Cauliflower and Vegetable Fried Rice with Sausage

This cauliflower fried rice recipe has all the classic savory flavors you know and love from traditional fried rice, just with cauliflower as the base! Chinese sausage adds a rich, slightly sweet bite, while eggs, frozen vegetables, garlic, and soy sauce bring traditional fried rice vibes. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s a fast, one-pan meal perfect for busy nights!

I am a huge rice eater. It’s always been a big part of my life and my culture, but sometimes, I like to change it up a bit. In recent years, cauliflower has been used as a substitute for rice, so I thought why not make a cauliflower fried rice recipe as a rice-less alternative to my traditional Chinese fried rice recipe. I used all the ingredients of a traditional fried rice but substituted the rice for cauliflower. I have to say I am a bit in love with cauliflower as rice now. It’s definitely not a 1 to 1 comparison, but it is just as satisfying.

Some key ingredients

• Eggs, Chinese sausage, and frozen vegetables – These 3 are what I usually include in fried rice. But the beauty of fried rice is you can use so many different ingredients to create your version of this dish. Some great options are cha lua (Vietnamese meat loaf), corn, chicken, shrimp. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
• Shallots and yellow onion – You can use all yellow onion or all shallots if you prefer to use just one. A good substitute for yellow onion is white onion.

How to make cauliflower fried rice

First, make your “rice”. Using a boxed grater, grate the cauliflower into small pieces. Set aside. Mince the shallots, yellow onion, and garlic. Thinly slice your Chinese sausage. Set aside. Scramble the eggs. Set aside. Sear thinly sliced Chinese sausage and set aside.

Once you’ve prepped all your ingredients, you are now ready to make your fried rice. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil or neutral oil over medium high heat. I would use a large sauce pan for this recipe. Add the minced shallots, yellow onion, and garlic to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it just starts to turn a light brown. Add the grated cauliflower. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until it turns slightly brown. Add the frozen vegetables and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cooked eggs, Chinese sausage, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix and cook for 1 more minute. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if it tastes too bland. Garnish with green onions and serve.

Why is my cauliflower fried rice soggy?

I had this problem the first time I made this dish. The sogginess comes from cooking your fried rice at too low a heat and for too long, so all the water comes out from the cauliflower. Make sure to cook your fried rice at medium high to high heat to ensure your rice stays as dry as possible.

Be careful not to use too much liquid in your fried rice

Adding too much liquid will make your cauliflower fried rice soggy. Cauliflower doesn’t absorb liquid the same way rice does, so be careful if you want to use more soy sauce or sesame oil

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