Cauliflower Fried Rice

I am a huge rice eater. It’s always been a big part of my life and my culture, but I even have to admit it’s not always the most healthy option. In recent years, cauliflower has been used as a substitute for rice, so I thought why not make a cauliflower fried rice 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.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Cauliflower – The cauliflower acts as the rice in this recipe. You can use any kind of cauliflower for this dish.
• Eggs, Chinese sausage, and frozen vegetables – These 3 are the classic additions to a fried rice and with good reason! They have the perfect balance of salty and sweet. But the beauty of fried rice is you can use so many different ingredients in 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 – Both these ingredients add amazing flavor to the dish. 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.
• Garlic – Adds more flavor to the dish.
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Soy sauce and sesame oil – These 2 ingredients add umami flavor to the fried rice. Feel free to use more or less of these ingredients. To make this recipe gluten free, substitute soy sauce with tamari.

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.

Tips on how to make the perfect cauliflower fried rice

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

How do you store cauliflower fried rice?

Store this fried rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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