Cauliflower Shrimp Fried ‘Rice’ With Lemongrass

This Lemongrass Cauliflower Shrimp Fried ‘Rice is a quick, easy, and healthy dish showcasing the magic of finely diced cauliflower as a low-carb alternative to traditional rice. It features lemongrass, chili, garlic, and a nutritious mix of sautéed vegetables and protein-rich shrimp (prawns).

Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
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Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice

If you’ve never made cauliflower rice before, you’re in for a pleasant surprise with this recipe. Made with aromatic lemongrass, chilli and garlic, this cauliflower shrimp fried ‘rice’ is super quick and easy, and will make you fall in love with the concept of finely diced cauliflower as a healthier, low-carb substitute to white rice.

I am also using sautéed onions, celery and carrots in this dish – which provide lots of gut-beneficial fibre – and mineral and protein-rich prawns. It’s a tasty meal that is paleo, Whole30, low-carb and gluten-free friendly.

👩‍🍳 You might also like these recipes: Mongolian shrimp, grilled shrimp salad and Spanish cauliflower rice (with chorizo, chicken & shrimp), coconut cauliflower rice or lemongrass tofu in coconut curry sauce.

cauliflower shrimp fried rice in a skillet with a spatula
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Recipe Tips

To make cauliflower rice, you can either use a food processor or mad knife skills. For this recipe, I used a medium head of cauliflower which I chopped finely using a chef’s knife. If you’re using a food processor to grind up the cauliflower into small rice-like pieces, make sure to process the florets in batches, using an S-blade.

I used frozen king prawns/shrimp which I defrosted in hot water for 15 minutes before cooking. I find frozen shrimp works really well in stir-fries and fried ‘rice’ and it’s much more affordable than buying fresh, raw prawns. Plus, they come pre-peeled, saving you a lot of prep time. Find more shrimp recipes here.

You can find fresh lemongrass in most bit supermarkets and Asian grocers, but if it’s not available in your area, you can use a tablespoon of grated ginger instead.

The recipe is more of a template and you are welcome to substitute some ingredients. For example, you could add some curry powder and turmeric to the mix; diced cooked chicken or ham could be used in place of shrimp; fried pork mince or beef mince can be added into the ‘rice’ mix as well.

How To Make Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice

  • Use a food processor to chop the cauliflower into small rice-like pieces. Set aside.
  • Finely dice garlic, chili and lemongrass. Dice all other veggies.
  • Pan-fry the shrimp for a minute or two on each side and transfer to a bolw
  • Saute the veggies and aromatics, add the cauliflower rice and condiments/sauces and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring a few times. I prefer the cauliflower rice to stay crunchy so I don’t cook it for too long.
  • Add back the shrimp and stir through.
chopped aromatics, chopped veggies, pan-frying shrimp, sauteeing the veggies
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Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe (Paleo, Whole30, Keto)
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Lemongrass Cauliflower Shrimp Fried ‘Rice’

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 3 servings (or 2 larger ones)
Course: Main
Cuisine: Asian
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5 from 9 votes
Calories: 246kcal
This Lemongrass Shrimp Cauliflower Fried 'Rice. and a quick, easy, and healthy dish that showcases the magic of finely diced cauliflower as a low-carb alternative to traditional rice, featuring lemongrass, chilli, garlic, and a nutritious mix of sautéed vegetables and protein-rich prawns.

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 300 g prawns 8 oz , raw peeled, I used defrosted king prawns (shrimp)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 lemongrass pale section only, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red chilli long chili, finely chopped, deseeded
  • 1/2 onion red or yellow, finely diced
  • 1 large carrot diced into small cubes
  • 1 celery stick diced into small cubes
  • 1 head cauliflower medium head of cauliflower, ground up or finely chopped into small kernels
  • 2 cloves garlic finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or Tamari
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup coriander leaves fresh, chopped (cilantro leaves)

Instructions

  • Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large frying pan over high heat and add the prawns. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the prawns curl and change colour. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-high and add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the lemongrass, chilli, onions, carrots and celery and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
  • Now add the finely diced cauliflower and the rest of the ingredients (except for the coriander) and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if the frying pan gets dry.
  • Stir in the prawns right at the end to reheat and top with fresh coriander. Serve right away, while hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 1726mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3748IU | Vitamin C: 108mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords: Cauliflower, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Paleo
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedandloved or tag #cookedandloved
Cauliflower Shrimp Fried Rice
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Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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5 from 9 votes

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Comments

21 Comments
  1. 5 stars
    This fried “rice” is so beautiful! I love how much nutrition you were able to pack into the dish plus the lemongrass flavor, so yummy! My family would love this meal, especially my husband who is a huge shrimp fan.

  2. You shouldn’t defrost good, especially meat/fish in hot water. It should be done in cold water to prevent bacteria from growing and partially cooking the food.

    1. It’s defrosted in 15-20 minutes in hot water (not boiling water) and the water never stays hot as it cools down within a minute from the frozen fish. I doubt that’s long enough time for bacteria to grow 😉

  3. Shrimp fried rice is my husband’s favorite. I’m going to hav to make this for him. It looks absolutely divine!

  4. 5 stars
    That lemongrass must give a ton of flavor and amazing aroma. Love the shrimp in the fried “rice.” Looks like a dish I would come back for seconds.

  5. I’m late to the party, but made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! I used fish and calamari in place of the prawns, but kept everything else the same, and it was a lovely meal. It was also really fast to cook, which TBH I did like too! Thank you, Irena 🙂

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