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Home » Blog » Recipes » Asian Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

Asian Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

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Looking for a Whole30-friendly Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice that will rival whatever you’d order at your favorite Chinese takeout joint? Make this dish!

A bowl of Asian Cauliflower Rice next to a pair of chopsticks

Traditional Chinese fried rice is basically a dish made from leftovers you have rotting in your fridge, which makes dinner prep a breeze. Dice or chop everything small and uniform and your actual cooking time will only be 10-15 minutes. To make my cauliflower fried rice more “Asian,” I added bacon, scrambled eggs, minced ginger, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Okay, the bacon part isn’t Chinese but it’s intrinsic for the dish. Feel free to change up this recipe by substituting whatever you have lying around. Try adding some leftover meat to make a complete, one-bowl meal.

A collage of the cooking steps for paleo and Whole30-friendly Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cooking Tips for my Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice

  • Wanna make this dish even faster? Buy riced cauliflower! I stockpile frozen cauliflower rice and throw it in straight from the freezer. You may need to cook it a minute or two extra, but that’s the only difference. If you thaw it first, the cauliflower rice will be soggy and mushy.
  • Where do you find Whole30-compliant bacon? There are lots of brands these days! I buy Wellshire Farms, Applegate, and Pederson’s sugar-free bacon.
  • Use ¼ cup of my All-Purpose Stir-Fry sauce in place of the coconut aminos, vinegar, and fish sauce to season the cauliflower rice.
  • Substitute any leftover cooked protein for the bacon! I routinely use leftover roast chicken, ham, or Paleo Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork) in place of the bacon. No leftover protein, no problem! Just increase the amount of scrambled eggs in the dish.
  • Leftovers freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Craving a spicy and tangy variation? Make my Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice!

A closeup shot of Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice in a blue and white bowl

Time to make Asian cauliflower fried rice!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 small head cauliflower, separated in florets or 16 ounces riced cauliflower
  • 3 bacon slices, cut into small dice (make sure it’s sugar-free & junk-free if you’re doing a Whole30)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 4 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 1-inch ginger knob, peeled and grated with a microplane
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • Splash of coconut vinegar or rice vinegar (optional)
  • Splash of Red Boat Fish Sauce (not optional)

Method:

Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor until the pieces resemble rice or couscous.

Overhead shot of cauliflower florets in a food processor

Overhead shot of riced cauliflower in an open food processor

(You skip the part above if you bought a bag of riced cauliflower.)

Toss the diced bacon into a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and fry until the bits are crispy.

Thinly sliced bacon for Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice.

While the bacon’s cooking, whisk the two eggs in a small bowl with some salt and pepper.  When the bacon’s done, remove the crunchy swine to a separate plate with a slotted spoon.

A platter of crispy bacon bits.

Pour the whisked eggs into the hot bacon grease and fry a thin egg omelet, about 2 minutes on one side and then 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer the egg omelet to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Set it aside.

Scrambled egg pieces for Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice.

Crank up the heat for the cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and add the chopped onions (along with a dash of salt and pepper). Once the onion soften, toss in the sliced mushrooms (along with yet another sprinkle of salt and pepper) and stir-fry everything until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the ‘shrooms have browned a bit.

Close-up of onions and mushrooms sautéing in a skillet

While the ’shrooms are cooking, grab your ginger. I always keep a large knob of ginger on hand in my freezer because that way I’ll always have it handy. When I need to use it, I take it out of the freezer, peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler, and microplane it. It’s almost like making ginger-flavored shaved ice.

Someone grating frozen ginger on a microplane into a small ramekin.

The microplane is the best tool for grating ginger – no stringiness and the ginger blends in really well into your dish. (The microplane is one of my all-time favorite kitchen tools. If you don’t have one, stop reading this post and get one immediately.)

When the mushrooms are cooked, add the ginger and stir it around for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Adding the minced ginger to the frying pan with the mushrooms and onions.

Toss in the cauliflower and even more salt and pepper.

Adding the cauliflower rice to the skillet.

Place a lid on the skillet and lower the heat to low and cook it covered for about 5 minutes. When the cauliflower’s tender (but not too mushy), add the coconut aminos, the herbs, and the sliced egg omelet. You can also add a little coconut vinegar to add a tiny bit of tang to the dish. And splash on some fish sauce for good measure! Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Adding a spoonful of fish sauce to flavor Asian Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

Before serving, I toss on the reserved crispy bacon bits. Voila!

A side shot of Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice in a blue bowl with a pair of chopsticks on the right

Craving other cauliflower rice variations? Make these recipes:

  • Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice
  • Mexi-Cauli Rice
  • Simple Cauliflower Rice

Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Asian Cauliflower Fried "Rice"

Looking for a Whole30-friendly Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice that will rival whatever you'd order at your favorite Chinese takeout joint? Make this dish!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Keyword: gluten-free, keto, low carb, paleo, Primal, Whole30
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 165kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 1 small head cauliflower separated in florets or 16 ounces riced cauliflower
  • 3 bacon slices cut into small dice (make sure it's sugar-free & junk-free if you're doing a Whole30)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small onion minced
  • 4 ounces cremini mushrooms stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 1- inch ginger knob peeled and grated with a microplane
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • Splash of coconut vinegar or rice vinegar optional
  • Splash of Red Boat Fish Sauce not optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor until the pieces resemble rice or couscous. (You skip this part above if you bought a bag of riced cauliflower.)
  • Toss the diced bacon into a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and fry until the bits are crispy.
  • While the bacon's cooking, whisk the two eggs in a small bowl with some salt and pepper.  
  • When the bacon's done, remove the crunchy swine to a separate plate with a slotted spoon.
  • Pour the whisked eggs into the hot bacon grease and fry a thin egg omelet, about 2 minutes on one side and then 30 seconds on the other side. Transfer the egg omelet to a cutting board and slice it thinly. Set it aside.
  • Crank up the heat for the cast iron skillet to medium-high heat and add the chopped onions (along with a dash of salt and pepper). Once the onion soften, toss in the sliced mushrooms (along with yet another sprinkle of salt and pepper) and stir-fry everything until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the 'shrooms have browned a bit.
  • While the 'shrooms are cooking, grab your ginger. I always keep a large knob of ginger on hand in my freezer because that way I'll always have it handy. When I need to use it, I take it out of the freezer, peel off the skin with a vegetable peeler, and microplane it. It’s almost like making ginger-flavored shaved ice.
  • The microplane is the best tool for grating ginger – no stringiness and the ginger blends in really well into your dish. (The microplane is one of my all-time favorite kitchen tools. If you don’t have one, stop reading this post and get one immediately.)
  • When the mushrooms are cooked, add the ginger and stir it around for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Toss in the cauliflower and even more salt and pepper.
  • Place a lid on the skillet and lower the heat to low and cook it covered for about 5 minutes. When the cauliflower's tender (but not too mushy), add the coconut aminos, the herbs, and the sliced egg omelet. You can also add a little coconut vinegar to add a tiny bit of tang to the dish. And splash on some fish sauce for good measure! Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
  • Before serving, I toss on the reserved crispy bacon bits. Voila!

Notes

  • Wanna make this dish even faster? Buy riced cauliflower! I stockpile frozen cauliflower rice and throw it in straight from the freezer. You may need to cook it a minute or two extra, but that’s the only difference. If you thaw it first, the cauliflower rice will be soggy and mushy.
  • Use ¼ cup of my All-Purpose Stir-Fry sauce in place of the coconut aminos, vinegar, and fish sauce to season the cauliflower rice.
  • Substitute any leftover cooked protein for the bacon! I routinely use leftover roast chicken, ham, or Paleo Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork) in place of the bacon. No leftover protein, no problem! Just increase the amount of scrambled eggs in the dish.
  • Leftovers freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 4g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. sher king says

    September 15, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    5 stars
    Super! Last night we had your fantastic 10 min no cook zucchini zoodles w/ chicken and tonight we made your delicious cauliflower rice! Keep it coming Nom Nom!! Thank you for making paleo with real flavor!!

    Reply
  2. kazy says

    October 29, 2020 at 6:09 am

    When do you put in the scallions?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      October 30, 2020 at 7:27 pm

      I consider it one of the “herbs” in step 10.

      Reply
  3. Sandy says

    June 30, 2021 at 8:03 pm

    My super picky eater son loves fried rice, and he likes this version…with real rice. But I can never get the taste consistent, I think because I just guess at how much rice to use.
    So do you know how much cooked real rice I would need for this recipe? Is it a 1 to 1 conversion?
    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      July 1, 2021 at 7:08 pm

      You can sub cooked rice 1:1 for cauli rice. Always taste and season with additional coconut aminos + fish sauce if needed.

      Reply
  4. Anne says

    August 31, 2022 at 12:47 am

    This is so delish !

    Reply
  5. Tracy says

    March 3, 2023 at 2:20 am

    Looks delish.
    Would love to see adaptation for preparing in Anyday dish.

    Reply
    • Jennifer Bigler says

      March 3, 2023 at 6:31 pm

      Thanks Tracy, that is a great suggestion.

      Reply

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