Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (2024)

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Katerina

4.73 from 11 votes

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Easy, crunchy, incredibly flavorful Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice is simple, healthy, and so surprisingly GOOD!

Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (2)

    MY NEW FAVORITE WAY TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER RICE

    Cauliflower rice is cooked in butter with garlic and spinach for a healthy, delicious and very easy side dish. This is a perfect side dish for chicken or fish, and it’s done in about 15 minutes.

    I don’t really know what more to say about this than that I am crazy in love with cauliflower rice. I really AM! It’s SO good. Better than rice, and better than non-riced cauliflower… does that even make ANY sense? It does to me.

    Few of my favorites include, Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice, Honey Sriracha Chicken with Cauliflower Rice, as well as Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice – YUM!

    Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (3)

    GARLIC BUTTER CAULIFLOWER RICE

    ThisGarlic Butter Cauliflower Rice with Spinach is an easy low carb, keto, gluten free, paleo, vegetarian, and most importantly, SUPER DELICIOUS recipe that will have even the pickiest eater licking up her plate.

    I have a 9 year old that pretty much hates food – well, food that is NOT chocolate and cereal – but she devoured this cauliflower rice, caveman style.

    I served it with my Juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs, and it was just the ideal meal during one of our busy, soccer-filled weeknights.

    Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (4)

    HOW TO MAKE GARLIC BUTTER CAULIFLOWER RICE

    In this recipe, I used already riced cauliflower that I picked up at my local grocery store because I didn’t have time to mess around with a whole head of cauliflower. BUT, if you want to rice your own cauliflower, no biggie! Just follow my easy recipe for How to Make and Store Cauliflower Rice.

    • First, you will need to melt some butter and add a few minced cloves of garlic in there; cook until fragrant.
    • Add the cauliflower rice, chili powder, salt, and pepper; stir and cook for 2 minutes, or until tender.
    • Add a little vegetable broth, lime juice, baby spinach, and continue to stir until spinach is wilted and liquid evaporated.
    • Remove from heat; taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.

    Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice with Spinach is simple to make, and its buttery and garlicky flavor will make a fan out of you, and you, and you!

    Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (5)

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE

    • Maple Mustard Salmon in Foil
    • Lemon Garlic Herb Shrimp in Packets
    • Spicy, Sweet, and Sticky Chicken Thighs
    • Tender and Juicy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts

    HOW TO STORE COOKED CAULIFLOWER RICE

    • Store cooled down, cooked cauliflower rice in covered airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
    • You can also freeze cooked cauliflower rice in covered airtight containers. Freeze for up to 5 months.
    • Defrost cauliflower rice on the counter before reheating.

    YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

    • Almond Brown Rice Pilaf
    • Cauliflower Cheese Soup
    • Garlicky and Cheesy Cauliflower Broccoli Bake
    • One Pan Chicken Piccata and Rice
    • Tomato Pesto Salmon and Rice

    ENJOY!

    Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (6)

    Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice with Spinach

    Katerina | Diethood

    Easy, crunchy, incredibly flavorful Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice is simple, healthy, and so surprisingly GOOD!

    4.73 from 11 votes

    Rate this Recipe!

    Servings : 4 serves

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save

    Prep Time 10 minutes mins

    Cook Time 10 minutes mins

    Total Time 20 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 4 cups cauliflower rice
    • 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
    • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
    • 1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth (you can also use chicken broth, bone broth, beef broth, etc...)
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • 6 ounces baby spinach

    Instructions

    • Melt butter over medium heat.

    • Add garlic and cook and stir for 2 minutes; careful not to burn the garlic.

    • Stir in the cauliflower rice; season with chili powder, salt, and pepper.

    • Cook and stir for 2 minutes, mixing around until everything is thoroughly combined.

    • Add in the vegetable broth and lime juice.

    • Stir in baby spinach; cook and stir for 1 minute or until spinach is wilted and the liquid has evaporated.

    • Remove from heat and taste for seasonings; adjust accordingly.

    • Serve.

    Notes

    HOW TO STORE COOKED CAULIFLOWER RICE

    • Storecooled down, cooked cauliflower ricein covered airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
    • You can also freeze cooked cauliflower rice in covered airtight containers. Freeze for up to 9 months.
    • Defrost cauliflower rice on the counter before reheating.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 135 kcal | Carbohydrates: 12 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 22 mg | Sodium: 221 mg | Potassium: 741 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 4375 IU | Vitamin C: 94.6 mg | Calcium: 89 mg | Iron: 2 mg

    Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

    Course: Side Dish

    Cuisine: American

    Keyword: cauliflower rice, easy cauliflower recipe, easy vegetable side dish, side dish recipe

    Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

    Categories:

    • Dinner Recipes
    • Freezer Friendly Meals
    • One Pot Meals
    • Quick Dinner Ideas
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegetarian
    Easy Garlic Butter Cauliflower Rice Recipe with Spinach (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you take the bitterness out of cauliflower rice? ›

    Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice to help remove any bitterness from the raw cauliflower.

    How to make cauliflower rice that isn t soggy? ›

    One additional step I like is to press any excess moisture from the rice by transferring the cauliflower rice to a large paper towel or absorbent dish towel and squeeze/press to remove any remaining water. This ensures no excess moisture remains, which can make your dish soggy.

    Is cauliflower rice actually healthy? ›

    Substituting cauliflower rice for white rice is a great way to get more antioxidants while reducing calories and carbohydrates in order to save room for other nutrient dense foods.

    Is it cheaper to make cauliflower rice or buy it? ›

    Cheaper: Making riced cauliflower from scratch will save you money in the grocery store. A head of cauliflower is cheaper than buying fresh or frozen riced cauliflower. Tastes Great: Because it's made fresh, it also tastes better. You can use it in any recipe that calls for rice.

    How to hide the taste of cauliflower rice? ›

    Stirring in fresh lime or lemon juice can add a new dimension to your cauliflower rice. Try adding lime juice and cilantro to make cilantro-lime rice, which works great as a base or a side. Drizzle on sauce. A spoonful of sauce such as chimichurri can mask any cauliflower-iness in the rice.

    Should you rinse cauliflower before cooking? ›

    The separated florets have to be washed properly under a tap. This removes dirt and large parasites such as worms. The next step is cleaning the cauliflower in mildly warm water in which a little salt was dissolved. This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites.

    How do you squeeze moisture out of cauliflower rice? ›

    Wrap the cauliflower rice in a clean tea towel or paper towels, twist, and squeeze as much water as possible from the rice—you might be surprised by how much water you can wring out, or you might not be.

    Do you cook cauliflower rice the same as regular rice? ›

    While cauliflower is a great stand-in for rice, these “grains” don't actually need to be cooked in water like rice. Simmering riced cauliflower will leave it soft and mushy, without the toothsome texture that makes it such a good replacement.

    Will cauliflower rice soak up liquid? ›

    Unlike traditional rice, cauliflower won't absorb much liquid, as it's not a dry, grain, so there's no need to add water. However, adding a little broth or bone broth can be a great addition and base layer for flavor.

    Is cauliflower rice good for belly fat? ›

    Cauliflower has several properties that may help with weight loss. First, it is low in calories with only 27 calories per cup (107 g), so you can eat a lot of it without significantly increasing your calorie intake ( 1 ). It can also serve as a low calorie substitute for high calorie foods, such as rice and flour.

    Is it OK to eat riced cauliflower everyday? ›

    The fact that it's a vegetable makes cauliflower automatically good for you. Additionally, cauliflower is packed with nutrients that give it unique benefits, such as fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and choline. These properties give you a good reason to eat it frequently or even daily.

    Which is healthier, quinoa or cauliflower rice? ›

    Brown rice actually has more selenium (good for heart health) and vitamin B3 (needed for the production of sex and stress hormones) than quinoa, but quinoa is still the healthier choice. Cauliflower rice is a grain-free, gluten-free and nutrient-dense way to replace the white rice on your plate.

    Which is better broccoli or cauliflower rice? ›

    While they are both very nutritious vegetables, broccoli has a higher vitamin content, specifically in vitamin K and C, than cauliflower and is specifically known to be great for eye health. Broccoli florets also provide more minerals and fiber as well as contains vitamin A that isn't in cauliflower.

    How long will cauliflower rice last in the fridge? ›

    Store cooked cauliflower rice in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Cooked riced cauliflower doesn't taste the same after freezing, so freeze it uncooked instead, following the directions below.

    Can I freeze fresh cauliflower rice? ›

    The best part about making your own riced cauliflower rice is that you can freeze it for later and just use a little here and there as needed.

    How do you neutralize the taste of cauliflower? ›

    Other successful pairings that enhance the faint cauliflower flavor and mask the noxious aroma are extra-virgin olive oil, mild aged vinegar, garlic, oily herbs such as thyme, savory and rosemary, and pungent cheeses.

    How do you get the bitter taste out of rice? ›

    Try a pinch of baking soda.

    Baking soda is very alkaline, which is a good way to correct overly bitter dishes. Sprinkle just a pinch into your food and mix it in well to see if that helps. This is a good trick for if you're cooking and realize that you added too much of a bitter ingredient.

    Why does my cauliflower taste bitter? ›

    Bitter tasting cauliflower can be caused by too much heat or sun. It can also taste bitter from a lack of moisture, uneven watering, waiting too long to harvest, or overcooking. If bitter cauliflower has been a problem, try growing purple varieties (they tend to be less bitter).

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