Cauliflower Rice Stuffing
Cauliflower rice stuffing is a fun twist on a traditional stuffing recipe. Made with cauliflower rice instead of bread, this recipe is a great veggie side dish that would be perfect for the holidays but also work during the fall and winter months. This recipe is ready in about 20 minutes in one pot.
If you are looking for more holiday recipes, you have to try my Sweet Potato Casserole, Stuffed Acorn Squash or my Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce.
If you’re looking for quick, easy, and veggie filled recipes that don’t compromise on flavor, you’re in the right place. My experience running a meal prep business taught me how essential it is for meals to taste amazing, even when time is tight. This site is focused on helping you create quick and easy gluten free meals, made mostly from scratch with the best ingredients possible.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy way to get in more veggies
- Low in carbs
- Great alternative to bread in stuffing.
- Made on the stovetop
- Ready in under 30 minutes
- Great for most diets – it would be great for any guest at your holiday party. It’s vegan, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, paleo, Whole30 and low carb friendly!
Key Ingredients
- Spices: Ground dried sage, dried thyme, garlic powder and salt – these spices help to create that savory flavor you associate with stuffing! A substitute for the dried thyme and sage is poultry seasoning.
- Vegetable broth – vegetable broth helps to impart flavor and also helps to add moisture to ensure the cauliflower doesn’t dry out.
- Cauliflower rice – I suggest using frozen cauliflower rice for this recipe. I find that frozen cauliflower rice has the least “cauliflower” flavor.
How to make cauliflower stuffing
Preheat a large skillet (stainless steel or cast iron is best) over medium heat.
While skillet is preheating, finely chop the onion and celery.
Spray skillet with avocado oil or olive oil spray and add chopped veggies. Cook 3-5 minutes to soften.
After 3-5 minutes, add the spices and coconut aminos to the veggies and stir well. Cook 1 minute.
Add the cauliflower rice and vegetable broth to the veggies and cook 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly. You will want most of the moisture from the broth and the water from the cauliflower rice to cook off.
While cauliflower rice is cooking, peel and chop the apple.
After 10-12 minutes, push the cauliflower rice mixture to the side of the skillet and add the apples. Cook 3-4 minutes.
Stir together all the ingredients and add the frozen spinach and dried cranberries. Cook 2-3 minutes until spinach is defrosted and hot. Serve hot.
What to serve with cauliflower rice stuffing
Although this tastes like a Thanksgiving dinner side dish, it is a really great side dish anytime during the fall and winter months. Here are some great ideas on what to serve with this cauliflower stuffing:
- As a side dish with these other great Thanksgiving sides like vegan squash casserole, butternut squash soup or along side a roasted turkey or lentil walnut loaf.
- Juicy oven roasted chicken
- Oven roasted drumsticks or air fryer drumsticks
Other additions to this low carb stuffing
- Roasted sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash
- Roasted brussel sprouts
- Mushrooms (add with onions and celery)
- Chopped pecans or walnuts (add at the end so they don’t get soggy)
- Make it more of a meal by adding cooked ground sausage
How to make your own cauliflower rice
I prefer to use frozen cauliflower rice. If you can only find fresh cauliflower, I recommend using really fresh cauliflower for the best flavor.
- Cut the cauliflower into pieces small enough to fit into the food processor.
- Take about half the cauliflower and put it in the food processor. Process on high until it’s chopped into riced pieces.
- Remove the cauliflower rice from the food processor and process the other half.
- When you cook fresh cauliflower, be sure to cover the pot for the first 5-6 minutes of cooking the cauliflower to allow it to steam and cook.
Cauliflower Rice Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 medium celery stalks, chopped
- 3/4 tsp dried ground sage
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 bags frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 small Granny Smith Apple
- 1/2 cup frozen spinach
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Chop the onion and celery into small pieces.
- Spray the skillet with avocado oil or olive oil spray. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook 3-5 minutes.
- Once onions are softened, add spices and coconut aminos. Stir well and cook 1 more minute.
- Add frozen cauliflower rice and vegetable broth to the veggies. Cook 10-12 minutes, ensuring you cook off most of the moisture.
- Peel and chop the apple while the cauliflower rice cooked.
- Move cauliflower rice to the side of the skillet and add chopped apples. Cook 3-4 minutes.
- Stir apples into the cauliflower and add frozen spinach and dried cranberries. Cook 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- Be sure to break up any clumps of cauliflower rice while it’s still in a sealed bag. The key to a quick cooking dish is to have the cauliflower rice easy to stir and cook. Clumps can be tough to break apart once the bag is opened. I like to lay the bag flat on the counter and press down firmly with the palm of my hand to break up any clumps I feel.
- If you are short on time, add the diced apple along with the onion and celery. I like to wait to add the apple to help it retain some of it’s texture but if you are short on time, sauté it with the onion and celery.
- Another time saving tip: you can chop the celery and onion in a small food processor in just seconds. This can be a really great time saver and will ensure the veggies are well chopped.
- Make ahead tip: you can make this entire dish the night before and simply reheat it in a large casserole dish at 400F for 15 minutes.
- Fridge: You can store leftover cauliflower stuffing in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: I would not recommend freezing this cauliflower rice stuffing as it will get soggy when defrosting.
