Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
Buttery, toasty cauliflower rice cooked pilaf-style in broth with onion, celery and thyme, then tossed with toasted almonds, parsley and lemon zest.
Nutrition per serving
¾ cup- Net carbs
- 5.9g
- Calories
- 134kcal
- Protein
- 4.6g
- Fat
- 9.7g
- Total carbs
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 4.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Mushroom & herb: Browned mushrooms folded through make an earthy, wild-rice-style pilaf for roast chicken or pork chops.
- After toasting the almonds, brown the mushrooms in the dry pan over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, until their liquid has evaporated, then add the remaining butter, onion and celery and carry on.
Golden spiced (pine nuts): Turmeric, cumin and a pinch of cinnamon turn the grains golden, with toasted pine nuts in place of the almonds — lovely with lamb or chicken kebabs.
- Toast the pine nuts instead of the almonds — they burn quickly, so pull them at light gold.
- Stir the turmeric, cumin and cinnamon in with the garlic. Serve with lamb kofta.
Chicken & "rice" skillet: Bite-size chicken thighs browned first and finished in the pilaf make it a one-pan dinner.
- After toasting the almonds, brown the chicken in the oil over medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes, until golden, and set it aside — it finishes cooking later.
- Return the chicken with the broth and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), 5–7 minutes.
- Also add
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Estimated cost $4.81 for 4 servings ($1.20 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in a large, wide skillet over medium heat. Toast the almonds for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until golden and fragrant, then tip them onto a plate.
-
Add the rest of the butter with the onion and celery and cook 4–5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 30 seconds.
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Raise the heat to medium-high, add the cauliflower and salt and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring only occasionally, so the grains toast in the butter the way rice does in a pilaf.
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Pour in the broth and cook uncovered for 4–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has been absorbed and the grains are tender but still separate.
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Off the heat, fold in the parsley, lemon zest, pepper and most of the almonds. Taste for salt and scatter the rest of the almonds on top.
Tips for success
-
Toasting the raw grains in butter before the broth goes in gives this its nutty, pilaf-like depth, and an uncovered pan keeps it fluffy rather than mushy. - Broth instead of water seasons every grain. Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
- See Perfect Cauliflower Rice for ricing methods. Serve with roast chicken, chicken souvlaki or garlic butter salmon.
Nice to have, not needed
- A wide 12-inch skillet keeps the grains in a thin layer so they toast instead of steaming — in a smaller pan, cook in two batches.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, or microwave 1–2 minutes.
Prep tip: Keep the toasted almonds in a separate container so they stay crunchy, and add them after reheating.
Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat in a skillet. Freezes for up to 2 months; add the almonds when serving.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosMushroom & herb
VeggiesBrowned mushrooms folded through make an earthy, wild-rice-style pilaf for roast chicken or pork chops.
- + 8 oz cremini mushrooms
7.2 g net · 146 kcal · 6.4 g protein · 9.9 g fat · ≈$1.77 per serving (+1.3 g net carbs vs the original)
Golden spiced (pine nuts)
FlavorTurmeric, cumin and a pinch of cinnamon turn the grains golden, with toasted pine nuts in place of the almonds — lovely with lamb or chicken kebabs.
- sliced almonds → pine nuts
- + ½ tsp ground turmeric
- + ½ tsp ground cumin
- + ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
6.4 g net · 153 kcal · 4.4 g protein · 12 g fat · ≈$2.04 per serving (+0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
Chicken & "rice" skillet
ProteinBite-size chicken thighs browned first and finished in the pilaf make it a one-pan dinner.
- + 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- + 1 tbsp olive oil
5.9 g net · 301 kcal · 27 g protein · 18 g fat · ≈$2.26 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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