Easy Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Risotto (Vegan)

 A paleo-friendly cauliflower rice risotto with mushrooms makes a great low-carb rice substitute. It’s a simple creamy side dish for any keto meal!

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed For Cauliflower Rice Risotto
• How To Make Cauliflower Rice Risotto
• Frequently Asked Questions About Cauliflower Rice Risotto
• More Cauliflower Recipes
• Cauliflower Rice Risotto with Mushrooms (Vegan, Dairy-Free)

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy riced cauliflower. Of course, there’s the basic cauliflower rice recipe to use in place of white rice. And, although I really love keto fried rice, risotto is another way I like to serve it!

If you are looking for a brand new way to enjoy cauliflower rice, then this cauliflower rice risotto is the perfect recipe for you. It is creamy, earthy, savory, and tastes completely different from any other cauliflower recipe you have made.

Let’s get started!

Ingredients Needed For Cauliflower Rice Risotto

To make this really yummy recipe, here is a bit more information about the whole and fresh ingredients in this risotto.

Here’s what you need:

Coconut Oil

A lot of recipes include things like butter and parmesan cheese. But, since I try to stay away from dairy, I skipped the cheese and used butter-flavored coconut oil for sautéing. Sometimes, I’ll use a little dry white wine in place of some of the broth as well.

It gives garlic a better flavor as I sauteed it. You’ll also use it to saute the mushrooms and become really aromatic in coconut oil.

Use ghee if you want to keep this recipe butter-free!

Garlic

Try to use fresh cloves of garlic! Garlic powder will not work since you need to saute it in coconut oil.

Cauliflower

This recipe requires an entire head of cauliflower. Cutting up the cauliflower is messy, but it is definitely worth it.

You can use either frozen cauliflower rice or use a food processor to chop up fresh cauliflower to save time.

Mushrooms

I used baby bella mushrooms, but any variety of mushrooms can be used. Have some fun and use gourmet mushrooms! No matter which type you use, make sure they are chopped up small.

Coconut Cream

Coconut cream is the perfect way to replace heavy whipping cream. It also adds lots of healthy fats to the risotto.

For those that don’t like the coconut flavor, almond milk or heavy cream can be used instead.

Nutritional Yeast

The nutritional yeast gives it a cheesy taste without dairy. If you are not avoiding dairy, you can use shredded parmesan cheese instead of nutritional yeast.

Parsley

Use fresh parsley for the most robust flavor! Dried parsley can also work, but fresh herbs are always the best choice.

Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

Quick Tips:

• Don’t overcook the garlic and mushrooms. Instead, only saute them until they are fragrant. That way, they will still add flavor to the risotto.
• Just cook until it is heated through – it won’t take very long.
• Add canned chicken for some protein!

How To Make Cauliflower Rice Risotto

This is actually a really simple low-carb side dish that’s easy to prepare. Plus, this low-carb rice substitute goes really well with any type of main meat dish.

Here are a few tips I have to make the perfect risotto!

Saute Garlic And Mushrooms

Start out by sautéing a little minced garlic in melted butter-flavored coconut oil to keep it dairy-free. Butter or ghee can be used as well, or another healthy alternative like olive or avocado oil.

When the garlic becomes nice and fragrant, I add in some chopped mushrooms. Any mushrooms are fine to use, but I like to use baby bella.

Stir In Cauliflower

Once the mushrooms are tender, I stir in some riced cauliflower. Either fresh or frozen riced cauliflower can be used. The frozen kind will just need to be cooked a little longer.

I like to shred fresh cauliflower florets in a food processor to make my cauliflower rice risotto.

Add Coconut Cream And Yeast

Since cauliflower rice doesn’t need to be cooked in a liquid like real rice, I don’t bother adding any broth. Instead, I use a little bit of coconut cream.

To give a cheese-like flavor without dairy, I sprinkle in some nutritional yeast. Of course, a little parmesan or asiago cheese could be used instead.

Garnish With Parsley

Once the dish is heated throughout, I remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle on some fresh parsley for garnish. It’s now ready to serve!

What To Serve With Cauliflower Risotto

This paleo-friendly risotto is a super easy side dish to pair with any keto meal. It goes well with a juicy steak, roasted chicken, or even a pressure cooker pork roast.

It’s also a vegan-friendly dish since there are no animal-based ingredients. So you may want to serve it with a plant-based chicken or beef substitute that’s low in carbs. Or, serve it with a side of oven-roasted asparagus or collard greens.

I typically reheat the leftovers for lunch and pair them with a small side salad. Other times, I’ll have it with a baked cod fillet!

So, there’s a lot of possibilities for enjoying this low-carb rice substitute along with any meat or vegetable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Before we get to the printable recipe card, here are some questions people often ask about this low-carb risotto.

What is risotto?

If you’ve never had risotto, you might be wonder what it is. It’s an Italian style of cooking rice in a broth along with other ingredients like meat and vegetables. A popular dish is mushroom risotto, so that’s what I like to make as a side dish for easy keto meals.

How do you store leftover risotto?

Store leftover cauliflower rice risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Then, reheat it on the stove or in the microwave – the leftovers are perfect in your meal prep!

Enjoy this easy and versatile recipe for cauliflower risotto. It’s a great way to mix things up for lunch or as a side dish with your dinner.

More Cauliflower Recipes

If you love cauliflower rice, why not give one of these other low-carb recipes a try, too? They are some of my favorites!

• Ham And Cauliflower Rice Casserole makes enough to feed your entire family and is the best type of comfort food.
• Cheesy Cauliflower Rice is popular with kids because it is so cheesy and delicious.
• Low-Carb Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet is an alternative to tacos or burritos on taco Tuesday.
• Filipino Garlic Cauliflower Fried Rice has the most amazing flavor and tastes completely different from other rice recipes.
• Chinese Cauliflower Pork Fried Rice has all of your favorite Asian flavors and you’ll love it instead of takeout.

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First published on February 11, 2019. Last updated on June 29, 2021, with higher resolution images and additional recipe information.