Indian Cauliflower Rice (In 10 Minutes)

This curry-flavored Indian Cauliflower Rice is packed with warm spices, including mustard seeds, turmeric, red chili, and coriander. It's a quick and easy low-carb, keto, and vegan side dish that's ready in under 10 minutes and is the perfect accompaniment for lentils, curries, or grilled meats!

Serve this turmeric cauliflower rice with vegetable korma, butter paneer, or chicken tikka masala, and enjoy a low-carb Indian feast without any guilt!

I love cauliflower for many reasons. It's a staple ingredient in many of my Indian dishes, such as Aloo Gobi, Vegetable Korma, and Tandoori Cauliflower.

Although I love a starchy side of homemade basmati rice, swapping it out for cauliflower rice is a great lower-calorie and lower-carb alternative for my prediabetic diet.

Calories and Carbs comparison: One cup of cauliflower rice has 25 calories and 5 grams of carbs, as compared to one cup of brown rice which has 216 calories and 46 grams of carbs.

Let's start and make this delicious cauliflower rice - Indian style!

Jump to:

• Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
• How To Make Indian Cauliflower Rice
• Serving Suggestions
• Variations To Try
• Recipe Tips & Notes
• Popular Cauliflower Recipes on the Blog
• 📖 Recipe

During my weekend meal prep, I make fresh cauliflower rice at home in my food processor using this easy recipe: Cauliflower Rice from Scratch.

But on weeknights, nothing beats the convenience of frozen cauliflower rice, which is easily accessible from my local Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. I always keep a few bags handy in my freezer.

Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions

This Indian keto cauliflower rice recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients in addition to cauliflower. Let's take a look at what we need:

• Spices & Flavorings: Black mustard seeds, salt, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder (or cayenne - if you like it spicy!), and ground coriander flavor this rice beautifully.
• Garnish: A gently squeezed lime and fresh chopped cilantro add a fresh, vibrant finish to this dish.
• Cauliflower rice: There are multiple options when it comes to cauliflower rice. You can make it at home or buy it from the store. Let's take a look at all options in detail:
  • Fresh: Make your own by grating a whole head of cauliflower cut into large chunks on the medium-sized holes of a box grater or using the grater attachment of your food processor. You will need ½ head of cauliflower for this recipe. Here's a detailed recipe: How to Make Cauliflower Rice from Scratch
  • Pre-Chopped Vegetable Section: Purchase a 12-oz container of "riced" cauliflower from the produce section of your local store.
  • Frozen: You can purchase a 12-oz bag of frozen cauliflower rice in the freezer section of your local grocery store.

How To Make Indian Cauliflower Rice

Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos for cooking Cauliflower Rice - Indian Style in under 10 minutes!

1. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and mustard seeds. (Pic 1)
2. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the cauliflower rice. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw (Pics 2). Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the moisture from the cauliflower rice dries out.
3. Add salt and spices and saute for another 3-4 minutes until it reaches your desired doneness (see notes about texture). (Pic 3)
4. Remove from heat. Lightly squeeze lime and garnish with fresh cilantro. (Pic 4)

Serving Suggestions

This spiced cauliflower rice is flavored with warm Indian spices, so it is a wonderful accompaniment to any Indian-themed entree, such as dal, curry, grilled chicken, meat, or fish.

For a vegetarian option, try serving this with Chana Masala, Rajma, Dal Makhani, Dal Tadka or Chana Dal instead.

My hubby and I often use it as our low-carb rice side dish for lamb, fish, chicken, goat, or a mix of chicken, Paneer, and veggie curries! Most Indian curries go really well with this cauli rice recipe.

Other Ways To Use Cauliflower Rice

Although I love this curry cauliflower rice recipe, if you're looking for more ways to introduce the low-carb cauliflower rice into your cooking regimen (and eat more veggies!), you can:

• Substitute white or brown rice with equal cauliflower rice in soups and stir-fries!
• Add a handful of cauliflower rice to your burgers, Keema curry, or pasta sauces. It practically disappears in the mix, and you cannot taste it.
• Make a cauliflower crust pizza to satisfy those carb cravings!

Variations To Try

There are many ways to evolve this Indian cauliflower rice into your own. Here are some of my tried and tested favorites:

• Coconut Flavor: Stir in 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut at the very end for a coconut flavor.
• Make a Pilaf: Transform it into a rice pilaf with a handful of raisins and toasted cashews.
• Add protein: Keep it vegan and up the protein by adding some oven-roasted chickpeas.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Grate your own cauliflower with a box grater or food processor! You will only need half a head of cauliflower for this recipe, but feel free to grate the entire head and freeze the remainder in an airtight container for up to one month. If desired, squeeze out excess water from freshly riced cauliflower with a clean kitchen towel.
• Alternatively, you can purchase pre-chopped or frozen cauliflower rice. If using frozen cauliflower rice, there is no need to thaw!
• The cauliflower will release moisture while you saute it on the stovetop. Allow it to cook until all the moisture is gone, then cook to your desired tenderness. I typically saute it for 3-5 minutes.
• End texture: This recipe results in a slight el-dente texture of Cauli Rice, which mimics the texture of steamed rice. You can adjust that based on how cooked or 'soft' you like.

Popular Cauliflower Recipes on the Blog

These recipes are part of the Low Carb Recipes and Low Carb Indian Recipes collection:

📖 Recipe