Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (2024)

This Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet is quick, easy, healthy, low carb, and absolutely delicious! Loaded with ground turkey or chicken, vegetables, and frozen cauliflower rice!

Quick Navigation

  • General
  • Get the recipe
  • Step-by-step video
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Is this healthy?
  • Health benefits
  • How to find rice
  • How to prepare rice
  • Nutrition information
  • Ingredients
  • How to Store

If thisTaco Cauliflower Rice Skillet is your jam, you’ll also love: chicken cauliflower fried rice, cauliflower fried rice, and lemon garlic cauliflower rice.

You guys KNOW how much I love Mexican food, right?

Of course you know, because I say that at LEAST once a week.

When Trevor and I were living in Seattle, Friday Night = Mexican Night.

Bring ooooon the chips, salsa, and pollo en crema <– y.u.m.

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (2)When I’m making Mexican food at home, however, I try to keep it at least sliiightly healthier, and today, I took it all the way, and made something ULTRA healthy.

Bring ooooon theTaco Cauliflower Rice Skillet.

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (3)Ok, so, this definitely isn’t authentic Mexican food.

In any way.

Whatsoever.

But it has taco flavors, so that’s good enough for me. 😉

Plus, it’s super healthy, so there’s no guilt involved!

Although, I never feel guilty for eating Mexican food, because it literally makes my heart happy.

ThisTaco Cauliflower Rice Skillet makes my heart AND my body happy.

It also makes my brain happy, because it’s extremely quick and easy to whip up.

You ready?

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (4)Throw some ground turkey (or chicken) into a hot saute pan (or a cast iron skillet) with diced onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and two packets of your favorite taco seasoning. If you don’t have any taco seasoning on hand or want to make your own, I suggest trying my Homemade Taco Seasoning.

Once the meat is cooked, you’ll stir in a can of diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, a bag of frozen cauliflower “rice”, and some chicken broth.

Let’s back it up for a second though and address the elephant in the room.

THE CAULIFLOWER RICE.

What the whaaaaat?!

Here are a few questions I get a lot:

Is cauliflower rice good for you?

Oh HECK yes! It’s literally just cauliflower, so it’s full of nutrients. It’s also a great substitute for “regular” rice if you’re looking to:

  1. Cut calories
  2. Add more veggies to your diet

1 cup of cauliflower rice has about 25 calories vs approx. 215 for brown rice.

What are the benefits of cauliflower rice?

Pretty much what I said above. It’s great to keep calories low and up the nutrients in any recipe calling for rice!

Can you buy cauliflower rice?

Yes!! I personally prefer buying my cauliflower rice over making it myself. It’s easier, it’s more consistent, and heck, it tastes really good. You can find it in the freezer section . . . I always use the Green Giant brand.

How do you prepare cauliflower rice?

Although I prefer store bought, if YOU’RE interested in the homemade version, you can check out thiscauliflower fried rice recipe for instructions on how I make my own cauliflower rice.

Basically, cauliflower rice is super healthy and convenient and really does taste yummy. It’s a super bland base for all those yummy taco flavors we’re adding in today’s recipe.

So. We all feel better about cauliflower rice?

Yes? Yes!

Moving on . . .

Let the mixture simmer for about 5-10 minutes, or until it’s warmed through and the “rice” is cooked to your liking.

Season with salt, to taste and dinner is served!

The mixture above is amazing on it’s own, but it’s also great with a little shredded cheese, non fat plain greek yogurt, pico de gallo, avocado. . . and makes a GREAT “dip” for some tortilla chips. 😉

I also have plans to make some KILLER nachos with this.

Quick. Easy. Healthy. Taco flavored deliciousness.

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (5)What’s not to love?!

– Jennifer

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (6)

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe

4.90 from 29 votes

This Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet is quick, easy, healthy, low carb, and absolutely delicious! Loaded with ground turkey or chicken, vegetables, and frozen cauliflower rice!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 people

Print Pin Rate Recipe

Equipment for this recipe

(equipment shown are affiliate links)

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet

  • 1 (16 oz) package extra lean ground turkey or chicken
  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 (1 oz) packets taco seasoning
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes drained
  • 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles drained
  • 1 (12 oz) bag frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • salt to taste

Optional Additions

  • shredded cheese
  • non fat plain greek yogurt
  • avocado
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Tortilla Chips

Recipe Video

Instructions

  • Heat a large non stick skillet over medium - medium high heat.

  • Spray with cooking spray and add in ground meat, onion, bell peppers, and taco seasoning.

  • Cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until the meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

  • Once cooked, stir in tomatoes, green chiles, rice, and broth.

  • Simmer about 5-10 minutes, or until heated through.

  • Taste and season with salt, to taste and serve with your choice of optional additions!

  • Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

Rate This Recipe

STORING

Room Temp:N/A

Refrigerator:3-4 Days

Freezer:2-3 Months

Reheat:Microwave or heat on stove until warmed

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Notes

If you don't have taco seasoning available, you can make your own with my Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe.

People Also Viewed

Side Dishes

Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice

Side Dishes

Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe

Chicken

Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe

Pork

Pork Fried Rice Recipe

Vegetarian

Fried Rice Recipe

Main Dishes

Tofu Fried Rice

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 255 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 83mg28%

Sodium 1369mg60%

Potassium 849mg24%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 2090IU42%

Vitamin C 94mg114%

Calcium 87mg9%

Iron 4.1mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: cauliflower rice, healthy, low carb recipes

Enjoy this recipe?

Tag @showmetheyummy on Instagram and hashtag it #showmetheyummy

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Taco Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe - Healthy, Low Carb, Gluten Free (2024)

FAQs

Can cauliflower rice help with weight loss? ›

Cauliflower rice is a nutritious alternative to rice that's low in calories and carbs. It may even provide a number of benefits, such as boosting weight loss, fighting inflammation, and even protecting against certain illnesses. What's more, it's simple to make and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Which is healthier, cauliflower rice or rice? ›

However, rice can be high in calories and carbohydrates, meaning it will fill you up without providing you with many additional nutrients. 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 cauliflower rice good for diabetics? ›

Carb-rich foods, especially ones made of simple carbs, tend to be high on the glycemic index (GI) scale. This means they may cause your blood sugar to rise faster than foods that have lower GIs. While white rice has a relatively high GI, cauliflower has a very low GI, making the swap a diabetes-friendly one.

Does cauliflower rice fill you up? ›

As a good source of fiber, cauliflower slows digestion and promotes feelings of fullness. This may help reduce the number of calories you eat throughout the day, an important factor in weight control ( 2 , 9 ). High water content is another weight loss-friendly aspect of cauliflower.

What happens to your body when you eat cauliflower? ›

Cauliflower Benefits

A healthy balance of gut bacteria helps lower inflammation in your body and reduces your risk of heart disease, dementia, and obesity. Many of cauliflower's nutrients act as antioxidants, which are the substances that help protect your body from cell damage linked to diseases such as cancer.

What are the side effects of eating too much cauliflower? ›

Here are 5 possible side effects of cauliflower that you must be cautious of.
  • Gastrointestinal Distress and Flatulence. Cauliflower and other cruciferous veggies contain a complex sugar called raffinose. ...
  • Hypothyroidism. ...
  • Allergy. ...
  • Might affect your blood-thinning medication.
  • Might make you feel less hungry.
Jan 20, 2023

What rice has no carbs? ›

It's Skinny rice is also known as shirataki rice. Like It's Skinny pasta, It's Skinny rice has ZERO carbs in a 1 cup serving and only 9 calories in the entire two-serving bag! That's right!

Is cauliflower rice or quinoa better? ›

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.

What is the number one vegetable to lower blood sugar? ›

Still, this nonstarchy cruciferous vegetable has many more benefits to offer, particularly around lowering blood sugar levels. If you have prediabetes or diabetes, keep reading to discover why broccoli is our top veggie choice for helping with blood sugar management.

Which is better for diabetes broccoli or cauliflower? ›

If this feels like splitting hairs, it sort of is—both veggies are low in carbohydrate and even for someone with, say, diabetes, choosing one vegetable over the other wouldn't make much of a difference. But if you're on the keto diet, a very low-carb way of eating, cauliflower might be the smarter veg.

Are sweet potatoes good for diabetics? ›

Sweet potatoes are known to be high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, which results in a less immediate impact on blood glucose levels. This can help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels in check. Sweet potatoes can be: Baked or microwaved.

Can I eat cauliflower rice everyday on keto? ›

With only 5 grams of carbs (3 grams net carbs) per cup, yes: Cauliflower rice is keto. Normal portions of cauliflower rice are unlikely to kick you out of ketosis, especially if you consume them with plenty of healthy fat.

What are the best veggies for weight loss? ›

We asked dietitians for their thoughts on vegetables that may help with weight loss; here are their top choices.
  • Zucchini. ...
  • Romaine Lettuce. ...
  • Green Peas. ...
  • Kale. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Carrots. Victor Protasio. ...
  • Bell Peppers. "Bell peppers are low in calories and high in nutrients. ...
  • Broccoli. Brie Passano.
Jul 13, 2023

Is cauliflower good for you on a diet? ›

It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium. A one-cup serving contains only 25 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of dietary fiber.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carmelo Roob

Last Updated:

Views: 6106

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carmelo Roob

Birthday: 1995-01-09

Address: Apt. 915 481 Sipes Cliff, New Gonzalobury, CO 80176

Phone: +6773780339780

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Gaming, Jogging, Rugby, Video gaming, Handball, Ice skating, Web surfing

Introduction: My name is Carmelo Roob, I am a modern, handsome, delightful, comfortable, attractive, vast, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.