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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Hi Carolyn!
Just wanted to let you know that your recipe:
https://nl.pinterest.com/pin/710583647428080156/
is being hijacked by another site:
http://5mintohealth.com/perfect-primo-bread-carb-free-bread/
I warned another blogger this week about this EXACT SAME SITE, so a second report would possibly go a long way to shutting this practice down.
(Glad I found the real one so I can pin it. Recognized your layout)
Guinan
Made this tonight and we loved it! Even my picky 10 year old, lol. We will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Glad to hear it!
I made this last night and it was great! In fact, it was so good that I’m going to pre-order your cookbook!
Well I am so glad to hear it!
I made this again- tonight- for the second time in a week! It’s my absolute favorite go-to low carb meal, that keeps me on my eating plan, but that my whole family enjoys! Thank you SO SO much!
Wonderful!
Just stumbled across this recipe, and upon reading the blurb before it, burst into tears. My son is type 1, and everything you said just hit a soft spot for me. Not many people realize, or care to try, exactly what goes into keeping these little warriors alive and healthy. So thank you for understanding and trying to make our lives just a little easier.
Ps this looks amazeballs and I will be making it tomorrow when my son is home from grandmas!
Much love, from one exhausted but happy type 1 momcreas. (I call myself a “momcreas” cuz I’m his mom and his pancreas!)
Hi Jennie, I am so glad to hear it resonated for you (although not so happy to hear it made you cry!). Love the name “momcreas”. Not sure if you are looking for any sort of support group but there is a Facebook group called TypeOneGrit and they are so wonderfully supportive and helpful for Type 1 folks and parents.
The nutrition box above shows 300g of carbs? Is that a typo?
You’re reading the Recommended Daily Values, not the actual carb count. Look above that for the ACTUAL nutritional info.
Would Rotel work for the tomatoes?
This was fantastic! I didn’t have ground beef thawed, so I used chicken breast the first time I made it and chicken thighs the second time. Both times it was amazing! Thanks for the awesome quick dinner recipe!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
THM = Trim Healthy Mama, a diet that’s sort of like carb-cycling.
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!
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.
Great recipe! Loved it! Making it again. Do you have the nutrition facts for this recipe. I’m trying to log everything I eat.
It’s right there in the bottom of the recipe!
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.
So glad you liked it!