meal the whole family will love. They won’t even notice it’s low carb and grain-free. Winning!

If you love Mexican inspired keto recipes, you’ll also love my Easy Taco Pie. 

Mexican cauliflower rice has been one of my most popular keto dinner recipes for years now. Even people who swear up, down, and sideways that they don’t like cauliflower rice enjoy this easy skillet meal. That includes my own children.

Not only is it full of bold flavor, but it’s astonishingly easy to make. 8 simple ingredients and 25 minutes, start to finish. It’s a full meal in one pan, too, so clean up is a snap.

Now doesn’t that sound like a meal you need to put on your menu immediately?

Praise for keto Mexican cauliflower rice

But don’t take my word for it. This is a recipe that gets rave reviews every time. Check out these reader reviews:

I’ve made this twice as in the last two weeks following a keto diet and it is delicious! I made it the first time with fresh cauliflower and the second with thawed frozen and they were both great, but I think I prefer the frozen cauli. It’s even better reheated! – Shanna

I have been slow to get on the cauliflower rice train due to the taste/smell, but I just made this… and my oh my, it is delicious! No one would know that there is cauliflower rice instead of regular rice in the dish. Definitely a make again recipe! Thank you for the recipe. – Angie

Recipe inspiration

I have many wonderful blogger friends who constantly inspire me, both in the kitchen and out. This recipe for Mexican cauliflower rice is no exception. I spied a high carb version with regular rice on Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts, and I just knew I had to try it with cauliflower.

Of course, it wasn’t as simple as simply swapping the real rice for cauli rice. It never is, of course. First, I left out the beans and corn, and back on a few other items (onions, tomatoes) to cut down on the carbs.

And I also cut back on the broth, since cauliflower rice isn’t going to absorb liquid in the same way. But the overall approach was the same: cook everything in the same skillet, sprinkle with cheese, put the lid on for a few minutes, and it’s ready to eat.

How to make Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Have I mentioned how ridiculously easy this is to make? That’s why it’s such a perfect dinner recipe for busy weeknights.

1. Brown the ground beef over medium heat, but don’t cook it all the way through. You want it to be a little pink, as it will continue to cook after you add the other ingredients.
2. Add the onion and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender. Then stir in the taco seasoning. You can make your own or purchase pre-made seasoning. Just be sure to choose a spice mix that doesn’t have any additives, fillers, or sugars.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, the cauliflower rice, and some chicken broth. It really doesn’t matter whether you use fresh or frozen, they both take about the same time to cook through.
4. Once the cauliflower is beginning to soften, sprinkle on the cheese and cover the whole skillet with a lid. Continue to cook until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

How easy is that???

Can you make this recipe ahead?

Those of you who like to meal prep will be thrilled to know that this keto skillet meal can be made one to two days in advance. As several readers have noted, it tastes just as good re-heated.

I don’t recommend freezing this one, as the fresh vegetables will become mushy upon thawing. Store the leftovers in the fridge in a covered container. It’s good for up to 5 days.

We love this recipe so much, I included it in my Easy Keto Dinners Cookbook!

Mexican Cauliflower Rice

This Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a one pan wonder! An easy keto skillet meal the whole family will love. They won’t even notice it’s low carb and grain-free. Winning!

4.96 from 71 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: keto mexican cauliflower rice, Mexican cauliflower rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 352kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• ¼ medium onion diced
• ½ red pepper diced
• 3 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 12 ounces cauliflower rice fresh or frozen
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican Blend

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through (just a little pink). Add the onion and pepper and continue to cook until no longer pink. Stir in the taco seasoning.
• Add the tomatoes and cauliflower rice and stir to combine. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the cauliflower rice begins to soften (8 to 10 minutes for frozen).
• Sprinkle the skillet with the cheese and cover. Let cook until the cheese is melted, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat and top with your favourite toppings like sour cream, avocado, and chopped cilantro.

Video

Nutrition Facts

Mexican Cauliflower Rice

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = ⅙th of recipe)

Calories 352 Calories from Fat 195

% Daily Value*

Fat 21.71g33%

Cholesterol 96mg32%

Carbohydrates 7.04g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 29.09g58%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.