Low carb Spanish cauliflower rice made with chunky salsa for a delicious, low effort vegan side or main! Just a few minutes prep and 20 minutes from start to finish while only needing one pan! Gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, vegan, and easily adaptable too!
I think we’ve all had that situation where there are just a few odds and ends in the fridge and you need to throw something together and hope it's edible. That's why we love making chow mein and stir-fries, but, it's also how we discovered this super easy Spanish cauliflower rice!
With just a head of cauliflower, a jar of salsa, and a few pantry staples, this easy cauliflower rice recipe requires just 6 ingredients, minimal prep, and costs under $.60 to make per portion. By using jarred salsa, this recipe cuts prep time to just minutes (and practically just seconds if you use pre-riced cauliflower). Follow the prep up with just one pan and 10 minutes for a light and fluffy side or main that will fill you up without weighing you down like carb-heavy dishes.
Best of all, you don’t need to be on a low-carb diet to enjoy this Spanish-style cauliflower rice either. Easily adapt it to your dietary needs by using a salsa that is paleo, whole30, keto, etc., and enjoy getting extra veggies in your diet in a super delicious way. Perfect for serving alongside tacos, fajitas, burritos, and more.
Spanish rice, also called Mexican rice or red rice (arroz rojo), is a simple rice side dish usually compromised of rice cooked in vegetable broth with tomatoes, garlic, onion, and several spices. Sometimes with the addition of extra vegetables, too, like corn, bell pepper, and beans.
For this version of Mexican rice, we’ve ditched the rice in place of low carb cauliflower rice, use no animal products, and utilize chunky salsa (homemade leftovers or store-bought) in place of several individual, fresh elements to cut down on prep time, cook time, and effort and use up leftovers.
Plus, if you love simple Mexican side dishes, you might also enjoy this mixed bean salad, vegan calabacitas, or summer zucchini and hominy.
You only need 6 simple ingredients for this Spanish riced cauliflower, including:
If you have garlic and some extra time, you could sauté fresh garlic until translucent before adding the cauliflower rice to the pan.
Whether you’re having to rely on leftovers or have a few more ingredients to buy, there are several ways to experiment with this Spanish cauliflower rice recipe.
While it’s possible to buy bags of pre-prepared cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen), we prefer to make it ourselves, as it’s much more cost-efficient.
Don’t discard the stem as that makes for great cauliflower rice, though it may be easier to blend separately from the florets, as it’s slightly harder.
The key is to avoid overcrowding, as that’s when you’ll end up with all different sized pieces and some that is mush. We recommend never filling your food processor jug more than halfway.
Using a box grater: Pull/chop the cauliflower into large florets (they’re easier to hold) and grate using the large holes on a box grater.
Properly cooked cauliflower rice should be slightly chewy and slightly firm with a slight bite still. If it’s soggy, you’ve gone too far.
Then, give it a taste and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking—Enjoy!
The best way to cook frozen cauliflower rice is to follow the same method as fresh, adding a few extra minutes to the cook time. There’s no need to thaw it first, as that can make it mushy.
You could try the recipe with tomato sauce (a plain one, not Italian style) OR canned chopped tomatoes and sauté some onion and garlic beforehand. However, the flavors will vary.
A cup of cauliflower rice provides just 3 grams of net carbs, compared to the 40+g found in rice.
Cauliflower, once cooked, has a fairly subtle flavor, especially when served with strong flavors (like Buffalo cauliflower wings). In the case of cauliflower rice, its small size allows it to soak up all the surrounding flavors, making it so the rice tastes of your add-ins and seasonings, with a very subtle cauliflower flavor.
Absolutely nothing. Same thing, different name. In fact, I’ve used them interchangeably within this post.
It’s available in many large grocery stores now. You can find it fresh in the produce section or in the frozen section.
You can prepare cauliflower rice up to 5 days in advance, making it great for meal prep. Store it in a bowl in the fridge, loosely covered. Alternatively, freeze it for up to 3 months.
Once cooked, allow the Mexican cauliflower rice to cool and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, store it in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheat it either in a skillet on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
This Spanish cauliflower rice with salsa is the ultimate side dish for all sorts of Mexican dishes, and is perfect for a lower carb Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo!
We love to make a Spanish cauliflower rice bowl with slices or chunks of avocado, an extra dollop of salsa or vegan sour cream, tortilla chips, and a protein (shredded or marinated tofu, usually). You can also add other cooked veggies like roasted zucchini, corn, bell peppers, etc.
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Jay says
So versatile & different! Super cool
Andrea White says
Filling and delicious!
Michelle Cehn says
Wow, cauliflower can become rice, so cool!!
Andrea White says
Cauliflower is so verssatile!
Tina G says
Love how easy and flavorful this cauliflower recipe is!
Andrea White says
Easy and delicious!
Teodora Grujic says
This looks super interesting! I'll have to try it!
Andrea White says
You're going to love it!
Amanda Meth says
I just had spanish rice tonight! Will have to try this!
Andrea White says
You'll love this one 🙂
Nora Breyer says
A super easy and healthy meal! Thank you!
Andrea White says
Yess! Easy and delicious!
Gina House says
Even though I'm not a huge fan of cauliflower, this recipe is just super good!
Andrea White says
It's a winner!
Dawn says
What brand of salsa did you use?
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yum! This cauliflower rice was so delicious!
Andrea White says
So delicious and light and wholesome!
Megan Ellam says
Such a delicious recipe that everyone loves.
Andrea White says
Yesss! A staple!
Andrea White says
So easy and delicious!
Jean says
it looks so savory! I like the addition of salsa
Andrea White says
Adds a nice flavor to it!
Nancy Wu says
ok i never pass up an opportunity to add salsa! lovely idea with rice.
Andrea White says
Salsa is always a winner!