Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Name: Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 1 16 oz bag fresh cauliflower rice; 2 Tablespoons olive or avocado oil; ½ cup yellow onion; 1 clove garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon sea salt; black pepper (to taste); 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice; 1 teaspoon lime zest (or to taste)

By Brittany Mullins

Published Apr 22, 2022, Updated Jul 24, 2023

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This cilantro lime cauliflower rice comes together in about 15 minutes and has a ton of flavor! It’s the perfect low carb side dish and makes a great base for a burrito bowl or taco salad.

I shared a copycat version of Chipotle’s cilantro rice last year and I love it so much I decided to make a version with cauliflower rice instead of white rice for the days that I’m looking for a low carb option with all the same flavors!

This cilantro lime cauliflower rice is seriously so easy to whip up and makes for a great base for burrito bowls and taco salads!

Looking down at a serving bowl containing cilantro lime cauliflower rice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s vegan, low carb, gluten-free, paleo, Whole30-approved and keto-friendly!
Quick and easy to whip up – all you need is 8 ingredients and one pan!
It’s an awesome healthy side dish or the perfect addition to a vegan burrito bowl, chicken burrito bowl or taco salad.
Packed with so much flavor!

Ingredients measured out to make cilantro lime cauliflower rice: cauliflower rice, cilantro, limes, onion, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Ingredients Needed

cauliflower rice – I used a 16 oz store-bought bag of fresh cauliflower rice. I prefer the texture of store-bought over frozen cauliflower rice or homemade cauliflower rice. Frozen cauli rice will work, but it’ll result in rice that is mushier. You can also make your own cauli rice, but the chunks will likely be much smaller than store-bought.
olive oil – to saute the onions and garlic. Avocado oil would work as well.
yellow onion and garlic – to enhance the flavor.
sea salt and pepper – to season the rice.
fresh cilantro – the star of the show! You can use the stems and the leaves! The stems pack in a ton of flavor.
lime juice – I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice as opposed to lime juice that comes out of a container.
lime zest – for extra lime flavor!

Three photos showing the process to make cilantro lime cauliflower rice: sauteing the onion, adding the cauliflower rice to the skillet, and stirring in the lime zest and cilantro.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Making this cilantro lime cauliflower rice couldn’t be easier. Start by adding oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add fresh cauliflower rice and cook for 6-7 minutes until warmed. Add salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, lime juice and lime zest and mix until combined. It’s so easy and so flavorful!

A closeup of a serving bowl containing cilantro lime cauliflower rice. A spoon rests in the bowl.

How to Make Homemade Cauliflower Rice

As I mentioned, I did prefer store-bought fresh cauliflower rice to homemade cauliflower rice because the chunks were larger and it had a better texture, but if you have a head of cauliflower on hand you can totally make your own cauliflower rice. I have a full tutorial on how to make homemade cauliflower rice, but here’s a quick overview:

Prep cauliflower: Wash, dry and remove the stem and any outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut the head of the cauliflower into quarters, then trim out the inner core from each quarter.

Chop into florets: Either break apart the cauliflower into large florets using your hands or use a knife to cut off the florets. If the core is tender, you can chop it into pieces as well!

Pulse: Add the cauliflower florets into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse using 1-second pulses until the cauliflower is broken down into rice-sized pieces. Make sure you only fill the processor about 3/4 full. With this in mind, you might have to pulse in batches depending on the size of your processor.

Looking down at a serving bowl containing cilantro lime cauliflower rice. A spoon rests in the bowl.

Flavor Variations

I love this recipe as is, but feel free to switch it up! Here are some ideas:

Swap the cilantro: I know cilantro is one of the main ingredients, but if you’re someone who thinks cilantro tastes soapy, feel free to swap it with another fresh herb like chives, parsley or dill.
Add spices: Feel free to amp up the flavor by adding different spices. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes would all be delicious additions!

What to Serve with Cilantro Cauliflower Rice

This cilantro lime cauliflower rice is so versatile! I love serving it as a side for a variety of meals. Here are some ideas:

With a vegan burrito bowl, chicken burrito bowl or taco salad – it would also pair perfectly with my copycat Chipotle tofu sofritas in place of the regular cilantro rice!
With stir fry – this rice also pairs well with Asian dishes like my tofu stir-fry or Asian chicken sheet pan meal.
Make a falafel bowl – this rice would add a ton of flavor to a falafel bowl and pair nicely with the Mediterranean flavors.
With grilled chicken – I love this with my apple cider vinegar grilled chicken or air fryer chicken and veggies.
With crispy tofu – this would be delicious with my crispy baked tofu and a side of vegetables!

A closeup of a serving bowl containing cilantro lime cauliflower rice.

How to Store

This cauliflower rice is great for meal prep because it stores so well!

To store: Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

To reheat: Warm your cauliflower rice for a few minutes over the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.

More Cauliflower Rice Recipes to Try

Be sure to check out all of the cauliflower recipes as well as the full collection of side recipes on EBF!

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5 from 4 votes