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This Chinese-style cauliflower fried rice is a healthy, low-carb dish that’s hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Cauliflower rice is simply cauliflower grated into rice-sized pieces. It doesn’t taste exactly like rice, but it takes beautifully to the same seasonings. In this quick and easy cauliflower fried rice recipe, I sauté it with ginger, garlic, vegetables, soy sauce, and eggs, just like traditional Chinese fried rice.
A little sesame oil gives it that familiar takeout flavor, while the eggs and optional nuts make it satisfying enough for a light meal. Best of all, it’s a delicious way to eat more vegetables.
“This is shockingly good!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cauliflower Fried Rice
Tips for Keeping Cauliflower Rice From Getting Soggy
Cauliflower releases moisture as it cooks, so a few small details help keep cauliflower rice tender-crisp rather than soft and watery.
- Start with dry cauliflower: If you’re grating it yourself, dry the florets well after washing. For frozen cauliflower rice, thaw as directed in the recipe and drain off any excess liquid.
- Use a roomy skillet: A large pan gives moisture a chance to evaporate. If you’re doubling the recipe, cook in batches rather than piling everything into one skillet.
- Keep it uncovered: Let steam escape as you cook, and stop when the cauliflower is tender-crisp. It doesn’t need to become as soft as cooked rice.
How To Make Cauliflower Fried Rice
Grate the cauliflower: You’ll likely be able to find grated cauliflower in the produce or frozen vegetable section of your supermarket. But if not, it’s simple to make using a food processor (use the grating disc) or hand grater.
Scramble the eggs: Begin by heating a few teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat until scrambled.
Cook the aromatics: Set the eggs aside, then sauté the scallions, ginger, and garlic in oil until softened.
Add the “rice” and seasoning: Add the grated cauliflower, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.
Mix in the veggies: Add the peas and carrots and continue cooking until the cauliflower rice is tender-crisp and the vegetables are warmed through.
Finish: Stir in the rice vinegar, sesame oil, dark green scallions, nuts (if using), and scrambled eggs. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot and enjoy!
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
With a quick stir-fry like this, having the prep done is half the battle. Grate the cauliflower (if necessary) and chop the scallions, garlic, and ginger a day ahead, then refrigerate them in separate airtight containers until you’re ready to cook.
Store leftover cauliflower fried rice in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a little oil, stirring until heated through, or microwave individual portions. The cauliflower will soften a bit after reheating, so take care not to cook it longer than needed.
Cauliflower Fried Rice
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Salt
- 1 cup chopped scallions, from 5 to 6 scallions, white and green parts separated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger, from a 1-in knob
- 1 (2-lb) head cauliflower, or 2 lb (907 g) "ready to cook" cauliflower rice, thawed if frozen
- 4 to 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup chopped cashews or peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- Grate the cauliflower in a food processor fitted with the grating disc. Alternatively, grate on the large holes of a box or hand-held grater. Set aside. (Skip this step if using “ready to cook” cauliflower rice.)
- Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs and a pinch of salt and scramble until the eggs are cooked. Transfer to a small plate and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
- Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan and set over medium heat. Add the light scallions, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the grated cauliflower, 4 tablespoons of the soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes.
- Add the peas and carrots and continue cooking until the cauliflower "rice" is tender-crisp and the vegetables are warmed through, a few minutes.
- Stir in the rice vinegar, sesame oil, dark green scallions, nuts (if using), and eggs. Taste and adjust seasoning (adding the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce if necessary). Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
What To Serve With Cauliflower Fried Rice
Serve it alongside chicken teriyaki or beef bulgogi for a takeout-style dinner at home, or make the cauliflower fried rice the main event. You can fold in leftover cooked chicken or shrimp near the end—just give it enough time to heat through.
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I may have left a comment prior but if I did it has been quite some time ago. Even after experimenting with other fried rice recipes, I keep coming back to this one. It is easy to follow and delicious every time. To me, it’s stirring in the rice vinegar and sesame oil at the end that really makes the flavors pop. I have made both cauliflower and long grain white fried rice with this recipe and it’s fantastic either way. A recipe that lends itself well to working with what you have in your refrigerator, making it vegan, or adding a meat protein source, it is for sure a keeper and one that makes you wishing you made more when you take that last bite! Thanks for sharing!
I think I could eat this every day! It’s THAT good!! And so many possibilities: add a protein of your choice, etc. I used frozen cauliflower rice for convenience. Soooo yummmy.
Wow this was so good! The flavor was amazing. I made 1/2 a recipe. My husband kept commenting how much he liked it and asked me to put this in our repeat recipes! I riced my own cauliflower, grated fresh ginger and gluten free tamari sauce. I only used sesame oil. I cooked the peas and carrots with the onion, garlic and ginger. Thank you for creating such a healthy side dish! 😊
Absolutely delicious. I was a bit short on cauliflower so added a half red bell pepper and some tender stem broccoli. And it has still gone into my ‘keep’ folder. Thank you.