Spanish Cauliflower Rice with kale is a nutrient-packed low-carb side dish to enjoy alongside your favorite main entrees! This easy-to-prepare recipe is just like your favorite Spanish-style rice!
In honor of yesterday’s publication of my cookbook, Let Them Eat Kale (update: now known as The Quintessential Kale Cookbook) , I thought I would share one of the recipes from the book.
My friend, Jen Schmidt snapped photos of me prepping the cauliflower rice, and once the recipe was finished, Jen and I both took photos of the end result.
Cauliflower rice is one of my favorite side dishes to make and eat in volume.
Grating it requires a little elbow grease, but you can also use a food processor.
I figured because cauliflower is a thing and kale is a thing, I may as well put the things together and create the ultimate trendy dish. Spanish Cauliflower Rice with Kale should be in all your burritos until the end of time. It will make you quiver and slur your words. Or is that tequila? Bygones.
You may remember how to make cauliflower rice from the Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowls or the Jalapeño Ginger Cauliflower Rice, but in case you missed those posts, here’s a little tutorial.
Oh, here I am! I’m about to destroy – nay, improve – a head of cauliflower.
You begin by grating up a whole head of cauliflower and chopping your onion, garlic, and jalapeño.
You then remove the stems from your kale leaves…
… and chop the leaves up. You can use the stems in a smoothie or feed them to your dog!
You sauté the onion, garlic, and jalapeño until they’re nice and soft. Then add your cauliflower.
Let the cauliflower cook down for 5 to 8 minutes or so. Then, in go the diced tomatoes, chili powder and salt.
Followed by the kale leaves. Continue cooking until the kale leaves are nice and wilted.
What happens next is between you and the cauliflower rice.
Check out The Quintessential Kale Cookbook on Amazon!
Spanish Cauliflower Rice with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 large head cauliflower grated
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cups tightly packed kale leaves*
- 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1.5 Tbsp chili powder
- Cherry or grape tomatoes for serving optional
Instructions
- Remove all of the green stems from the cauliflower and chop the head in half. Using a box grater (or a food processor), grate the whole head of cauliflower.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-high and sauté the onion until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the jalapeño, and garlic and sauté another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the grated cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn brown and cook down, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, salt, and chili powder and stir well to combine. Cook until much of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped kale leaves and stir them into the mixture well. Cook until they have turned bright green and have wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Serve cauliflower rice alongside your favorite entrée.
Nutrition
Gary
Sunday 29th of March 2020
I made this recipe last night and it is the best cauliflower rice recipe I have ever made. It's tasty and delicious AND healthy. I made it as a side dish with trout and we loved. Thank you for this great addition to our diet and I will follow more of your posts!! Love it.
Joanne
Monday 7th of July 2014
My must-make list of recipes from your book is getting longer by the second! But this just got moved to the top. Especially if the CSA cauliflower in my crisper has anything to do with it!
Julia
Tuesday 8th of July 2014
Joanne, I think you'd go cuh-cray-zeee over the cauliflower rice! Let me know when you try it!
dishing up the dirt
Thursday 3rd of July 2014
Sounds delicious! Loved all of the photos too!!! You're adorable :)
dishing up the dirt
Thursday 3rd of July 2014
Yeeeeehawwwwwww!!!!!! I'm raising a pint of oregon beer to you and this amazing cookbook that highlights one of the greens we grow the most of!!! Cheers to kale!!!! Congrats girl. XOXO
Julia
Friday 4th of July 2014
Thank you so much, my love! Your support means the world to me! I hope you enjoy the book and can't wait to hear your feedback!! One of these days, we'll be able to toast to all of our bloggy achievements together in person. I really must get my ass up there!
GiGi Eats
Thursday 3rd of July 2014
Whoa! This look impressively delicious. The cauliflower looks like ground chicken! I want a few thousand bites!
Julia
Friday 4th of July 2014
Haha! I never thought about that, but it does kinda look like ground chicken! It's a super satisfying dish, too!