Easy Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

By Alexandra Caspero on February 23, 2016
Vegan fried rice, make with riced cauliflower, tofu, carrots and a simple sauce.
Serves 4

This vegan cauliflower fried rice is such a great dish to make if you are cutting back on grains, carbs, or trying to eat more veggies. With just 25 minutes of your time and few ingredients in your fridge, you can a delicious low-carb and gluten-free dinner to serve your family. Highly recommend! 

I know it’s taken me forever to get on the ‘cauliflower rice’ train, but I’m here. I’m on and we’re going for a ride.

To be fair, I was still getting over the previous decade’s obsession with turning cauliflower into mashed potatoes; a dish that will forever be associated with my mother, the South Beach Diet cookbook, and the disappointment that mashed cauliflower doesn’t really taste like creamy mashed potatoes.

Now here we are, 10 years later and cauliflower is BAAAACK. I was a bit skeptical that finely ground cauliflower could actually taste like rice. Like, fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice? I was planning for a similar experience to the infamous potato incident.

Wrong. So wrong. Finely minced cauliflower stir-fried with crispy sesame tofu, vegetables, and ginger-soy sauce is so incredibly similar to traditional fried rice I had to tell BL that he was eating cauliflower, without a grain of rice in sight.

The same man who will pick out every tiny piece of kale in any dish I have ever served him was downing bowl after bowl of this cauliflower fried rice. So, picky husband approved and I’m assuming, my 3-year-old toddler approved.

Besides being a nutrient-dense, flavor-packed meal, the entire dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. I know this cauliflower fried rice will be a regular rotation in our house.

Fast, easy, and healthy food –> ready, set, go.

Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice Topped With Green Onions

Tips On How To Make Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

This recipe for vegan cauliflower fried rice is not only incredibly simple but incredibly delicious! It is just as good as traditional fried rice, only it’s vegan and it’s healthier.

This cauliflower rice recipe is a fast and easy meal that I love to whip up during the week. It doesn’t require any boiling since no rice is involved, which cuts the process by half! I also love to make any kind of dish that allows me to get in an extra serving of veggies.

By using cauliflower ricer instead of regular white rice, you are cutting your carb intake as well as getting in an extra-large serving of vegetables. That’s what I call a deal!

Here are a few tips to help you make amazing fried cauliflower rice every time!

  • Make sure your cauliflower rice is completely dry. This will help it to cook thoroughly without becoming too soft and mushy. You want a little texture- Trust me!
  • Make sure your wok is nice and hot so that everything will begin cooking the minute it hits the heat. This will help everything to cook through while maintaining its texture.
  • Be very careful about draining out your tofu. It needs to be very well-drained so that it doesn’t introduce a bunch of moisture to the fried cauliflower rice.
  • If you don’t have cashews on hand, you can easily replace them with almonds. They taste great in this fried rice and will give it amazing texture!
  • Don’t skip the sesame oil. This is what gives this rice a lot of its flavor and makes it so good!

What To Serve With Cauliflower Fried Rice

I love to eat this fried cauliflower rice as a main course all on its own. It is packed with flavor and is very filling if you double up on the serving size. But, it goes great with a variety of other dishes as well.

I like to eat this General Tso’s cauliflower chicken on top of this cauliflower rice for a hearty dinner. Or, this crispy garlic tofu stir-fry if I am feeling like a protein-packed dinner.

This cauliflower rice would also be a tasty side when served with this mushroom wonton soup.

No matter what you eat it with or how you serve it, this cauliflower fried rice is a great recipe to have around!

A Bowl Of Cauliflower Fried Rice With Carrots, Green Onions, And Peas

More Vegan Rice Recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge. I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

Easy Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, healthy, vegan, vegetarian, rice, cauliflower

Description

Easy Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice! Ready in less than 20 minutes, low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb and DELICIOUS! Vegan and Gluten-Free.


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, healthy, vegan, vegetarian, rice, cauliflower
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: dinner, healthy, vegan, vegetarian, rice, cauliflower
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. firm tofu, [url:1]pressed[/url] and drained
  • 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup peas, thawed if frozen
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 3 tablespoons cashews
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or Tamari for gluten-free version)
  • sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Press and drain the tofu (either by wrapping the tofu in paper towels and placing under a heavy object, or by using a [url:2]tofu press[/url])
  2. Lightly crumble the tofu in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Cut the cauliflower into florets, discarding the tough inner core. Working in batches if needed, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it breaks down into rice-sized pieces. You should have 5 to 6 cups of cauliflower “rice.”
  4. Set aside.
  5. In a large wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and lightly stir fry for 30 seconds – 1 minute until just golden brown and fragrant. Add in the crumbled tofu and stir-fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until tofu is golden in color and cooked through.
  6. Remove tofu from wok and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add in the carrots and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir the peas, and cauliflower “rice” into the wok, mixing the ingredients thoroughly.
  7. Cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cooked tofu, green onions, cashews and soy sauce.
  8. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

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Easy Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice! Ready In Less Than 20 Minutes, Low-Calorie, Low-Fat, Low-Carb And Delicious! Vegan And Gluten-Free |

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

(22 comments) leave a comment

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    1. Shareena
      April 14, 2020 AT 11:43 am

      WOW! Made this last night and it was a huge hit! We added some mushrooms and white onions and lima beans since we didnt have peas. Even better as leftovers! Will be adding to our “favorite” list of recipes! Thank you!






    2. Alayna
      May 24, 2019 AT 4:18 pm

      How many calories per portion?

    3. Christina
      February 10, 2019 AT 6:00 am

      Would frozen rice cauliflower work?

      1. Alex
        February 10, 2019 AT 6:15 pm

        It should, might be more watery, so adjust as you need to for cooking time. Come back and let us know!

        1. Christina
          February 10, 2019 AT 10:08 pm

          It turned out great!!!! I adjusted the cooking time like suggested, and I had no problems with the consistency in the finished product! My family loved it! Thanks!

          1. Alex
            February 11, 2019 AT 1:09 pm

            Awesome, thanks Christina!

    4. Ameena
      August 22, 2018 AT 8:38 pm

      Could I use Tempeh substitute for the Tofu, or is there another ingredient better suited?

      1. Alex
        August 26, 2018 AT 5:52 pm

        Hi Ameena, sure! I don’t see why you couldn’t use tempeh instead.

        1. Ameena
          August 26, 2018 AT 5:54 pm

          one more question do you know the serving size?

    5. Sherry
      August 6, 2018 AT 7:18 pm

      How many carbs does this dish have? Calories?

    6. Trish
      January 15, 2018 AT 1:11 pm

      Do you have the nutritional breakdown for this recipe? Sounds delish

    7. Carolyn Donovan
      September 21, 2017 AT 3:44 pm

      This is delicious. BUT, I take issue with your time estimates. Having made this twice now, I can attest that this takes 50-60 minutes to prep and cook.

      Ricing the cauliflower takes 10 minutes on it’s own. You need a lot more than 5 minutes to prep the garlic, ginger, scallions, tofu, carrots, and peas.

      And I say this as an experienced cook.

      BUT, it really is delicious. As long as you have an hour, it’s fantastic.

    8. Leigh
      January 28, 2017 AT 2:06 am

      I’m new to healthy eating, trying to break my 48-year habit of sugar-addicted bingeing, and I found your recipe for the cauliflower fried rice online. We tried it last night and I was really, really happy with the results. I didn’t feel like I was compromising on taste, which is usually the case when I eat healthier. Thanks for putting so much creativity into your work and for sharing your culinary talents!






      1. Alex
        January 28, 2017 AT 11:46 am

        Thanks Leigh! Thanks so much for the comment!

    9. Elizabeth Shaw
      February 25, 2016 AT 8:21 am

      I still have yet to actually make it too- well a legit version, now I have a base- thanks! PS Love you compared your husbands approval with a 3 year old toddlers 🙂

    10. Sylvie Shirazi
      February 24, 2016 AT 7:58 pm

      Cauliflower rice is the best, I love that you can make it so quickly and easily!

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