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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This was really very good! It had a ton of flavor. I love one-pot meals, because they tend to be fast and easy. And they are easier to clean up too!
So sorry I thought you were commenting on a different recipe. It should actually be collagen in these but as I’ve made clear in the recipe, it can be skipped.
Excellent dish!! Fun to make and smell the aroma!! I even ventured out and made my own taco seasoning, never will buy package seasoning again! Taste amazing!!
I made this for dinner , it’s wonderful !!! We love it .
We tried this for the first time tonight. So easy to throw together. And my husband loved it! I’ll confess I loved how easy it was at least as much as how it tasted!
Made this tonight. So good! Love the convenience of the frozen cauliflower rice. Great for a weeknight meal.
Thanks again, Carolyn.
Glad you liked it!
This is delicious. I hate rating a recipe I didn’t follow exactly but I did substitute chunky salsa for the tomatoes because I didn’t have any. It turned out well just in case someone else was wondering.
Fair enough! I appreciate the rating anyway.
So I wanted to try this but only had broccoli rice, no cauliflower. I made it anyways (keeping it covered so no one saw the green lol), and it was still a hit. My picky daughter had NO idea she was eating broccoli 🙂 I did use salsa instead of the diced tomatoes to give it a little more flavor and glad I did. With precooked taco meat I had from earlier, this is a really quick dinner, great for those busy evenings! Thank you for sharing!
That’s awesome to hear!
very good – used turkey mince, added light sour cream in the mix, and light cheddar cheese. Fixed in the oven… very tasty!
Made this tonight and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Carolyn,
I was married to a man who was diagnosed at 4 years old, in 1944, with type 1 diabetes. He told me stories about how his mom had to test his blood glucose (glucometers weren’t even invented then!).
There was constant monitoring, teaching, reassuring, then there were the tricky occasions when he was at a party and not allowed to have all the candy the other kids were allowed to have.
I never met his mom, but she taught him well.
I also admire the mom’s of type 1 diabetic kids.
They’re also lucky to have your recipes to make it a little easier for the moms and kids.
Thank you for doing what you do!
Thanks, Roseann!
I made this tonight and it was sooo yummy!! I will definitely make this again and again!! Thank you!!
Glad to hear it!
Made this last night. Used Chipotle powder, garlic powder, Mexican chili powder and pink salt instead of pkg. taco seasoning. Pan dried the frozen cauliflower rice and used whole can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 tsp. of roasted chicken Better than Bouillon mixed with a little water. Only added shredded Mexican cheese to each serving so I can reheat easier. Will try it with egg on top for breakfast. Didn’t have avocado or sour cream. Still, very good and filling.
Loved this! I subbed ground turkey, and served this over a bed of greens including fresh parsley from my garden and an avocado! Put leftovers in the freezer and they tasted just as good. Will definitely make it again!
Making this for dinner tonight and it already smells delicious I love how simple and easy it was..i did change 1 think and that was I used homemade bone broth and the whole pepper lol…
I am in the process of cooking this right now. I’m just curious why you went with chicken broth and not beef? I can’t wait to eat dinner. I didn’t tell my Husband about cauliflower being in the recipe. I hope it’s a win. Thanks for sharing.
Because most storebought beef broth has a bit of added carbs. And chicken broth is very neutral so it won’t affect the flavor either way.
T1D mom here- thanks for making my day! I came here for a great recipe and got encouragement and recognition too. Your friends are very lucky to have you! My family is going to love this recipe. Thank you!
Love these recipes! Can I make this in a crockpot?
Thanks!
I have not tried it in a slow cooker.
This tasted GREAT! My husband and teens didn’t even TASTE the cauliflower. Thankyou!!
This was delicious! Rave reviews from all. Thanks for a great dish!
I love this idea for cauliflower rice! My whole family will love it!
What a delicious way to bring cauliflower to life