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Recipe · Side dish

Mexican Red Cauliflower Rice

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Mexican Red Cauliflower Rice

Recipes and photos are AI created and editorially reviewed. Nutrition figures are estimates.

Cauliflower rice simmered in a smoky blended tomato, garlic and onion sauce, the way Mexican red rice is made.

Side dish. Good with pork carnitas, chicken tinga or chilli beef. Find a main

Cuisine
Mexican
Serves
4
Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Difficulty
Easy

Gluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeVegetarianVegan

Equipment: Food processor, blender, large frying pan

Ingredients

  • 1 large cauliflower, about 800 g, broken into florets
  • 200 g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 200 g tinned chopped tomatoes
  • ½ small onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp dried oregano, ideally Mexican
  • ½–1 tsp chipotle paste
  • 2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor, in batches, until it looks like rice. Set aside.
  2. Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic and tomato purée to a smooth sauce.
  3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the cumin and oregano for 30 seconds, then pour in the tomato sauce and chipotle paste. Simmer, stirring, for 5-6 minutes until thickened and darker red.
  4. Add the cauliflower and 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes until the sauce has been absorbed and the cauliflower is tender.
  5. Season to taste, scatter with coriander and serve with lime wedges.

Swaps and tips

Chipotle pastes vary in heat, so start with less and add more to taste. Keeps for 2 days in the fridge and reheats well in a frying pan.

Easy variations

  • Stir in a handful of frozen peas for the last 2 minutes
  • Add a finely chopped jalapeño with the tomato sauce
  • Top with crumbled feta and sliced spring onion
  • Swap the chipotle paste for ½ tsp smoked paprika for a milder version

Nutrition estimated, per serving

ProteinCarbsFibreFatCalories
4 g9 g5 g4 g90 kcal

Values are estimates based on typical UK food composition data and will vary with brands and portion sizes.

Recipes are AI created and editorially reviewed; kitchen testing is ongoing.

Recipe from healthshelf.org

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