Happy (almost) Cinco de Mayo!!!
Gosh I enjoy this fun day each year. Not only do I have about 6 friends who all have birthdays within days of Cinco de Mayo, but it also gives me an excuse to cook all things ‘mexican’ food!
However, this recipe is one of my go-to side options for pretty much any day of the year. It’s really easy, requires one pan, minimal chopping and tastes so damn good! You will taste this rice and think that it’s got to be so bad for you but NOPE! It’s made with cauliflower rice and about 4 other ingredients.
Dairy free, gluten free, vegan and paleo lifestyles will all be able to get in on this recipe with a few tweaks of the spices!
I have a soft spot for Trader Joe’s spice isle… anyone else? I love finding different spice blends and trying them out. Once of my most favorite purchases was their Chile Lime seasoning. IT. IS. PERFECTION.

Pretty much anytime i’m cooking something in the Mexican food family (tacos, taco salads, dressings, rice) I sprinkle this stuff on and it adds a nice POP of flavor without making everything overly salty.
So are you ready to make this rice for your Cinco de Mayo party today? You can whip this up in about 30 minutes and be the talk of the whole party….especially after everyone has a few margaritas (kidding..don’t be that person).

In a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat add in the EVOO, fresh minced garlic and the chopped green bell pepper. Cook all together until the bell pepper becomes tender- 5 min. Then add in the cauliflower rice and drizzle in another Tbls of EVOO, stir and let it sit untouched to sauté for 5 minutes. Then stir and let sit another 5 minutes untouched. Repeat once more until the rice begins to brown slightly.
NOTE: I have used both frozen cauliflower rice and fresh cauliflower rice in this recipe. Best results happen with the fresh, riced cauliflower. However, I use the frozen rice all the time and it still tastes great, you will just need to allow more time in this first step to thaw the rice and then get it browned.
Next juice a whole lime into the pan, add in the fire roasted corn, petite diced tomatoes and stir everything together. Allow this to simmer together, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes. The cauliflower rice should begin to turn a nice light pink color.
Turn down heat to medium-low. Now add in the green chilis and the seasonings - Trader Joe's Chile Lime, garlic powder and half the cilantro. Stir to combine everything well. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times to prevent any sticking on the bottom.
Do a final taste test once done. See if you want any more lime juice or salt, add that in now and then sprinkle the remaining cilantro on top. You're ready to serve!
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat add in the EVOO, fresh minced garlic and the chopped green bell pepper. Cook all together until the bell pepper becomes tender- 5 min. Then add in the cauliflower rice and drizzle in another Tbls of EVOO, stir and let it sit untouched to sauté for 5 minutes. Then stir and let sit another 5 minutes untouched. Repeat once more until the rice begins to brown slightly.
NOTE: I have used both frozen cauliflower rice and fresh cauliflower rice in this recipe. Best results happen with the fresh, riced cauliflower. However, I use the frozen rice all the time and it still tastes great, you will just need to allow more time in this first step to thaw the rice and then get it browned.
Next juice a whole lime into the pan, add in the fire roasted corn, petite diced tomatoes and stir everything together. Allow this to simmer together, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes. The cauliflower rice should begin to turn a nice light pink color.
Turn down heat to medium-low. Now add in the green chilis and the seasonings - Trader Joe's Chile Lime, garlic powder and half the cilantro. Stir to combine everything well. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring a couple times to prevent any sticking on the bottom.
Do a final taste test once done. See if you want any more lime juice or salt, add that in now and then sprinkle the remaining cilantro on top. You're ready to serve!
This rice would also be a great filler for my vegan friends out there who want to try my Tex-Mex Turkey Stuffed Peppers recipe.

Looks delicious!
Thank you so much! I’ve had a lot of great feedback on this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!!