Italian Cauliflower Rice

This Italian Cauliflower Rice recipe is like a risotto – low carb style! It's a wonderfully light but tasty dish to enjoy on a summer's day.

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This dish is kind of like a risotto – albeit a low carb one! But whereas both the risottos I've made before (low carb Pumpkin Risotto and Cauliflower Risotto with Roasted Red Peppers and Burrata) are comforting and filling, this recipe is much lighter. It's a colorful and flavorful dish that's ideal for a warm day.

As for the “rice”, you can buy the cauliflower ready-riced (either fresh or frozen), or make your own cauliflower rice:

Or you could make your own and then freeze it! Frozen cauliflower rice doesn't have to be thawed before cooking, so it's very convenient and definitely cheaper to make your own.

How to Make Italian Cauliflower Rice

Place a small cast iron skillet over a medium heat and add the riced cauliflower and vegetable or chicken broth. Start with ½ cup of broth and add more if necessary (fresh cauliflower may need more than frozen).

Meanwhile, slice some sun-dried tomatoes. Try and buy ones without added sugar, and don't go over the recommend amount. They taste awesome but the carb count really does add up (¼ cup is about 6g net carbs). 

When the cauliflower is cooked, stir in the tomatoes, a spoonful of the oil from their jar, and some shaved Parmesan. Stir well and allow the cheese to melt.

Add some torn fresh basil leaves, stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper. 

To serve, garnish with extra Parmesan and basil. 

This dish would work well as light vegetarian lunch for two to share, or as a side dish to grilled meat or fish for three people to share! You could even make it in advance (as per instructions but omit the basil), then serve it chilled from the fridge, adding the basil to serve.

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Italian Cauliflower Rice

Yield: 2-3 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This Italian Cauliflower Rice recipe is like a risotto - low carb style! It's a wonderfully light but tasty dish to enjoy on a summer's day.

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Ingredients

• 12 oz fresh or frozen riced cauliflower
• ½ - ¾ cup vegetable or chicken broth
• ¼ cup (approx 40g) sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbs oil from the sun dried tomatoes
• 6 tbs shaved Parmesan, divided
• 3 tbs torn fresh basil leaves, divided
• salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place a small cast iron skillet over a medium heat and add the riced cauliflower and broth. Start with ½ cup of broth and add more if necessary (fresh cauliflower may need more than frozen).
2. When the cauliflower is cooked (about 10 mins), stir in the tomatoes and the oil, and 4 tbs of the shaved Parmesan. Allow the cheese to melt.
3. Next, add 2 tbs of the fresh basil, stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper. 
4. To serve, garnish with the remaining Parmesan and basil. 

Notes

9g net carbs per serving based on two servings (half the recipe) as a lunch dish.

6g net carbs per serving based on three servings (third the recipe) as a side dish.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Le Creuset Signature Iron Skillet, 11-3/4-Inch, Caribbean
• 
  Mezzetta Sun-Ripened Dried Tomatoes In Olive Oil
• 
  Le Creuset Petite Salt and Pepper Mill Set, 5" x 2" each

Nutrition Information

Yield 2 Serving Size Half the recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 202Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 19mgSodium 893mgCarbohydrates 14gNet Carbohydrates 9gFiber 5gSugar 6gProtein 10g

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. I cannot guarantee completely accurate data due to variations in ingredients and cooking methods. Carbohydrates from sugar alcohols are not included in net carb counts as it has been shown that they do not impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.