Enjoy this Cauliflower Rice Pilaf as a side to your favorite keto meals, or as a stand alone meal. It has such an amazing taste and texture, that you won't miss the regular rice one bit!
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I love rice.
Really, I pretty much love all carbs, but today we are talking about rice. As a teenager, one of my favorite meals was steamed white rice with soy sauce. Super simple, but totally satisfying.
Growing up, we never (as far as I can remember) had the boxed flavored rice packages. But, when I grew up (and had to pay for my own groceries) I ate a LOT of the boxed rice.
It was cheap and it was versatile. There is a box of rice for pretty much any meal you could imagine and I am pretty sure that I have had them all.
Luckily my boxed rice days are long gone and I have moved on. But I have to admit, that a part of me really misses those delicious carby side dishes.
I've tried cauliflower rice in pretty much every way that you can think of. Taste-wise, it was always fine, but I missed the slightly chewy texture of real rice.
When I decided to make this Cauliflower rice pilaf, I decided to toss in some almonds and hemp hearts to add to the texture and flavor. It was a delicious addition, and I don't think that I will ever make cauliflower rice without them!
Most people are familiar with almonds, but Hemp Hearts are a fairly new item at most grocery stores. You can usually find them whole or shelled (we want shelled for this recipe) They are the seed of a hemp plant and they are a nutritional gold mine!
Hemp hearts (AKA Hemp Seeds) are high in amino acids and protein, contain more omega oil than any fish, and they are low in carbs - making them perfect for a ketogenic diet!
Shelled hemp hearts (pictured below) are slightly chewy and have a mild nutty flavor. You can also eat whole hemp hearts, which have a much crunchier texture.
This cauliflower rice pilaf recipe also calls for chicken broth concentrate, I have linked the brand I use below, but you could also substitute with powdered bullion if you don't have any. If you do substitute a different brand, then be sure to salt the dish carefully as chicken bullion can have LOTS of salt!
I opted to use onion powder for my kid's sanity, but if I was only making this for onion-loving adults, I would probably omit the onion powder and saute about ¼ cup of diced yellow onion in its place.
Feel free to play around with the seasoning and make it your own! If you try different combinations let me know how it goes in the comments!
Be sure to try these other great recipes from This Mom's Menu:
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Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup shelled hemp hearts
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 5 cups) riced
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried) chopped
- 2 tablespoon chicken broth concentrate
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter.
- As soon as the butter is melted, add the almonds and hemp hearts. Stir constantly until they turn a nice golden brown color.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix everything together, then cover and continue cooking, stirring every few minutes, for 5-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is cooked to your liking.
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
Nutrition
Justine says
You knocked it outta the park with this one, mama! The combination of flavors is unmatched! This isn't your ordinary cauliflower rice dish. The crunch from the almonds and extra protein in the hemp hearts is gonna make this a staple in our home!
dlsettle3233@gmail.com says
Wow. Today at lunch I had wild rice pilaf and it was the best! I found your recipe and want to make it as it is low carb. I am not a lover of cauliflower, but this sounds like this recipe adds lots of flavor.
The one I had today also had celery in it.
I have a question, can pecans or walnuts sub for almonds?
Thank you for your recipe. Can't wait to make it.
Sabra says
Pecans or walnuts would work really well! Just be sure to chop them up so that they aren't too large 🙂
Christy Ballard says
Can I use veg broth in place of the chix broth concentrate?
Sabra says
Hi Christy, I recommend sticking with a broth concentrate to prevent the cauliflower from becoming too soft and mushy. You can use vegetable broth concentrate or vegetable bullion in place of the chicken. Hope this helps!
Kelly says
Hello! I have heard from several people how amazing this dish is - thank you for the recipe! I have several packages of frozen riced cauliflower - can I thaw these and use them in place of the fresh riced cauliflower? Would the moisture be an issue? Is that why you only have fresh as an option? Thanks in advance!
Sheri says
This is very good! Great, different cauli rice recipe. I served it with pan cooked salmon. Thanks for this! I used fresh onion for me and my husband, and home made chicken broth from an instant pot roasted chicken, which worked fine.
Sabra says
Hi Sheri! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for leaving such a great review 🙂
Jane Preston says
This was amazing. I used the frozen cauliflower and it worked just fine. Delicious.
Deb says
This was excellent! I cooked the tumeric with the almonds and hemp seeds to remove some of that raw taste from it. Used a little less garlic powder because 2 tsp seemed like a lot, might try fresh/jarred next time. Also used a bag of costco frozen cauliflower rice and tossed in some small cooked broccoli heads. This one is keeper!
Katie says
Oh my goodness! This is delicious! I used better than bullion vegetable base and Costco frozen cauliflower rice. My vegetarian daughter loved it as well.
Mj says
Great recipe! Thanks for creating and posting. The combination of nuts, seeds and spices takes cauliflower rice to the next level. With frozen cauliflower rice it is quick, easy and delicious.
Thanks again!