Cauliflower Fried Rice

Like regular fried rice, but with wayyy more veggies, this cauliflower fried rice recipe is a fun and flavorful meal. Add a fried egg to take it over the top!

Cauliflower fried rice

This cauliflower fried rice recipe is one of the best meals I’ve eaten recently. It just checks all my boxes! It’s quick and easy to make, it’s chock-full of veggies, and, most importantly, it’s seriously PACKED with flavor. If you’re still a cauliflower rice skeptic, it’s time to give it a chance! I’m willing to bet that this recipe will make you love it.

So, what exactly makes this cauliflower fried rice so flavorful? Well, instead of modeling it off a Chinese-style fried rice, I took inspiration from Korean kimchi fried rice and used chopped kimchi to load this dish with spicy, tangy, funky flavor. I also tossed in shiitake mushrooms for a satisfying savory bite, ginger and scallions for a refreshing kick, and scrambled eggs and edamame to make the whole thing feel more substantial. Top it off with a fried egg or baked tofu for a super-delicious vegetarian meal. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Cauliflower fried rice recipe ingredients

Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe Ingredients

Along with basics like avocado oil (or any neutral oil) and sea salt, here’s what you need to make this cauliflower fried rice recipe:

  • Cauliflower rice, of course! Instead of buying bagged or frozen cauliflower rice, I like to make my own! I think it has the best flavor and texture that way, and it’s a cinch to make in the food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut the cauliflower into large chunks and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.
  • Shiitake mushrooms – They add chewy, meaty texture and savory, umami flavor.
  • Carrot – Finely dice it so that it softens in the time it takes to sauté the mushrooms.
  • Garlic and ginger – They add a refreshing bite.
  • Kimchi – For tangy, spicy funk.
  • Scallions – They give the cauliflower fried rice fresh, oniony flavor and pretty flecks of green.
  • Eggs – Scramble a couple into the rice, and, if you like, pop a fried egg on top!
  • Edamame – For extra protein and fun, poppy texture. Frozen peas would work here too!
  • Rice vinegar, tamari, and toasted sesame oil – Mix them together to create a light sauce that will add tangy, savory, nutty flavor to the rice. Don’t keep tamari on hand? Soy sauce or coconut aminos would work here too!
  • Fresh lime juice – For a bold, bright finish.
  • And sriracha, microgreens, and sesame seeds – Gotta love toppings, am I right? The sriracha adds heat, the microgreens add freshness, and the sesame seeds add nutty crunch.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Sauteed mushrooms and carrot in skillet

How to Make Cauliflower Fried Rice

This cauliflower fried rice recipe is super simple to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, mix up the sauce. Combine the rice vinegar, tamari, and sesame oil in a small bowl and set them aside.

Next, cook the vegetables. Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. I don’t recommend using a different type of pan for this recipe. The cauliflower rice and eggs are prone to sticking, so a nonstick pan is SO helpful. If you have it, well-seasoned cast-iron could work too. Skip the stainless steel!

Add the mushrooms, carrots, and salt to the pan and cook until tender. Then, mix in the garlic, ginger, and kimchi followed by the riced cauliflower and green onions. Stir well to combine.

Hand mixing fried cauliflower rice in skillet with scallions, carrots, and mushrooms

Next, add the eggs. Make a well in the center of the rice and pour in the eggs (tip: beat them in a small bowl ahead of time!). Stir to scramble, then mix the scrambled eggs into the cauliflower fried rice.

Finally, season the rice. Add the tamari sauce and the edamame and cook until the edamame is heated through. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and season to taste.

That’s it!

Cauliflower fried rice with edamame and microgreens

Cauliflower Fried Rice Serving Suggestions

Serve this cauliflower fried rice with lots of toppings: a squirt of sriracha, sesame seeds for crunch, and microgreens for freshness. To make it a heartier meal, I love to top it with a fried egg (the runny yolk creates a kind of rich sauce for the veggie-ful rice, SO good!) or baked tofu.

This recipe is best on the day it’s made, but leftovers keep well for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy!

Cauliflower fried rice recipe

More Favorite Cauliflower Recipes

If you love this cauliflower fried rice recipe, try one of these yummy cauliflower recipes next:

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Cauliflower Fried Rice

rate this recipe:
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 4
This cauliflower fried rice recipe is a vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-carb main or side dish that everyone will love! Kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, tamari, and sesame oil pack it with tangy, savory, nutty flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil
  • 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
  • ¼ cup chopped kimchi
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, riced
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup frozen edamame
  • teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • Fried eggs, for topping, optional
  • Sesame seeds, for garnish
  • Microgreens, for garnish
  • Sriracha, for serving

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the rice vinegar, tamari, and sesame oil. Set aside.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, carrot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until softened.
  • Stir in the garlic, ginger, and kimchi, then add the cauliflower rice and scallions and stir to combine. Make a well in the center of the pan and pour in the eggs. Stir to scramble, then mix the scrambled eggs into the fried rice.
  • Add the tamari mixture and the edamame and cook until the edamame is heated through. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and season to taste.
  • Portion the cauliflower fried rice onto plates and top with fried eggs, if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds and microgreens and serve with sriracha on the side.

9 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Ava
    01.27.2024

    Yummy… Made this great flavor. Didn’t use an kimche.
    Excellent
    Ava

  2. Victoria
    02.23.2023

    5 stars
    Loved this! So much more flavor than other cali fried rices I have tried!

    Do you by chance have an estimate of calories per serving?/ the dish?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.23.2023

      Hi Victoria, I’m so glad you loved it! We don’t calculate nutrition info for our recipes, so the best way to get an estimate is to plug a recipe into an online nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal.

  3. Anette
    02.12.2023

    I made this today and we really enjoyed it. I will also have it for lunch tomorrow. I have one small question though: Could you add to the recipe the amount of cauliflower in cups? I think this would ensure the right balance between the ingredients. Thank you.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.16.2023

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe, and thanks for your feedback!

  4. Joan
    01.30.2023

    5 stars
    This recipe was super delish!! I used what I had on hand–TJs frozen riced cauliflower and sliced Baby Bellas (shiitake are are to find). Was concerned by the Kimchi, but the dish was great!! Thanks for sharing.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.02.2023

      So glad you enjoyed it!

  5. Karen Lipsey
    01.18.2023

    Any particular brand of store bought kimchi you recommend?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      01.20.2023

      We’ve really enjoyed Mother-in-Law’s kimchi!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.