Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice From Scratch
Ready for a refreshing, flavorful, low-carb side dish? For a healthy side dish with loads of flavor, turn to cauliflower rice. Seasoned with cilantro and lime, it’s refreshing, filling, and utterly delicious. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is perfect if you are currently on a low-carb diet or simply trying to work more veggies into your meals! Amazingly, this recipe caters to most of the diet preferences as it is gluten-free, vegan, paleo-friendly, keto, whole30, and dairy-free!

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Recipe!
For a healthy side dish with loads of flavor, turn to cauliflower rice. Seasoned with cilantro and lime, it’s refreshing, filling, and utterly delicious. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is perfect for when you’re trying to stick to those resolutions or simply trying to work more veggies into your meals! If you are currently on a low-carb diet or thinking about it, this cauliflower rice will be suitable for you. Versatile and perfect for meal prepping. You can cook your cauliflower cilantro lime rice at the start of the week and then have it on hand during the week. Amazingly, this recipe caters to most of the diet preferences as it is gluten-free, vegan, paleo-friendly, low-carb, keto-friendly, whole30, and dairy-free!
This low-carb + vegan cilantro lime rice recipe helps you pack in the veggies without the hefty calories. It adds a wholesome side dish to complement meats, fish, or tofu. Also, it can help you to effortlessly make bowls for your lunch the next day or throughout the week, depending on how much you have. It’s ideal for anyone following a keto or low-carbohydrate diet. However, you’ll love it for lightening things up without sacrificing flavor. Make sure to check out my cauliflower fried rice and cauliflower mac and cheese!

Is Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice Healthy?
Cilantro lime rice made from fresh cauliflower rice is the nutritious alternative you need, unlike regular cilantro rice. It’s low in calories and carbs but full of healthy vitamins and minerals that you need. Plus, cauliflower can help keep inflammation at bay and makes for a great way to hit those healthy goals.
Why You Will Love This Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice
- It takes just minutes to make.
- The flavors are fresh and delicious, perfect to top off in a bowl or on the side of your favorite main dishes.
- It helps you sneak in more veggies.
- You can use it in so many ways for any occasion.
- This recipe won’t come out soggy!
- The Cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe is gluten-free, keto-friendly, low-carb, paleo-friendly, and whole30.
- Excellent for meal prepping; double-batch and be ready for an entire week of lunch!
- Refreshing and flavorful!

How to Rice Cauliflower (With The Food Processor and Grater/Shredder):
I used my food processor to rice a head of fresh cauliflower that I use in today’s recipe. Granted, you can buy riced cauliflower from the grocery store; however, I prefer to rice mine whenever I make this recipe. Here’s how I rice my cauliflower using a food processor.
- You will need to wash the cauliflower and pat it dry using paper towels.
- Cut it into small chunks and get rid of the big stems.
- Place cut cauliflower in your food processor and use the pulse button to process or rice them.
- Pulse it (press and stop) about 9 or 10 times until it looks like rice.
- It’s that easy, though please remember you may need to do it in batches because you shouldn’t overcrowd the food processor.

And if you don’t have a food processor, don’t worry! You can use a hand-held shredder or grater. It takes a little longer but you’ll still get (almost) the same results. See this video to watch how I riced a cauliflower using a grater/shredder.
Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients:
- Fresh Cauliflower head; rice by following the instructions above or buy riced cauliflower from the grocery store.
- Cilantro leaves (very necessary for this recipe)
- Lime
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Salt
- Dry Thyme
- Vegetable Bouillon (optional)

How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice (Step-by-Step)
For the best cilantro lime cauliflower rice that isn’t soggy, follow these steps!
- Rice the Cauliflower
Use a food processor or a hand-held shredder if you don’t have a food processor. See the instructions above for ricing cauliflower. Once it’s ready, set it aside.
- Gather and Prepare
As with any recipe, things go best when you get everything gathered together. You’ll also want to dice the onions and grate your garlic. Set these things aside and get ready to cook.
- Warm Your Aromatics
Add a big pan onto your stove and put in some olive oil. Get it heated up, then add your onions, cooking them a bit first before adding the garlic.
- Cook Your Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Put your riced cauliflower in and stir right away. You’ll want to cook it for 3 minutes, and then you can add in the salt, dried thyme, and slight vegetable bouillon seasoning or any other plant-based seasoning (if using it). After another 2 to 3 minutes, add the cilantro and squeeze in the fresh lime juice, stirring to combine.
- Taste and Finish
Take a taste to check the flavors and be sure not to overcook it. That’s where things get soggy. You want your texture to be cooked yet firm so it feels like rice in your mouth. Generally, it takes less than 10 minutes once you add the riced cauliflower to the pan.
Recipe Variations
- You can make this tasty side dish with broccoli instead of cauliflower if you’d prefer, or try something new.
- Add cream for a creamier experience.
- If you hate cilantro, use parsley or add cheese to turn it into cheesy rice.
- Go for spicy if you like it by adding chili pepper or other spicy seasonings.
- No limes? Try it with lemon!
- Add more veggies if you like such as mushrooms or more onions. Alternatively, turn this into cauliflower fried rice!
- Serve this cauliflower cilantro lime rice with your favorite protein to create a healthy, complete meal.
Storage Instructions
You can put your cilantro lime cauliflower rice in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. I do not support freezing cooked cauliflower rice. This is because it will likely affect the texture.

Cauliflower Rice FAQs
If you have more questions about cauliflower rice made with fresh cauliflower, you’ll find the answers here!
The secret to keeping your cauliflower rice from getting soggy is not to overcook it. Also, you need to make sure the heat isn’t too low or the water from the cauliflower won’t evaporate. Don’t put a lid on it either or you’ll wind up steaming it, which leads to sogginess.
Yes! It’s so low in carbs too – only 3 grams of net carbs in each cup. That’s a lot less carbs than you’d get in the same amount of rice.
I might be biased but I think it tastes better than rice. Plus, cauliflower rice is lower in calories and carbs while giving you plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Use fresh cauliflower to make your cilantro lime cauliflower rice. No need to buy bags of premade frozen cauliflower rice…doing it with fresh cauliflower will provide the best and tastiest results!
Yes, you can absolutely meal prep cauliflower. I suggest double-batching this recipe at the start of the week and pairing it with your choice of protein. Today, I’m pairing these with air fryer salmon. They are great in the refrigerator for the week. Please do not store these in the freezer.

How Do You Serve Cauliflower Lime Rice?
Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is versatile; you can serve it with any main dish! Aside from the mains, aka proteins, that you can add to your cilantro lime rice plate, you can also add other veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. My husband made himself the plate below (jerk drumstick, tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. It was yum.

What to Serve With Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice:




Make this recipe following the recipe card:
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Cauliflower Cilantro Lime Rice From Scratch
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: Universal
- Diet: Vegan
Description
For a healthy side dish with loads of flavor, turn to cauliflower rice. Seasoned with cilantro and lime, it’s refreshing, filling, and utterly delicious. Cilantro lime cauliflower rice is perfect if you are currently on a low-carb diet or simply trying to work more veggies into your meals! Amazingly, this recipe caters to most of the diet preferences as it is gluten-free, vegan, paleo-friendly, keto, whole30, and dairy-free!
Ingredients
- 1 Fresh head of Cauliflower; rice by following the instructions (below) or buy riced cauliflower from the grocery store.
- A bunch of Cilantro leaves
- 2 Limes (1 for making the rice and the other one for garnishing)
- 1 – 2 tablespoons of Olive oil (I used one)
- 1/4 cup Onions (chopped)
- 3–4 Garlic cloves (chopped or grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt (add salt to preference)
- A dash Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Dry Thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Vegetable Bouillon (optional; for seasoning)
Instructions
- Rice the Cauliflower. Use a food processor or a hand-held shredder if you don’t have a food processor. Here’s how to rice a cauliflower: You will need to wash the cauliflower and pat it dry using paper towels. Cut it into small chunks and get rid of the big stems. Place cut cauliflower in your food processor and use the pulse button to process or rice them. Pulse it (press and stop) about 9 or 10 times until it looks like rice. It’s that easy, though please remember you may need to do it in batches because you shouldn’t overcrowd the food processor.See this post to watch how to use a grater to rice a cauliflower.
- Gather and Prepare. As with any recipe, things go best when you get everything gathered together. You’ll also want to dice the onions and grate your garlic. Set these things aside.
- Warm Your Aromatics. Add a big pan to your stove and put in some olive oil. Get it heated up, then add your onions, cooking them a bit first before adding the garlic.
- Cook Your Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. Put your riced cauliflower in and stir right away. You’ll want to cook it for 3 minutes, and then you can add in the salt, dried thyme, and slight vegetable bouillon seasoning or any other plant-based seasoning (if using it). After another 2 to 3 minutes, add the cilantro and squeeze in the fresh lime juice, stirring to combine.
- Taste and Finish. Take a taste to check the flavors, and be sure not to overcook it. That’s where things get soggy. You want your texture to be cooked yet firm so it feels like rice in your mouth. Generally, it takes less than 10 minutes once you add the riced cauliflower to the pan.
Notes
I used my food processor to rice a head of fresh cauliflower that I use in today’s recipe. Granted, you can buy riced cauliflower from the grocery store; however, I prefer to rice mine whenever I make this recipe and others.
And if you don’t have a food processor, don’t worry! You can use a hand-held shredder or grater. It takes a little longer, but you’ll still get (almost) the same results. See this post to watch how I riced a cauliflower using a grater/shredder.
more cauliflower recipes:
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THANKS FOR STOPPING BY! Stay well, safe and keep living your life to the fullest!

I made this as a side last night. It turned out great even my kids liked it!
Great to know!
This cauliflower ‘rice’ is such an easy and delicious way to incorporate more veggies into my meals. A delicious dish the family has already asked for again!
I agree, Stephanie. So easy to cook!
We had taco bowls and I made this “rice” as the base. It was delicious and surprisingly easy to make!
Beautiful; I will be trying it as a taco base next!
Brilliant! Cilantro lime rice is the BEST but so is cauliflower rice, I love that I don’t have to choose between the two anymore!
I agree!!
I loved the flavors in this cauliflower rice. It was perfect as a side for chicken. Thank you.
Yes, it make such a perfect side for any main!