Who loves fried rice?! I know I do. Fried rice, to me, is one of those foods that feels really nostalgic. There’s nothing like opening a cardboard Chinese takeout box and seeing little bits of carrots, onion, and scrambled egg nestled into a bed of rice. Just the thought of it is enough to make me hungry!
But here at Kalejunkie, I like to switch things up. While traditional fried rice isn’t the unhealthiest food out there, with a few simple ingredients we can make a version of this childhood favorite that’s not only packed with veggies, but is gluten-free, paleo, can be made vegan (just remove the eggs), and dare I say, better than the original. Trust me, you’re going to want to try this one.
The secret ingredient that kicks this fried rice up a notch is, you guessed it… cauliflower!
Cauliflower is all the rage these days, and if you’re someone who follows a low-carb diet like the paleo or keto diets, then you may be very familiar with this ingredient. When “riced” (aka put into a food processor and pulsed until it’s in small bits), cauliflower can mimic the look, feel, and texture of traditional white rice, minus the carbohydrates. Now if you’ve followed me for a while, then you know that I’m a firm believer in not shaming any one food. But, if you follow a low-carb diet or have to keep carbs to a minimum for health reasons, then this can be good to note. If you love a carb-heavy diet, then you can totally just use normal rice here, but I really feel like the cauliflower rice shines in this recipe.
What you need to make Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Riced Cauliflower: Either “rice” a large head of cauliflower yourself, or use one 16 ounce pre-packaged bag.
- Carrot: Any type of carrots will do!
- White Onion: The sharpness of the white onion is perfect for this recipe.
- Celery: This is totally optional, but provides a nice crunch and/or additional added veggies, if you want it.
- Pasture Raised Eggs: I love the Vital Farms brand of eggs! If you’re vegan you can totally omit these.
- Sesame Oil: This powerful, salty oil is what gives the rice it’s flavor! I don’t recommend substituting it with other oils, as it’ll change the flavor.
- Garlic Powder: Don’t forget the garlic! You can sub fresh garlic if you prefer.
How to make Paleo Cauliflower Fried Rice!
- To make this fried rice, the first step is to prepare the sauce, by whisking or blending all of the sauce ingredients (see below) until smooth.
- Next, whisk the eggs in a small bowl.
- Then, take a large pan (or a wok if you have one) and heat it over medium heat.
- Add the sesame oil and, once hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic powder, stirring for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower rice and stir for about a minute.
- Make a well in the middle of your rice and add in the eggs.
- Stir until fully cooked, and then add the sauce.
- Top with sesame seeds and some chives, and you’re ready to go!
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and a comment below – this helps other people decide whether to make this recipe as well. And since I practically live on Instagram, tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories. Nothing makes me happier! XX
Ingredients
FOR THE RICE:
- 1 pound riced cauliflower (this is one large head riced, or one 16 ounce package.), Note, if buying pre-packaged, I would advise against the one from Trader Joe’s—why does it smell and always have a funny taste that never goes away no matter what you do?!?!
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 celery, diced (optional)
- 2 pasture raised eggs, whisked
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
FOR THE SAUCE:
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp tapioca flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
FOR GARNISH (OPTIONAL):
- sesame seeds
- chopped chives or green onion
Instructions
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl, and whisk until smooth and set aside (you can also use a blender for this).
- Next, whisk the eggs in a small bowl and set aside, making sure there are no clumps.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the sesame oil.
- Once hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic powder, stirring for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower rice and stir for about one minute.
- Make a well in the middle of the fried rice and pour in the eggs.
- Stir until cooked, then add the sauce.
- Mix and remove fried rice from the stove.
- Top with sesame seeds and chives.
Rate & review
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