Instant Pot Cauliflower Fried Rice

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This Instant Pot cauliflower fried rice is absolutely delicious, and a great choice as a complete meal.

Whether you’ve got some extra cauliflower waiting to be put to use or are just trying to consciously eat healthy food that is ideally low carb, this is one recipe you absolutely need to try out.

The dish has all the flavors of traditional fried rice, but in a much better, low carb format.

What I Love About this Recipe

The best part about this cauliflower fried rice recipe is the fact that it is actually a great filling meal in itself.

It packs in so many veggies, and yet, the process of putting it together is so simple, it is sure to be one of the best cauliflower rice recipes you’ll ever come across.

I always find myself making this when I’m hosting guests who stick to a low carb diet or are not meat eaters, and it turns out a huge crowd pleaser every single time.

Ingredients For the Instant Pot Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe

To make this cauliflower fried rice recipe, here’s what you’ll need.

• 1 package of frozen cauliflower rice
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon of butter
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil
• 2 carrots – peeled and sliced
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas
• 1/2 cup of frozen cut green beans
• 1 egg
• Green onions – rinsed and diced
• Coarse ground Garlic salt – to taste
• Coarse ground Black pepper – to taste
• 1/4 cup of Soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of Brown sugar

How to Make the Cauliflower Fried Rice

Making this cauliflower fried rice is super easy. All you need to do is follow these steps.

Step 1: Sauté Onions and Garlic

Place the butter and olive oil in the Instant Pot, and press the Sauté button.  When the butter melts, put the chopped onion and minced garlic in the Instant Pot, and sauté until golden brown.

Step 2: Add the Frozen Riced Cauliflower, Broth and Veggies

Turn off the Sauté setting and add the riced Cauliflower, frozen peas, frozen green beans, sliced carrots, and chicken broth. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. 

Step 3: Cook in the Instant Pot

Place the lid on the Instant Pot and press the Manual setting, and set the time for 4 minutes.  Make sure the Pressure valve is set to SEALING, and press the Manual button again to start the Instant Pot. 

Step 4: Release the Pressure

When the Instant Pot is done cooking it will beep and go to OFF; make sure all the pressure has been released by turning the pressure valve from Sealing to VENTING. Make sure the float valve is down, and remove the lid from the Instant Pot. 

Step 5: Add Riced Cauliflower and Veggies

Stir the riced cauliflower and vegetables, and turn the sauté setting on. Stir fry the cauliflower and vegetables, until all the liquid has been absorbed, and its golden brown. 

Step 6: Add Egg and Scramble

Move the riced cauliflower and vegetables to the side of the Instant Pot, and break the egg into the Instant Pot, scramble the egg, and cook until completely done (about 3 – 4 minutes). 

Step 7: Mix Everything Together

When the egg is done, stir the cauliflower, vegetables, and egg together, until well blended. Turn off the Sauté setting. 

Step 8: Season & Top with Green Onions

Sprinkle the Soy sauce, and Brown sugar over the fried rice, and stir again, mixing all ingredients. Serve, and top with chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks to Make Cauliflower Fried Rice

While making cauliflower fried rice is super easy, here are some additional tips and tricks that might help you.

• If you want to make this dish protein rich, you can add some cubed tofu into the mix towards the end. Just remember to use extra firm tofu for best results.
• I like to add a dash of Sriracha sauce into the mix to create a delicious savory sauce that takes this easy cauliflower fried rice up a notch.
• If you don’t want to use Sriracha, you can add some red pepper flakes to bring some heat to the dish.
• I have used olive oil for this recipe, but you can use toasted sesame oil or even some coconut oil if you want a bit of that nutty flavor. Sesame oil, specifically toasted sesame oil has a unique aroma which is great when it comes to cooking Asian foods.
• You can also add a bit of rice vinegar to the fried rice to balance out the umami from the soy sauce.
• Apart from the veggies that I’ve used in this recipe, you can also add some snow peas, frozen edamame, bell pepper or any other frozen veggies of your choice.
• Remember not to overcook the cauliflower rice. The key to getting the cauliflower fried rice to have the perfect texture is to add the cauliflower rice at the right step of the cooking process.
• If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can also choose to put the cauliflower fried rice in a large skillet. Just remember to cook the dish on medium heat and keep stirring occasionally.
• To bring some crunchiness and texture to the fried rice, you can choose to top it with some sesame seeds.

I loved the simple flavors of this cauliflower fried rice so much, I ended up replicating the exact same recipe, using brown rice instead of cauliflower rice, and it turned out just as delicious.

What Can I Use Instead of Soy Sauce?

If you want this cauliflower fried rice recipe to be a gluten free version, you can use gluten free tamari or coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce that the recipe calls for.

Can I Add Extra Egg To My Cauliflower Fried Rice?

Yes, simply add whisked eggs or scrambled eggs to the recipe at the end, whilst the rice is still in the pot, the egg will cook quickly from the heat of the rice and you have egg fried rice!

Can I Make Cauliflower Rice on My Own?

If you don’t have pre riced cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice, you can actually make your own cauliflower rice to use for this recipe.

Simply use fresh cauliflower and a box grater with medium sized holes to grate the cauliflower into ‘rice.’ You can also choose to simplify the process by using a food processor to turn the cauliflower into cauliflower rice.

How to Store the Leftovers?

Your leftover cauliflower fried rice can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and then reheated and enjoyed whenever you want to.

Just move the fried rice to a clean, airtight container to keep it fresh. You can actually meal prep this dish too!

How to Serve the Cauliflower Fried Rice?

Just like regular fried rice, you can serve this cauliflower fried rice on its own, or with a nice sauce on the side to bring in some extra moisture and flavors.

I like teaming the fried rice up with a warm soup or a crunchy salad when I’m really in the mood to go the extra mile.

I also think this cauliflower fried rice would taste incredible when served with an Asian dish like some teriyaki veggies or tofu in a spicy sauce.

More Asian Recipes

If you enjoyed this easy Asian gluten free recipe, and are inspired to try some more Asian recipes, here are a few good handpicked ones.

• The Best Asian Marinade Steak Skewers Recipes
• Best Paprika Grilled Shrimp Recipe
• Instant Pot Lamb Chops Asian Style
• Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe