We absolutely love using cauliflower rice in place of traditional rice, especially when it's seasoned to perfection. This Pesto Cauliflower Rice dish is so versatile - it can be enjoyed as a main course or as a delicious side dish. Plus, it's super easy to prepare and packed with incredible flavors!
For this pesto cauliflower, you have a couple of options. You can use your favorite pesto recipe, creamy basil pesto sauce, or grab some from the store. We wanted to share our own recipe with you, which we've tweaked to make it a bit healthier. Our original recipe had half a cup of olive oil, but we've swapped some of that out for lemon juice and zest to give it a zesty kick. We've also used sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts to accommodate a nut allergy in our household (plus, it's a budget-friendly option!). And if you're not a fan of spicy food, no worries - just leave out the hot pepper. We're excited for you to try it out!
Why Pesto Cauliflower?
Let's talk about Pesto Cauliflower Rice. Adding Pesto or our creamy basil sauce to the Cauliflower Rice makes it even more delicious. The Cauliflower has the ability to absorb the flavors, so when you rice it in a food processor (or use a box grater) and add pesto, the combination of basil, garlic, and lemon creates a mouth-watering taste. Additionally, this is a perfect alternative to pesto pasta for those who want to reduce their carb intake but still want to enjoy the delightful flavors of a summer dish.
Cauliflower Rice is a fantastic side dish that pairs well with Chicken, Pork, or Steak. We recently grilled lemon chicken breast and served it with our rice. The rice was incredibly delicious, and we ended up having more than enough. As a result, we now have leftover chicken, which we plan to turn into a chicken salad sandwich for tomorrow's lunch.
We would love to hear what you think about our Pesto Cauliflower Rice Recipe! Your thoughts and feedback mean a lot to us, so please don't hesitate to share.
Basil Pesto Recipe
Pesto Cauliflower Rice
A Few Things We Use
Ingredients
- ½ Head Cauliflower Makes about 2 Cups of rice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Pesto
Instructions
- To prepare cauliflower, wash it and remove all the green parts. Then, cut the cauliflower in half. Next, cut it into smaller sections that will fit into a food processor or a size that is easy to hold if you are using a box grater.
- To make cauliflower rice, you can use a grater attachment on a food processor or a box grater. Shred the cauliflower into small pieces that resemble the size of rice grains.
- In a large pan, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Make sure to set the burner to medium heat and not high.
- Sauté cauliflower rice in the pan for 5 mins with a ½ teaspoon of salt
- For the final touch, just add in two tablespoons of pesto and give it a good stir.
- Taste the rice and add more pesto if needed, then stir well.
- When adding more pesto, add one tablespoon at a time until you achieve the desired taste. For us, three tablespoons of pesto was just right.
- Serve and enjoy!
Please let us know what you think