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.
MARCY MONGAN says
I love this recipe! I made it with frozen cauliflower and turned out so good!
Beth says
Delicious! Easy to prepare and my family loved it!
Janet Kuritz says
I’ve made this so many times. Recently I’ve substituted diced chicken breast instead of beef and added chopped celery. So Good!
Patricia R. says
Forgot to rate it. Ten stars!
Patricia R. says
Simple to make. Easy Ingredients. Delicious! It’s my mom’s favorite new dinner. What more can I say? Having it for dinner again tonight.
O. Golden says
Hi Carolyn! What do you think about using shrimp in the recipe instead of ground beef? I’ve made this dozens of times with beef and loved it, but I wanted to try it with a different protein. Thank you for all your excellent recipes!
Carolyn says
Shrimp is going to over-cook a lot if you follow this recipe. You will want to quickly sauté them, remove them from the pan, and only add them in again at the very end.
Lindsay says
Can leftovers be stored in the freezer?
Carolyn says
I haven’t tried as it may get a little mushy. But feel free to experiment!
Patricia R. says
Just made this for dinner yesterday. It’s a winner! The only problem is it isn’t enough. Four of us ate this and we had no leftovers. I’m going to figure out a way to double it so that we have some for lunches too. It is absolutely delicious! I did use canned fire roasted tomatoes, drained. I also used the drained liquid with some chicken bouillon for the chicken broth. This is definitely something I plan to make on a regular basis. So easy and simple ingredients that are always on hand. And it doesn’t taste like cauliflower rice.
Robin says
Can I give this 10 stars? I have made this over the past 2 years more times than I can count. I use a bag of frozen cauliflower rice from Costco and it works well. I ALWAYS make my own taco seasoning from scratch – much healthier, tastier, less salty and cheaper than storebought. My hubby likes scooping it up with tortilla chips and calls it a “cheato” recipe. lol.
Tillie says
This recipe is a keeper! Delicious and so easy and quick to make. You gotta try it!
Cindy says
Love this recipe. I added a jalapeño to give it some heat. She always knocks it out of the ballpark. Yummy
Provident Ecopolitan says
Great taste.
Denise Freitas says
I have adapted this to be cooked in my Ninja Foodi using the steam sauté and bake functions. it’s one of our favorite recipes.
Clare Jones says
Just printed off for dinner this week.. going to find some more dinner recipes and make a plan..
This sounds delicious
Phil says
Silly question: Any suggestions for subbing the taco seasoning? (I know!). My wife does not “do Mexican” under any circumstances. I can get it by her once, but not twice. When I this is a risk I’ll use somethings else, sometimes just salt and pepper, but I’m more of the bold flavor type.
Carolyn says
Sure, lots of good flavors. How about Italian seasoning and garlic?
Allison says
Easy, one pot meal with great flavors. I love that the recipe calls for 1lb of ground beef and 12 oz. of riced cauliflower since that is the size package I buy!
Kendall Reimer-Johnston says
Another home run! We love tacos (made with low carb tortillas) but this is easier and less fussy. !Muy deliciosa!
Matthew Fisher says
How much broth needed if using frozen cauliflower rice
Carolyn says
Exactly the same amount.
Rose says
Does a packet of taco seasoning equal 3 tablespoons?
Carolyn says
Depends on the brand. How many grams does it say? Because a tablespoon is approximately 15g.
Tina says
So good! A definite repeat dish in my household!