Turmeric Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
The turmeric is also known as ‘poor man’s saffron’ changes the everyday cauliflower rice into something more elegant and desirable. This simple and easy turmeric cauliflower rice makes a wonderful golden yellow pilaf.
Cauliflower rice has become my go-to carb these days just because it is so much lighter on the stomach.
One of our family’s favorite ways to eat cauliflower rice is with slow-cooked meals. OH MY, the luxury of a slow-cooked meat dish on a bowl of cauliflower rice is absolute heaven. If you have not tried it out, you must!!!
For me, the best part about cauliflower rice is that it takes 5 mins to make my own cauliflower rice and another 5 minutes to cook it.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cauliflower rice – you can use store-bought frozen or make your own at home. Do not thaw the frozen cauliflower rice. Cooking it from frozen makes it less mushy.
- Cooking Oil – use any cooking oil, coconut, canola, olive. All work.
- Turmeric – This one adds flavor and color. Turmeric, however, is a good anti-oxidant for your body and a tsp of it in your food is a good thing.
- Herbs– I love cilantro or dill but parsley goes well too.
- Onions – I like using red onions as they become nice and sweet any onions will work.
- Garlic – a little goes a long way. I like to mince it finely so you don’t bite into it.
- Peppers – I like to add just a few as a garnish but they also add a nice crunch to the rice.
Step by step instructions (pin)
- In a saute pan over medium heat, add the oil. Saute onion and garlic for a minute. Then add the turmeric powder and cook 30 seconds more.
- Then add the cauliflower rice and cook on medium-high heat for about five minutes stirring often until the rice is cooked through.
Tip – The high heat is to enable excess moisture to evaporate so our rice does not become soggy but rather fluffy. - Add lemon juice and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Tip – I like to season at the end to vegetable does not release all its moisture and stays moist. - Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
No. Cauliflower is a vegetable and though you process it or grate it finely it will still taste like a vegetable. It is a great alternative to rice but it does not replace it as a grain. So if you choose to eat cauliflower rice don’t expect it to taste like rice.
Cooked cauliflower rice can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you place it in a ziplock or freezer bag it can last for up to a month in the freezer.
Actually the same way you cook cauliflower but for much less time.
Place it in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
Stir-fry it gently in a saute pan Or
Spread it on a roasting pan and bake at 180 C / 380 F for 10 to 12 minutes
Cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts are a Cruciferous variety of vegetables that can cause uncomfortable stomach gas and sometimes severe stomach pain too. You can read more about it here.
I shared some of my mom’s tips when I shared how to make cauliflower rice from scratch.
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- Sauteed cabbage or cabbage Salad
- Aloo gobi or Sauteed okra
- Spiced Indian potatoes or Channa masala recipe
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Turmeric Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
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Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) Cauliflower rice
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ cup Cilantro (or parsley chopped)
- ¼ cup Onion (chopped)
- ½ tsp Garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- In a saute pan over medium heat, add the oil. Saute onion and garlic for a minute. Then add the turmeric powder and cook 30 seconds more.
- Then add the cauliflower rice and cook on medium-high heat for about five minutes stirring often until the rice is cooked through. Tip – The high heat is to enable excess moisture to evaporate so our rice does not become soggy but rather fluffy.
- Add lemon juice and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper.Tip – I like to season at the end to vegetable does not release all its moisture and stays moist.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- I find that if I cover the rice it retains moisture and makes it mushy – soggy. But if you keep the rice open when cooking the excess moisture is evaporated and you have nice fluffy rice.
- Never season this rice before it is cooked. Adding salt makes vegetables release their liquid which in this case makes the grains mushy. So cook the vegetable rice first, then season with salt and pepper.
- The best way to avoid wet mushy rice when sauteing it is to keep the heat on medium-high so the moisture evaporates as soon as it is released. This will give you a nice light and fluffy sauteed rice.
- The trick to getting fluffy rice when roasting in the oven is to use a very hot oven no less than 200 C/400 F and make sure you preheat the oven well before you put the cauliflower rice in the oven. This will again evaporate the moisture as soon as it is released.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
So easy to make and so delicious.
I also love cauliflower rice and adding turmeric is genius!
Thank you Arlene.
I make cauliflower rice all the time so I tried this today and tried the mustard and dill one last week. Both were excellent recipes. Thank you for sharing. Love all your recipes.
Thank you, Eijja. So happy you have success with these two recipes. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
It is an excellent article. Perfect. I loved.
Thank you Marco.
Ha! Ha! I’m glad I’m not the only one whose waistline hates carbs. For that reason, cauliflower rice is also a regular on my menu. And if you use the shredder in the food processor. . .it even looks like rice!!! Turmeric is such a clever substitute for saffron. My hubby is Persian so saffron is in so many of the rice dishes. . .but it can be expensive & hard to find.
Oh yeah, I have to rely on low carb a lot if I want to keep my waist Lynn. This looks absolutely gorgeous with that color.