Cauliflower Fried Rice
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This Chinese-style cauliflower fried rice is a healthy, low-carb dish that’s hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Cauliflower rice — which is just cauliflower grated into rice-like bits — really does taste similar to rice, or at least it behaves similarly by soaking up all the flavor of its seasonings. In this quick and easy cauliflower fried rice recipe, I sauté grated cauliflower with aromatics, vegetables, soy sauce, and eggs, much like Chinese fried rice. It’s a healthy, low-carb dish that’s hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Cauliflower has a mild flavor that makes it an excellent blank canvas for other flavors. In addition to rice, it makes a great substitute for mashed potatoes in my cauliflower purée with thyme recipe. It’s also excellent roasted in my roasted cauliflower recipe.
What You’ll Need To Make Cauliflower Fried Rice
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.
How To Make Cauliflower Fried Rice
As with any quick stir-fry, it’s important to have all of your ingredients prepped before you start cooking.
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.
Set the eggs aside, then sauté the scallions, ginger, and garlic in oil until softened.
Add the grated cauliflower, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, sugar, and 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 scrambled eggs.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot and enjoy!
You MAY Also Like
- Chinese Vegetable Stir-Fry
- Cashew Chicken
- Fried Rice
- Beef with Broccoli
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Thai-Style Pork Fried Rice
Cauliflower Fried Rice
This Chinese-style cauliflower fried rice is a healthy, low-carb dish that’s hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Salt
- 1 cup chopped scallions, light and green parts separated (you'll need 5-6 scallions)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger, from a 1-inch knob (see note)
- One 2-lb head cauliflower (or 2 pounds "ready to cook" cauliflower rice), thawed if frozen
- 4-5 tablespoons soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Asian/toasted 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 (10 or 12-inch) 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.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: about 2 cups
- Calories: 273
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Sodium: 1717 mg
- Cholesterol: 93 mg
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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
So good. So good. So good. Was hoping for leftovers. Nope. This will NOT disappoint.
I have tried several of the desserts from Jenn, all with great results but this dish was pretty bland. I don’t like ginger so I omitted it, which certainly is part of the problem. I did have a large head of cauliflower too but I added extra of all the spices and still thought it just tasted like soy sauce over cauliflower.
I love this recipe for many reasons. 1. My husband who loves pork fried rice at the Chinese restaurants loves this. 2. It’s a flexible recipe. If I’m short on time, I use Trader Joe’s Frozen Organic Cauliflower Rice. I often add shrimp and if I have veggies, I chop up red bell peppers zucchini and carrot instead of using frozen mixed veggies. Have also added edamame.
3. It tastes great and makes great leftovers. 4. No guilt.
This was delicious! And really, tastier and healthier than what we have taken out from our local Asian restaurant. I’m sure it will be a staple in my menus since we’re eating cauliflower in creative ways now.
I couldn’t have imagined how good this would taste! Thank you! Awesome.
Made this the other night and it was gone as soon as it came off the stove. Forgot to pick up Fish sauce so we made do with a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Will definitely make again!
I’ll admit, I’ve seen this recipe several times and took a pass. . .
BUT last night, I was out of time and had a head of cauliflower in the frig. . . So I raided the pantry and made this amazing and healthy dish. A hit with everyone 😋
A few substitutions: edemame for the peas, added a thinly sliced red bell pepper and a splash of fish sauce.
Thanks, Jen, for ANOTHER WINNER!
Although we did like the cauliflower as a rice replacement, my family did not like the flavor of this fried rice.
It seems like I can’t go wrong with your recipes..
🙂 Thanks Robin!
This is great. Even my dad, who runs the other way from this sort of thing (veggies playing the role of anything else) enjoyed it! I honestly wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference! Yum. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yum this is delicious!
Amazing & easy to make! Love this recipe!
This is so delicious! And easy. I threw in broccoli, red peppers and some peas that I had on hand. Amazing!
This recipe is now in my food rotation. It is by far the best cauliflower fried rice I’ve had. There is nothing I would change on this recipe. I do think that the addition of the cashews takes it over the top. I have served this with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp. It’s also very good with rotisserie chicken added o it.
This is really good! Thanks for another great recipe that I know I’ll make again and again.
This is delicious! I paired it with Jenn’s Vietnamese meatballs recipe – it was great!
I’m not sure if I have submitted a review on this yet. I have made DOZENS of your recipes. Love your cookbook too. Everyone should get if you don’t have it. This is a wonderful recipe I have made 6 or 7 times by now. Thank you AGAIN Jenn.
Made this for a dinner party along with Vietnamese Meatballs. Everyone loved it and thought the two made a perfect pairing. People were so excited to see the Cauliflower take on the Stir Fried Rice idea and it was neat to see the dish delivered so flavorfully and well on their anticipations and expectations. Thanks, Jenn!
Great recipe! Best part was hubby didn’t ask me what different type of rice this was – ha!
Has anyone else had a hard time finding frozen peas and carrots at their grocer? I ended up using frozen peas and fresh cubed carrots that I steamed. Not as fast to put together 🙁
Hi Jenn–Would it be possible to make this ahead of time (night before) and then just reheat before serving for guests?
Yes, Diane, I think that would work. 🙂
The BEST!! can’t say enough about how good this was. Will make it again and again. Thank you!
This is effing amazing. A hit at my house. Made it just like the recipe instructed because that’s why I looked up a recipe…to follow it.
Super yummy! I omitted the eggs and cashews, added 1 cup cooked quinoa with the 16 oz riced cauliflower bag from Trader Joes, added more soy sauce and sesame oil, added carrots and fresh sliced green beans. I’m not a big peas fan and the green beans added a nice crunch. Jenn, thanks again for another great recipe!
Just started Weight Watchers to lose a few pounds before summer time and I just love that this is only one WW point for something so delicious that I can eat by itself or to go along with General Tso’s Chicken from another site. Making your Chicken Chili tonight which is also delicious and low in points. A lot of the recipes I just have to adjust a bit.
All of your recipes are easy to understand and simple to prepare. While I do tend to spew cauliflower bits all iver thr kitchen because I use a grater- this recipe is quick and delicious. It satisfies better than rice and if any leftovers survive, they are just as delicious the next day.
I’ve made this recipes as written and also adapted it by adding whatever vegetables I have on hand. Usually, red bell pepper, zucchini and onion. It’s so versatile and always delicious. If you are trying to avoid sugar, I think it’s fine to eliminate it too. Doesn’t make a huge difference. I also have used Trader Joe’s frozen organic riced cauliflower when I am in a rush. This recipe is a winner!!
This was a very tasty dish which my husband and I both enjoyed. The flavors were spot on and we liked being able to avoid white rice. The vegetables can be adapted to whatever you have on hand. Try it!
Jenn. I am basically a meat-atarian, I will eat veggies, but not with a smile on my face. Most of the veggies I like are not really “veggies”, but starchy like potatoes etc. Now to this recipe. It REALLY tastes like fried rice! In a darkened room it even LOOKS like rice. From what I read about cauliflower, it is a veritable super-food as far a nutrition is concerned. So, any recipe that can make me eat a mess of the “good” veggies” gets 5 stars from me!
This is perfect! I was in a time crunch and saw a beautiful bag of cauliflower rice at the store. . .super quick prep!😋
This is the best cauliflower rice recipe I’ve found online. Don’t listen to others that tell you to buy bags of rice cauliflower, stream them first, then saute with fried rice ingredients. It’ll be far too mushy and overcooked. I do buy pre riced cauliflower because I don’t own a food processor, and this recipe works great with it so long as the fresh (not frozen) cauliflower goes straight into the pan.
The cashews are a really nice touch. I added more rice vinegar because I’m a fiend for it.
This is one of our favorite all time recipes! I make a double batch – in one pan I add the cauliflower, and the other I add cooked white rice in lieu of the cauliflower. We find the flavors works great for both the rice and cauliflower versions. I love to pair this with Jen’s Asian BBQ Chicken recipe and quartered oranges for dessert.
Seriously. Every recipe is better than the last. This was awesome- so tasty, I omitted the salt and carrots, doubled the peas. Husband asked for it to make the regular rounds and I am happy to oblige. Kids even gave it a good try.
You are my go-to for all recipes & dinners. All straight-forward, all excellent results!
Thank you!
Hi, My husband and I made this recipe with a Costco bag of chopped cauliflower. It was really great! Easy, delicious and reheated, via frying pan, wonderfully! (I saw the recipe as a video while looking up another one of your recipes) Any chance I can get a signed copy of your cookbook, fingers crossed.
So glad you enjoyed this, Nora! Regarding the cookbook, I will have book signings in a few cities. If I’m not in your area, though, I think we’ll also be offering bookplates, which are stickers that I can sign and mail out so they can be stuck inside the book. Thanks for inquiring. 🙂
Thank you! I live in Montreal, Canada…Not sure you will make it up north ;0 but will be interested in the bookplate.
This is such a good recipe…very tasty! My husband and I enjoy it with shrimp or just as it is. It is even good reheated as a left over meal.
Fabulous! I have found that going the “healthy” cooking most of the time when they say you’ll never know. . . that is not true for me. But with this cauliflower “rice”, you really won’t know the difference! The only change I made was that I didn’t add any nuts. Delicious!
It’s not bad and it’s healthy, but dont expect it to taste like real fried rice. It’s much wetter than fried rice and you taste the fresh ginger. It has a different flavor than fried rice and that may be because lack of meat or the type of fats they use in Chinese cooking. There may be a sauce or spice that is missing as well. Many Chinese cooks use fish sauce and such or dried shrimp that give some of their dishes a distinctive flavor. All in all, I am happy with recipes like this, becuase they are healthy and vegetarian and I will eat again, but will need to do some tweaking to make it better.
I served this last night to a Chinese friend who uses cauliflower a LOT and she did not know it was not rice until I told her. I only used 1 lb of cauliflower instead of 2 and kept all the other ingredients the same so there was a lot of flavor.
Anyone have a keto friendly sub fir sugar? Not sure how much artificial to add
I have to say I have been hemming and hawing over whether to try “Cauliflower Rice” because cauliflower can be such an obtrusive vegetable. People either love it or hate it. Well let me tell you, when I received this recipe today, I said the heck with it, now or never!
Oh my gosh is this fabulous!!!! This recipe is to die for!!!
I have been professionally trained in Culinary and Pastry Arts although I no longer cook professionally.
I must say the preparation is easy and the time to prepare is very reasonable.
I did add chicken to this and I squeezed fresh lime over my plate at dinner. The family loved it too!!
I’m already considering making it with shrimp and maybe using some Nam Pla (fish sauce) and giving it a Thai flair.
Thank you so much for creating this recipe and sharing! YOU COULD BEAT BOBBY FLAY WITH THIS RECIPE!!
This woman is the best!! Every recipe I’ve used from her has been nothing short of spectacular. Please….keep them coming!
PS; when you write your book, let us know.
Phenomenal. I’ve made it twice. The second time I left out the ginger and adding more garlic cloves and garlic powder (I love garlic). I used frozen cauliflower both times for convenience and did not thaw it first and it turned out fine. So good!!! Make it!
excellent main course. instead of the eggs i added fried tofu, so it was all vegan. thanks!
A different twist: Once the rice portion is completed I quickly pan fry, in the same frying pan, 1 package (340g) of Yves Original Veggie Ground Round (approx 1 mins) then toss together. 👍
Hi Jenn,
I was wondering if you have a favorite brand or recommendation for a food processor, like the one you’ve used here.
Many thanks!
Diana
Hi Diana, I use a 14-cup capacity Cuisinart – love it.
I was skeptical but this recipe was excellent! One question – if I wanted to add shrimp to make it more of a main course, when/how would I add it? Should I do anything to marinate the shrimp first? Thanks!
Glad you like it, Allison! If you want to add shrimp, I’d suggest sauteeing them separately first with a bit of garlic and/or scallions, set them aside, and add them at the very end.
This was really good. I subbed fresh shredded carrots and sliced snow peas instead of frozen. I also added bean sprouts. No cashews, as I didn’t have any.
Three times during dinner I was asked for the recipe. I gave them your web site and told them to find it yourselves.
This recipe has become a family favorite. It has a wonderful flavor balance, is healthy and makes great leftovers.
I like to use fresh carrots that get briefly sauteed before being added, and I up the cashews when not adding shrimp.
Just as good as regular fried rice, but healthier! I could probably eat this whole portion by myself in one sitting! Husband loved it too (he’s actually the one who made it)! The only adjustment we made was adding more egg, as we love that part of fried rice.
Hi Jennifer,
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower in your cauliflower fried rice recipe? If so, would I have to defrost it first or can I just add it frozen to the scallion mixture? Can’t wait to try this recipe, as it is no doubt as wonderful as all your other recipes! Thanks!
Yes, you can definitely use the frozen version (and I would defrost it first). Enjoy!
We had this for supper, YUM.
This was super tasty and simple. The small amount of sugar balanced out the flavor, especially because I used tamari which can be a little more bitter than normal soy sauce. I omitted the egg to make it vegan. I think I will add edamame next time. Definitely a keeper!