This is one of those recipes you want in your back pocket for days when you need something on the table fast and you’d prefer it to be healthy, satisfying, and pretty if at all possible.
Easy weeknight cauliflower rice stir-fry to the rescue!
Origin of Stir Frying
It’s thought that the cooking method of stir frying originated in China. Traditionally, stir fries are cooked in a wok with a small amount of hot oil and continuously stirred. But since we don’t have a wok (and chances are you don’t either), we used a cast iron skillet for this recipe.
You can take a deeper dive into the history of stir frying here.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry
This easy, versatile, 30-minute recipe starts with my favorite rice substitute: cauliflower!
It’s neutral in flavor, marries well with so many dishes, is full of fiber, and adds even more plant-based goodness to this dish. There’s nothing wrong with rice, by the way (let me make that clear!). But some days you just need more vegetables in your life. (Raise hand if this is you, or am I the only one?)
The sauce is vibrant, flavorful, and made of ingredients you likely have on hand right now like almond butter, maple syrup, lime juice, coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce), and chili garlic (or hot) sauce.
The beauty of this recipe is you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I went with green beans, bell pepper, cabbage, and green onion. But, really, the options are endless.
I hope you all LOVE this stir-fry! It’s:
Hearty
Healthy
Flavorful
Satisfying
Quick + Easy
Versatile
& Delicious
This dish would be perfect as a quick lunch at home and especially ideal as an easy weeknight meal when you don’t have a lot of time to get something on the table. Plus, it reheats beautifully, which makes it perfect for leftovers the next day.
If you’re into stir-fries, also be sure to check out our Almond Butter Tofu Stir-Fry, Crispy Peanut Tofu and Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry, and Portobello Mushroom Stir-Fry. And if you need a dish for pairing, I highly recommend my 20-Minute Asian Kale Salad.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
30-Minute Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry
Ingredients
CAULIFLOWER
- 1 head cauliflower (large green stems removed // grated or shredded into “rice”)
- 3 Tbsp water
SAUCE
- 1 tsp sesame oil or coconut oil (or sub water if avoiding oil)
- 2 Tbsp almond or peanut butter
- 4 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub low sodium gluten-free tamari, but it will be saltier)
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2-4 tsp chili garlic sauce (reduce or increase according to spice preference)
- 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or sub coconut sugar or stevia to taste)
- 1-2 Tbsp water
STIR FRY
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil or coconut oil (or sub water if avoiding oil)
- 1 1/2 cups green beans (trimmed and halved)
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos (divided)
- 1 medium bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise // red, orange, or yellow are best)
- 1 cup diced green onions (reserve some green tops for serving)
- 1 cup thinly sliced red (or green) cabbage
- 1/2-3/4 cup roasted cashews or slivered toasted almonds (or 1 batch Almond Butter Tofu (you could also substitute 1/3 cup hemp seeds sprinkled over the top for serving for extra protein)
FOR SERVING optional
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Follow instructions for cauliflower rice. Set aside.
- Prepare sauce by adding oil (or water), almond or peanut butter, coconut aminos, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, fresh ginger, maple syrup, and water to a small mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more chili garlic sauce for heat, lime for acidity, coconut aminos for saltiness, ginger for “zing,” or maple syrup for sweetness. Set aside.
- Heat a large rimmed skillet (I prefer this cast-iron skillet) over medium-low heat and add cauliflower rice and water. Stir and cover with a lid to steam. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until just tender. Then turn off heat, tip the lid to let some steam out, and set aside.
- Heat a separate large rimmed skillet (or pot) over medium heat. Once hot, add sesame oil (or water) and green beans. Season with one-third of the coconut aminos (1 Tbsp or 15 ml as original recipe is written) and toss to combine. Cover with lid (to steam) and cook for a total of 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add bell pepper, green onion, cabbage, and remaining two thirds of the coconut aminos (2 Tbsp or 30 ml as original recipe is written) and stir to combine. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Then add cashews and cauliflower rice and stir to combine. (Alternatively, serve stir-fry over cauliflower rice and don’t add to the vegetables at this time.)
- Add the sauce, increase the heat to medium-high heat, and cook until well combined and the mixture is very hot – about 3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy! Delicious on its own, but also delicious with the addition of fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and hot sauce of choice.
- Best when fresh, but leftovers keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 1 month in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop until hot. Add more coconut aminos as needed.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional toppings / garnishes, and is calculated with oil instead of water.
April r says
This is a favorite recipe in our house. Even the meat eaters love it
Amazing! We’re so glad it’s a hit. Thank you for sharing, April! xo
Curtis says
Wait — am i double-reviewing or did i somehow never review this?
The sauce (double it; you’ll thank your past self tomorrow) in this recipe — plus regular rice plus (usually) the almond butter tofu mentioned in the notes — absolutely saved us during the covid lockdown. we ate it so often! You can use whatever vegetables and proteins you have on hand/are able to procure, and it appeals to a wide variety of eaters/dietary preferences. We actually still call this “pandemic stir fry”!
Amazing! We’re so glad it’s been a staple, Curtis! Thanks so much for the lovely reveiw.
cccgav says
Made this today but it got all soggy and morphed into a semi curry dish. The sauce flavou was excellent though!
Oh no! Sorry to hear that happened. It sounds like the pan for the veggies wasn’t large enough or the heat wasn’t high enough. Hope that’s helpful for next time!
Sam says
Loved it! I followed the recipe and mixed the cauliflower rice in with the veggies and then added the sauce. It was delicious, but reminded me more of fried rice. If you’re looking for more of a stir fry, I would follow the alternative instructions and keep the rice separate until serving.
Works with pretty much anything – I used yellow pepper, zucchini, and edamame. The cashews are a delicious addition and a great way to up the protein. Next time I’ll add more!
Thanks for sharing, Sam! xo
Rick Gaffney says
Made this tonight. We enjoyed the flavor but there was a lot more sauce than needed.
I’ll make it again but I’ll need to adjust amounts to make it more palatable.
Good start.
Hi Rick, sorry to hear this one didn’t turn out for you. Did you make any modifications? Would you mind sharing what you disliked about the flavor? We’d love to help troubleshoot, if possible!
Cecile says
I didn’t think I liked cauliflower rice until now. So delicious! Easy to customize. I only had mushrooms, green peppers and carrots. I look forward to trying new options. Thank you!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cecile. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Rosie says
I like peanut butter and almond butter, however I don’t like peanut sauces. Does this have a heavy peanut sauce flavor? I don’t mind omitting it if it doesn’t but if it doesn’t I can leave it in.
Hi Rosie, in that case, we’d suggest reducing the nut butter by half. Hope that helps!
Waffey says
OMG, this was so good!
Whoop! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
Deb says
I loved this recipe!! Can you give me some clarification: This says 126mg of sodium per serving and my coconut aminos say 140 Mg sodium per teaspoon which for 4 T in the sauce is 1680 mg alone and the additional is 1260 for a total of 1940 just from the CA. I’m using Bragg’s – is there another brand that has far less sodium. Across 2 servings this is, conservatively, nearly 1000 mg of sodium. I’d love your thoughts since I would enjoy using this recipe again and sharing this and your site with others
Hi Deb, we use coconut secret which has 90 mg per teaspoon. But it does look like the nutrition info might be off on this one. We’ll give it another look and modify!
Julia says
I’ve made this twice now, and it’s soooooo good. Doesn’t take too much prep time, and you can customize based on what you have around- we used peeled sweet potatoes and added some fresh corn and grilled chicken. SO YUMMY!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Julia!
Breeanna Graham says
DELICIOUS! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Breeanna! xo
Eric says
Make this for the family today and they loved it. Substituted peanuts instead of cashews due to an allergy and tamari sauce instead of coconut aminos which I didn’t have. So simple and healthy, to repeat for sure!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Eric! Thanks so much for sharing!
Gwen says
I absolutely LOVED this, cauliflower rice recipe! My husband, who said he didn’t like cauliflower rice, (he had tried it several times before) fell in love with it. Will definitely make this again and again! Gwen
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Gwen! Thanks so much for sharing!
Judy says
OMG, this sauce is the bomb and stir fry turned out perfectly delicious!
Morgan Fleming says
Delicious! I didn’t have any maple syrup and it was still great. Will def be making this again.
Lisa A says
Amazing recipe! I changed the cabbage for broccoli, since I realized that I was out of cabbage as I was making it. It turned out so good. Definitely will be a regular in my roster! Appreciate the fact that it’s grain free as I like to give my body a break from grains some meals!
Cathy Kiss says
I made this dish tonight with all sorts of veggies, including mushrooms, multi coloured peppers, broccoli, leeks, red and yellow onion. Lol, I just skimmed the recipe, and had decided to leave out the cauliflower before I realized that it was the rice substitute. I will definitely add the cauliflower rice next time. The sauce was delicious. I used peanut butter, added extra maple syrup to offset the tang. A big hit with me, my spouse and dinner guests.
Astrid says
Loved this so much. I’ve made it a few times with whatever vegetables I have laying around. The sauce is sooooo yummy. Staple recipe for weekly meals.
Jeanette says
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I don’t care for almond butter so I substitute tahini in the sauce and it is perfect. I also like my veggies well cooked so I steam the carrots and green beans until just tender before I stir fry all of the veggies together in a wok. That helps me cut down on oil as well.
Christine says
Made this tonight and wasn’t disappointed! I had to make a couple of subs as I didn’t have everything on hand but it is a very versatile recipe. Easy and very delicious! Definitely going onto my recipe rotation!
Christina says
Made this tonight & the family loved it! So full of flavor so thank you for sharing this recipe. Absolutely love your page ?
Rena T says
This is one of the best recipes on the site!
I add the cauliflower rice in with the sauce and other vegetables (as opposed to serving the stir fry over the cauliflower rice) as I think it better integrates the flavors.
Pay close attention not to overcook when you turn the heat up to high at the end- this step is essential and you don’t want to turn it to mush!
You’ll be using this sauce on all kinds of things, btw. :)
Michelle says
The flavor on this was unreal! It was a big hit with my non-vegetarian hubby and friend. I only had half a bell pepper, so I added broccoli – SO good! All of it! Will be making again and again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
Angela says
This recipe turned out great–very hearty, and filling. I had slivered almonds in my pantry that I toasted in the toaster oven for a couple of minutes to throw in. I used the tamari and added a little extra maple syrup. Great recipe!
Yum! Glad to hear it, Angela!
Terry says
LOVED THIS!! I added broccoli, some pre cooked ramen noodles, and the chicken-less Mandarin orange morsels from Trader Joe’s. So good!!
Mike says
Fantastic. Wife adores it. Added diced chicken thigh that I’d dry rubbed overnight and baked separately. Expecting the leftovers for lunch tomorrow to taste even better.
Great addition, Mike! We are glad you and your wife enjoy it!
PM says
I am just starting my Great Cauliflower Experience – roast steaks, smooth purée, and now this stir fry ‘rice’. I have some veggie friends, and love oriental cuisine, so this is perfect. For personal dining I may include a few prawns, or thin strips of -shh you know what – and will obviously go big on the ginger, and garlic and cilantro. Perhaps even garnish with a few cherry tomatoes before serving. Many thanks
Heather says
I make this like 10 times a month, it’s so good! I add brocolli because my hubby just loves broc ;). I throw avocado on at the end and it’s so yummy!!! Love it.
Kenya Hall says
Trying to stay away from starches. Thought I’d give this recipe a try and it’s great! I’m eating it as I type right now lol. Thanks for sharing!
Tish says
Hello..
A friend shared your blog with me and so far I have made the 8 minute lentils stew and the 30 min cauliflower rice stir fry. Great recipes! Thanks for sharing..
Question, what is the calories per serving for the cauliflor rice stir fry?
Hi Tish! You can find the nutritional info on any of our recipes at the bottom (below the directions) Hope this helps!
Regan says
Can I leave out the coconut amino acids or replace them?
Yup, you can sub with low sodium gluten-free tamari, but it will be saltier!
Megan says
Sort of obsessed with cauliflower rice :)
Woot woot!
Kerstin says
I made this yesterday for my whole family. My husband claims he hates cauliflower so it’s become my mission to prove him wrong. Yesterday he said that the food was delicious thinking that he was eating couscous :-) My kids (3 and 1) also enjoyed it a lot. I added some cranberries and slivered almonds instead of the cashews as they are safer to eat for my kids. We ate some bread with it because it was not filling enough for us. So I think next time I’ll try it with a tahini sauce and add chickpeas to add something more filling.
We’re glad your entire family enjoyed this dish, Kerstin!
Megan says
Soooo good! I made this last night and it was delicious and then I just re made it for lunch with the addition of chick peas + putting all the contents into a lettuce wrap! Really easy to make plus easy to make variations of it.
Erin says
Hi! First of all, I’d like to say your recipes are a life saver for me as a vegetarian who has no kitchen talent whatsoever. Thank you for being so great. Second of all, I’ve seen ‘chili garlic sauce’ recently in a few different recipes and was wondering if this something I make myself or I could find in a store? And if so do you have a favorite brand? Thank you!! :)
Hi Erin! We’re glad you are enjoying our recipes. You can purchase Chili Garlic Sauce here!
Diane marie says
Yummm!!!!! Explains it all?
Katie McBain says
Amazing!!!!!! Each time I make it I forget how good it is. Then I eat it . And it tastes fabulous! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Despina says
Delicious and versatile!!! Loved it. Going to do it again but with shrimp.
Heather says
Yumm yummmm yummm this was good. Hubbo loved it. I used a combo of Braggs and Tamari and just used a bit less overall compared to what was listed for coconut aminos, and I was very happy w the saltiness level (however I love salt!). I put a little garlic in it and used peanuts and peanut butter – so easy and delicious. :)
Heather Lee says
Absolutely fantastic!
Sarah says
I made this tonight for dinner and it was so delicious! Will definitely make again. I used Whole Foods natural peanut butter and slivered almonds since I already had them on hand. I have plenty leftovers and look forward to eating more tomorrow!
Thomas says
Really delicious! I made this recipe three times last month and it was a hit each and every time!
Don’t be afraid of the long ingredient list, this recipe is actually very easy and versatile.
It served two plus we had leftovers. Thanks for sharing Dana!
Julie Whitmore says
I loved this, and so did my husband, who is not usually first in line for vegetarian dishes. I’d like to reblog this on my site, and to feature your site as a favorite food blog. Ok with you? I blog for fun, will not use for commercial purposes.
Hi! You can, follow our guidelines here!
Cara says
Wow! I made this today and it was even more delicious than I was expecting! It was so colorful and beautiful too. I used Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower rice and it made it super easy.
Connie says
Forgot to rate it! Definitely five stars!
Connie says
Absolutely DELICIOUS! My meat loving husband even said it was incredible – the best fried rice he has ever had! I just replaced the beans with peas (because he doesn’t like beans) – it was so yummy. Another slam dunk Dana! Thank you, you are my food guru ??
Julie Bigras says
Hello,
is the chili-garlic sauce you’re mentionning a commercial sauce or homemade? i dont think they sell this in Montreal.
Catherine says
Looks amazing. Do you think you could sub quinoa or noodles instead of the cauliflower rice?
Hi! Yes that should work!
Linda says
Hi
Is there any way I can print your recipe from an I pad, it just wont do it?
Keffie says
Try inquiring with a friend that knows his way around electronics.
Bartica Gyal says
This hit the spot. The sauce was to die for. I did not have coconut amino so used soy sauce, and it was fine for me (maybe too salty for others). I mixed in the sauce with the veggies and served over the cauliflower rice. SO satisfying.
Sherry says
Made this last night. Very good. I couldn’t find coconut amino so I added a bit of coconut milk with Tamari. Great way to use my garden beans I sealed in the freezer.
I love all your recipes. My family has recently gone plant based and I’ve come to depend on using your recipes almost daily.
Alyson says
So delicious! I made this dish the other night substituting some of the veg to what I had in the fridge (carrots and peppers). I had the leftovers the next day. It tasted amazing and was easy to make. I’ll be making this a lot! Thanks for the recipe.
Jennifer Vassallo says
The sauce for this is amazing! I’ve made plenty of cauliflower stir frys before but they’ve turned out as good as this one
Rebecca says
excellent recipe. I used the vegetables I had (pepper, zucchs), added 3tbs hemp and plain tofu. first time, i also put a dollop of SWEET chili sauce but found, by the next day, it wasn’t needed. Very flavourful and nutritious. Thank you!
Sarah says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit all around! I used almond butter and almonds to keep it allergy-free and forgot the cabbage, and it was still amazing! It has just the right amount of spice and tangy flavor. I was hoping to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow but there were none left. Even my 14-month old went to town on it!
So glad it was a hit! Next time, you may want to double the recipe ;)
Beth Weston says
I made this dish last night – REALLY REALLY good!!
So I did not have any coconut aminos. I used Braggs liquid aminos instead and man, as you alluded, it was super salty. I have since been out and found coconut aminos (organic even) at Trader Joe’s. I compared to Braggs – 960 mg of sodium in 1 Tbsp. of Braggs, 300 mg. of sodium in 1 Tbsp. of the Coconut Aminos. I’m a convert!! I even cut down to a total of 2 Tbsp. in the stir-frying of the veggies.
It was very spicy, which we liked, and I only used 3 tsp. of the chili garlic sauce. I used Brown Basmati Rice instead of the cauliflower, it was delicious and quite hearty with the veggies. I used yellow pepper, red cabbage, green beans and green onions as you recommended. Also added in the cashews – YUM! Topped with chopped cilantro, put out the sriracha, but we didn’t need it. Very filling with the brown rice. My meat-eating husband loved the recipe and said to keep it on the rotation! Thanks again for about the 1,000th recipe (almost, really!) that I’ve made from your wonderful site!!
Jennica says
Could I make this with frozen riced cauliflower?
Yes!
Shelby says
I made this tonight and loved it! I only had soy sauce in hand (TJ’s low sodium) and was worried it would be too salty, so I didn’t add any as the vegetables were cooking. The sauce added plenty of flavor on its own! Will definitely keep this in the weeknight rotation :)
Yay! Glad it worked out, Shelby!
Pascale says
This was totally delicious and really easy to make! Just the way I like it :) The rice got a little mushy, probably didn’t dry it enough, my bad.. But the whole family loved it!
Thanks a lot and keep ’em coming!
Ashley says
Amazing recipe! I made this tonight and it was so yummy!!
Lisa Huff says
Oh yum! Looks delicious!
Stacey says
I’m middle aged and have to watch my caloric intake as the ol’ metabolism has been slowing over the years. That said, I appreciate your recipes. Many of them don’t force me to use cashews for creamy sauces (i.e. your eggplant based Alfredo-ish sauce), and the oil content is easy to lesson or avoid altogether. Given the foundation of this recipe, I know that scrimping on nuts, nut butter and maple syrup won’t compromise the overall yum factor.
I’m utterly grateful! Love your cookbook. Love the e-book. Love these delicious on-line recipes. Thanks for all of your hard work!
Linda says
I enjoy your recipes. But I find that you like to add maple syrup or some other sweetener to so many recipes. I find that even a little bit of sweetener causes my sweet tooth to wake up with a vengeance, and it takes a week or two to stop craving sweet stuff. So, I just leave out the sweetener, and your recipes are delicious anyway! (Besides, maple syrup and coconut sugar are really expensive where I live.)
Beth Shane says
hi dana–i love your website and your recipes, but i’m having trouble navigating the site lately with all the advertisements :( It has completely stopped working on google chrome on my phone and it flickering and jumping around the page on my desktop. any way to scale back a bit to make the site more easy to use?
thank you!
Hi Beth! It should be fixed as we were working on it yesterday. If you have future issues please email support@minimalistbaker.com!
Beth Shane says
amazing. thank you! eating your gluten free butternut squash bread as i type :)
Yum! Glad you enjoyed :)
Hollie says
Omggggg I just made this tonight and it is so delicious! I added a liiiittle more peanut butter because I’m an addict. Super easy recipe! Thanks Dana:)
Whoop, thanks Hollie!
corinne trowbridge says
Thank you Dana!
Your recipes are amazing! I am a wanna be vegetarian/vegan and your ideas and recipes really help me move forward and add chicken where and when I choose to.
You’re the bestest!
xoxo
Corinne
Thanks for the kind words. Hope you enjoy this one, Corinne!
Marcia says
Where in the world do you find really green, beautiful green beans like this? It seems everywhere we go, they have black spots or bruises the tips are sad and limp and often the entire bean is sad and limp. I don’t think I’ve seen any this luscious since moving here (Nevada) 9 years ago. It seems the extreme heat is hard on all the veggies. It’s rare to find any that look good enough to eat! Suggestions????
I got mine at Trader Joe’s!
Linda says
I havent tried cauliflower rice yet, but I’m going to next week. I’m really watching my carbs, so I won’t be able to use this recipe. But it does give me some ideas.
I know Trader Joe’s has bags of frozen cauliflower rice, I’ll use that, a bag or 2 of cole slaw mix, green onion, sugar snap peas, orange bell pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, etc. Can’t wait to see how we like cauliflower rice & chicken stir fry.
Kathleen says
Imy family has the challenge of peanut and tree nut allergies. We need hearty receipts without the nuts. Help!
What about sunflower seed butter?!
Katelyn says
Looks delicious! What is the chili garlic sauce?
Find it here!
Melanie Jacobs says
That looks super delicious! I love stir-fries and I love cauliflower rice – perfect match!!
Samantha says
Gorgeous! I have a big head of cauliflower in the fridge just waiting to be riced and transformed into this bomb dish. Thanks for another great one babe!
xoxo! Hope you love it.
Anna says
Mhhh looks sooo delicious! Gonna try that this weekend!
Greetings,
Anna
Cansu says
The long ingredient list scares me, but it looks DELISH and easy enough to make. Saving for a later meal prep!
Nothing to be intimidated by! All pretty basic ingredients. And of course, cut down on the variety the vegetables if you want less prep work!
Maja Harder says
It always amazes me how cauliflower can be used in so many ways. I love it as a rice substitute as well.
Sheffra says
Thank you Dana!
I do nnot eat starche’s like rice, potatoes, breads, or noodles. Your use of cauliflower as a rice substitute is brilliant.
I look forward to making this beautiful dish.
Sheffra
Grateful4all