This low-carb side dish recipe for cilantro lime cauliflower rice is filling and full of fresh flavors that pairs great with everything!

It’s the perfect low-carb side dish to serve with your favorite proteins, keep you full, and complete your meal.

large bowl of cilantro lime cauliflower rice

Low Carb Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

When you’re on a low-carb diet, it’s easy to get into a rut when it comes to finding new ways to make your meals exciting to eat.

For this reason, this cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe will enter your low-carb side dish rotation often since it’s the perfect base for low-carb chicken bowls, great to serve on the side with pan-seared chicken, buffalo chicken, shrimp fajitas, and more!

Ingredients

To make this cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe, you’ll need just a few fresh ingredients. Go ahead and grab:

Olive oil: a little, to help cook the veggies.
Onion: gives added volume and flavor to the recipe.
Garlic: an aromatic, for flavor.
Salt: for seasoning.
Jalapeño: a little or a lot, to make it as spicy as you like. It can be omitted if needed.
Riced cauliflower: store-bought or homemade; this is the star of the recipe.
Lime: essential to bring flavor to the recipe.
Cilantro: as much or as little as you’d like.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Making cauliflower rice is easy and quick! Gather your ingredients and get this recipe going by:

Cook it up
In a large pan over medium-high heat, you’re going to heat the oil and begin cooking your onions, garlic, and jalapeño.
Add the cauliflower
Once the veggies are tender, add the cauliflower to the pan and combine. Reduce heat to medium, zest the lime over the mixture and add the cilantro. Continue to cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until the cauliflower has softened.
Finishing touches
Turn off the heat, squeeze the lime or pour the lime juice over the cauliflower rice, and stir to combine.
Serve
Scoop some onto a plate and serve with lime wedges and additional cilantro for garnish.

overhead view of a bowl of cilantro lime cauliflower rice

Frozen vs Fresh Cauli Rice

To make cauliflower rice recipes, you can use store-bought frozen cauliflower rice or make cauliflower rice at home; all will work!

If you want to make it at home, you can make cauliflower rice by hand with a cheese grater, using your blender, or with a food processor.

Storing Leftover Cilantro Lime Cauli Rice

Leftover cilantro lime cauliflower rice is great for assembling future meals quickly! Once cooled, transfer leftovers inside an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.

You can also freeze leftovers for up to 30 days in a freezer zip bag or container.

What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Riced Cauliflower

Cilantro lime riced cauliflower is the perfect meal builder for all your favorite proteins. From chicken to fish or served with a couple of fried eggs, you’ll love the ease with which meals are built using this low-carb side dish.

More Ways to Make Cauliflower Rice

If you’re a cauliflower rice fan, you’ll love these other cauliflower rice recipes.

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

Print Recipe

Make your low-carb meals more exciting to eat with this delicious cilantro lime cauliflower rice recipe!

Author: Laura Fuentes
Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 10
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 large clove of garlic, grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ to 1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped
4 cups riced cauliflower
½ lime, zested and juiced more for serving
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro, more for garnish

Instructions

In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat up the oil. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, salt, and diced jalapeño, and toss to combine and cook for 3 minutes until the jalapeño begins to soften.
Add the cauliflower to the pan and combine. Reduce heat to medium, zest the lime over the mixture and add the cilantro. Continue to cook, for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until the cauliflower has softened.
Turn off the heat, squeeze the lime or pour the lime juice over the cauliflower rice, and stir to combine.
Serve with lime wedges and additional cilantro for garnish.