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 simple one-pan meal. That includes my own children.
Easy, cheesy, and secretly healthy, it’s one of the best cauliflower rice recipes you will ever try!
What readers are saying
“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
We love Mexican food, but the traditional versions are usually 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 low carb versions. They may not be authentic Mexican, but they always taste fabulous. It’s what makes recipes like Taco Pie and Easy Keto Chicken Fajitas so popular with my readers.
And this easy Keto Mexican Rice recipe has been a fan favorite since I first published it in 2017. Now I’ve tweaked the recipe to make it slightly higher in protein and lower in fat, without sacrificing flavor.
Why we love this recipe
- Easy weeknight meal: 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.
- One pan: I adore meals that can be made all in one pan, because clean up is a snap! Of course, I make my kids do all the clean up anyway.
- Meal prep recipe: This is a wonderful make-ahead meal. It stores well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could even freeze it in individual portions for easy meals.
- High protein: Each serving has 28 grams of protein and 7.2 grams of carbs so it’s a perfect high protein low carb recipe.
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
- Chicken broth: You need a little extra liquid to help everything cook through properly.
- Shredded cheese: I like to use cheddar, but you can also use pepper jack, monterey jack, or a Mexican blend.
Quick Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Brown the beef: Cooking the beef on its own first helps get it nicely browned and creates deeper flavor in the dish. Spoon off some of the fat after it cooks, if desired.
- Add the flavorings: Add the onion and pepper and cook for a few more minutes, then stir in the taco seasoning. Make sure to mix it in well.
- Add the cauliflower rice: At this point, you will need a little more liquid to help things cook through so stir in the tomatoes, cauliflower rice, and the broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Allow to cook: Reduce the heat a bit and continue to cook until the cauliflower rice is becoming tender.
- Cover with cheese: Sprinkle the whole skillet with shredded cheese and cover. Let cook until the cheese it melted.
Tips for Success
I’ve started spooning off some of the fat after I’ve browned the beef. It helps make this dish a little lower in fat and calories. I can’t really estimate by how much, because it’s very inexact. But I feel that it helps me enjoy this Mexican Cauliflower Rice more and not feel too full afterwards.
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. Trust me, I’ve tried!
Both fresh and frozen riced cauliflower take about the same amount of time to cook through. Frozen does release a little more liquid as it cooks, but that doesn’t really affect the outcome.
Taco seasoning usually has plenty of salt in it so don’t add any until you know how this tastes. You can taste it after stirring in the seasoning and decide if you need to add more salt and pepper.
What to serve with Mexican Cauliflower Rice
As with any delicious Mexican dish, feel free to customize it with your favorite toppings!
- 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.
Those of you who like to meal prep will be thrilled to know that this one-pan meal can be made two or three days in advance. As several readers have noted, it tastes just as good re-heated. Store the leftovers in the fridge in a covered container. It’s good for up to 5 days.
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.
More delicious cauliflower rice recipes
Mexican Cauliflower Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 lb (604.79 g) ground beef, (lean if you can find it)
- 1/4 cup (40 g) onion, diced
- 1/2 medium (1/2) red pepper, diced
- 3 tbsp (7.61 g) taco seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup (149 g) diced tomatoes
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cups (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese
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.
- Stir in the taco seasoning. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning and salt and pepper as desired.
- 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.
- 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
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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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’.
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!
This was seriously yummy food. I love one pot meals/casseroles and this was great. Thanks for this recipe.
I just finished up the last of mine from last night…as breakfast!
We loved it! My guys had no idea they were eating cauli instead of rice. *snicker*
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.
Great feedback on the fresh vs frozen. I think it works really well with the frozen too.
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.
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Can’t wait to make more of your recipes.
Made this tonight big hit at our place Tge kids and my hubby really liked it Thanks so much. Love all your receipes
Glad you like it! And the kiddos, that’s important. Always a win for me when the kids love it.
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?
I think the leftovers would freeze pretty well, actually. The whole dish will keep for 3 days or so in the fridge.
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!
No, strangely I find that the frozen cauli rice is less liquidy than the fresh one. But both work well in this recipe.
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!
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!
Should you drain the grease off of the ground beef?
No need.
I was wondering the same about the grease. I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be needed. Seems like I’ll immediately be on the toilet after I eat if I don’t strain it.
Fat is good for you. Why on earth would you be on the toilet?
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Are the diced tomatoes canned diced tomatoes or fresh tomato, diced?
I used canned and did the nutritional count from that but fresh would be fine and would lower the count a little.
This was delicious! I’ve just started an LCHF diet and this’ll be one of our staple meals for sure. Thank you!
You’re welcome. It’s quickly becoming a staple in our house too!
This recipe is so flavorful and delicious! My family thinks it tastes better than regular Mexican casserole made with corn chips because the cauliflower rice absorbs the flavors where corn chips mask them. Thank you for the recipe! We will make it again and again!
So glad to hear it!