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 (453.59 g) ground beef
- 1/4 medium (1/4) onion, diced
- 1/2 medium (1/2) red pepper, diced
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup (149 g) diced tomatoes
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup (117.5 g) chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups (169.5 g) 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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I can’t wait to try this! It looks amazing!
Looks good! I love the use of cauliflower!
I’m a little confused. Is the taco seasoning the dry stuff? The link takes you to a recipe for a copycat Ortega taco sauce which is wet.
The link in the actual recipe takes you to the dry seasoning by Primal Palate. Please click that. The link in the blog post is just linking to a friend for people to check out her recipe too.
Ok, thank you.
I made this recipe tonight and it is so yummy!!! Thank you for sharing it so we could try it. My family loved it and my husband said we need to keep it!! ????
We just had this for supper and I really loved it. There isn’t even a spoonful left. I added a jalapeno to it, which my youngest and I found a tad too hot but it still tasted amazing. Also love that it was a 1 dish meal. Thank you.
Easier than Hamburger helper. Tastes better and more nutritious. Can not guess that this is low carb.
Looks so delicious! Easy clean-up is always a win!! Can’t wait to make this for dinner!
This is Mexican meal is on my must make list!
Fast, easy and delicious! What else could you ask for! Another staple in my house!
I love this recipe! So good and so easy!
Excellent low carb meal!
Sign me up for a big ol plate of this goodness!
Such a wonderful recipe for kids AND adults who have to watch their carbs. My family will love it!
Like the perfect taco without the shell!
Oh my goodness, this is JUST what I want! Looks so good.
That looks delicious! Thanks for the shout-out for my Ground Beef Stroganoff Casserole with Cauliflower Rice. I think cauliflower rice is so versatile!
Oh my goodness this was yum. And you are right, very filling. I definitely wanted to eat it all. Well written easy to follow and I’m not the best cook. I’ll definitely make this again and again.
Thanks, Danielle!
I made this last night. I used fresh Green Giant crumbles that I pulsed a few times in the food processor to make smaller, a can of Rotel tomatoes, added a jalapeno and used a little more taco seasoning–almost 1/4 cup. Also I used pepper jack and cheddar cheese. It was really good, but a little watery. I don’t know if that was the cauliflower or the fact that I didn’t drain the Rotel’s. But they don’t have that much liquid. Anyway–it was good. Thanks for the recipe!
I have been meaning to make this for a while now. I made it for dinner tonight and it was delicious! So yummy! Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for the next few days.
My new favorite recipe!!
This is awesome! Huge hit, great flavors. Love it! Thanks!!!