This Mexican Cauliflower Rice is a one pan wonder! It’s an easy keto skillet meal that takes 8 ingredients and only 25 minutes to make. And the whole family loves it.
This Mexican Cauliflower Rice has been one of my most popular keto dinner recipes for many years now. Even people who swear up, down, and sideways that they don’t like cauliflower enjoy this easy and skillet meal. That includes my own children!
We love Mexican food, but the traditional versions are typically not very keto-friendly. I struggle to find decent low carb choices when we go out to eat, and often end up with a salad.
So I have to take matters into my own hands and create my own versions. They may not be authentic Mexican, but they always taste fabulous. Taco Pie is a family favorite, as are my Keto Chicken Fajitas.
And this easy Keto Mexican Rice dish is a perfect addition to the dinner rotation.
Why this recipe is so awesome
Not only is Mexican Cauliflower Rice full of bold flavor, but it’s also astonishingly easy to make. It takes eight basic ingredients that you can find at any grocery store. And it’s ready in 25 minutes, start to finish.
It’s also a full meal in one pan, so clean up is a snap. It’s a perfect recipe for busy weeknights!
I was inspired to create this recipe after seeing the Mexican rice skillet from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts. It looked like something my family would love, but it wasn’t even remotely keto.
Of course, it wasn’t as simple as simply swapping the real rice for cauli rice. I also left out the beans and corn, and back on a few other items to cut down on the carbs.
But the basic concept 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. So easy and so good!
Reader reviews
But don’t take my word for it. This Keto Mexican Rice 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
Ingredients you need
- Ground beef: I like to use good grassfed beef from Wild Pastures. But you can also use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meal.
- Onion: Just a little onion adds flavor, without adding too many extra carbs.
- Red pepper: Sweet peppers add color and flavor. You can use green or yellow as well.
- 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.
- Tomatoes: I like to use fresh tomatoes, but canned works too. I recommend draining off any extra juices.
- Cauliflower rice: It really doesn’t matter whether you use fresh or frozen. They both take about the same time to cook through.
- Chicken broth: You need a little extra liquid to help everything cook through.
- Shredded cheese: I like to use cheddar, but you can also use pepper jack, monterey jack, or a Mexican blend.
Step-by-step directions
- Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through, but still a little pink.
- Add some flavor: Add the onion and pepper and cook until the vegetables are tender. Then stir in the taco seasoning.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients: 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.
- Cover with cheese: 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.
Expert tips
Make sure you use a large skillet, at least 12 inches in diameter, in order to accommodate all the ingredients. They will cook down but it’s hard to stir everything together in a smaller pan.
Customize your meal! Add your favorite toppings or put them out in bowls and let everyone add their own.
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Black olives
- Chopped avocados
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Hot sauce
- Chopped jalapeños
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these two terms refer to exactly the same thing. Cauliflower that has been “riced” means that it has been grated until it resembles grains of rice. However, most people simply call it cauliflower rice.
This recipe for Keto Mexican Rice has 6.4g of carbs and 2g of fiber. So it has a total carb count of 4.4g per serving.
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 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ medium onion diced
- ½ medium 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
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.
Peter says
Just made this tonight for dinner, holy moly it was delicious?
Supposed to make 6 servings but two of us just about finished it off.
Shyrl C says
Made this for supper tonight! So delish! I did add some cayenne pepper as my family likes some heat. Put a bit of guacamole and sour cream on top. I will definitely be making this often. Thank you!
Marguerite O says
I’m making this for dinner tonight only I don’t eat beef so I’m substituting ground turkey. Will report back on what the family thinks.
Marguerite O says
Made it with ground turkey and it was delicious. Sometimes turkey is an unsatisfactory, substitution, but this dish was really, really good. And very filling. Thanks for the great dinner!
Kirstin says
This is going on my menu this month! This sounds absolutely delicious! Question- What does the THM-frendly mean? I keep seeing it on food posts but no clue what it is. Thanks!
Carolyn says
THM = Trim Healthy Mama, a diet that’s sort of like carb-cycling.
Jennifer says
Wow! Just made this for my fam and it was seriously easy and everyone loved it. It only served 5 at my house- but 2 of us are physically active men. Thanks Caroline!
Lenae says
I have two children with Type 1 Diabetes and I absolutely love your recipes. I can’t thank you enough!! Can’t wait to try this.
Robin says
Great recipe! Loved it! Making it again. Do you have the nutrition facts for this recipe. I’m trying to log everything I eat.
Carolyn says
It’s right there in the bottom of the recipe!
Angie says
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.
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it!
Doris Hannon says
I just made this for our lunch and it is really tasty. I used a can of tomatoes with its juice and so didn’t add the 1/2 c. of chicken stock. I did however, add 1/2 chicken bouillon cube to boost the flavor. To save time I used a packet of taco seasoning but would make my own next time. thank you for a quick and easy healthy dish. I could also see serving this over salad greens making a sort of ‘taco salad’.
Kristen says
Made this last night, and it was delicious. Kid and husband-approved! Only modification was that I added a 4-oz. can of chopped green chiles (undrained) and cut back the broth a tad. Simple and tasty weeknight meal. Thank you!
Leslie Baker says
This was seriously yummy food. I love one pot meals/casseroles and this was great. Thanks for this recipe.
Carolyn says
I just finished up the last of mine from last night…as breakfast!
ChristineRodriguez says
We loved it! My guys had no idea they were eating cauli instead of rice. *snicker*
Shanna says
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! I did find I needed to add salt. Thank you so much.
Carolyn says
Great feedback on the fresh vs frozen. I think it works really well with the frozen too.
Merilee Evers says
Was excited to find this, trying to cook no carb or very low carb meals eliminates most of my favorite casserole dishes. After a making this once I made a few changes, even though it was good as written. Because I am making this for adults only I kicked up the spices a little ,an extra tablespoon of taco seasoning and I added garlic powder, coriander, dried cilantro and chili lime seasoning. I also added a can of spicy black beans (drained but not rinsed). For my family that took it from a good dish to a home run. note that the taco seasoning I use is fairly mild so home made might not need the extra.
Veronica says
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes.
Patricia says
Made this tonight big hit at our place Tge kids and my hubby really liked it Thanks so much. Love all your receipes
Carolyn says
Glad you like it! And the kiddos, that’s important. Always a win for me when the kids love it.
Nikki says
I am definitely going to make this this weekend. On one hand, I just had Gastric Bypass, so this recipe – even cut in half – would probably last me all week, since I’m unfortunately the only one who will eat it. On the other hand, from the looks of this, I don’t think I’d mind eating it every single day for a week! Do the leftovers keep well?
Carolyn says
I think the leftovers would freeze pretty well, actually. The whole dish will keep for 3 days or so in the fridge.
Jill Buford says
When using the frozen cauliflower rice, does it produce a lot of liquid? I have seen so many recipes that require cooking then “squeezing out” the cauliflower and that seems like a lot of work, so I haven’t tried any of the recipes. This looks delicious and I look forward to trying it!
Carolyn says
No, strangely I find that the frozen cauli rice is less liquidy than the fresh one. But both work well in this recipe.
Kristen says
Made this for dinner tonight and it is fantastic! I did add a touch of sour cream and part of a single-serve guacamole packet, but was still great without them. Looking forward to leftovers this week!
Kristina says
This was awesome!! I made this a veggie version by leaving out the meat and adding black and pinto beans and some added veggies. It was super good!