Cauliflower Rice - Mediterranean
Cauliflower "rice" is one of my favorite ways to serve cauliflower. Eat it with butter topped with salt & pepper or add your favorite seasonings. This cauliflower rice recipe features fresh Mediterranean flavors, including toasted almonds, lemon and parsley. It’s the perfect light side dish. It’s low carb, vegan and gluten free, too. Recipe yields 4 modest side servings.
Ingredients
1 medium-to-large head cauliflower or 16 ounces store-bought cauliflower rice½ cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. If you’re working with a head of cauliflower, cut it into medium chunks and discard the core. Working in batches, pulse the chunks in a food processor or grate with a box grater. (See Cauliflower rice - how to make recipe.)2. Wrap the cauliflower rice in a clean tea towels 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.
3. Toast the almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently (careful, or they’ll burn), until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted almonds to a bowl to cool.
4. Return the skillet to the heat and add the olive oil and garlic. Cook while stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 10 to 20 seconds. Add the cauliflower rice, red pepper flakes and salt, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring just every minute or so, until the cauliflower rice is hot and turning golden in places, about 6 to 10 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the toasted almonds, parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
MAKE IT NUT FREE: Substitute raw sunflower seeds for the almonds.