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Cauliflower rice paella! It is fast, easy and delicious, as well as naturally vegan, grain-free, & keto-friendly (with one simple sub). Only 92 calories per satisfying serving, too.
Make a Healthy All-Vegetable Paella
Traveling home to the San Francisco Bay Area always inspires me with regard to food. Especially when it comes to produce. It isn’t just the produce markets, open air stalls, and my mother’s vegetable garden.
It’s also the simple, innovative vegetable preparations at restaurants and markets big and small that make me excited about recipes and recipe creation all over again.
My August trip was no different, and so I am keeping my pledge (made to myself, in my head :)) to make and share more easy, delicious vegetable dishes. One can only eat so much steamed broccoli and imbibe so many kale smoothies before the need to make something more inspired comes on strong.
An all-vegetable paella is a delectable place to begin!
Recipe Benefits
This vibrant dish is:
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Grain-free
- Paleo
- Keto-friendly (with one simple substitution)
- Gluten-free
- Oil-free (with one simple substitution)
- Easy to make
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- cauliflower, riced (see DIY cauliflower rice post)
- olive oil (or oil of choice, or substitute water for oil-free version)
- onion, chopped
- red bell pepper
- garlic
- canned petite-diced tomatoes
- smoked paprika
- ground turmeric
- dried thyme leaves
- frozen green peas (see notes for KETO)
- fresh parsley leaves, minced
- Optional: lemon wedges
You will also need some water (I use filtered tap water) and optional/adjustable salt.
What is Cauliflower Rice?
Cauliflower rice stands in for regular rice in this California-inspired paella. It is cauliflower that has been chopped into tiny pieces to resemble rice.
Cauliflower rice is a breeze to prepare (see my DIY cauliflower rice post), but you can also buy ready-to-use cauliflower rice (sold fresh in bags in the produce department, or frozen in the freezer department, of many supermarkets).
Like rice, the cauliflower is a neutral backdrop, showcasing the bold flavors of the dish (e.g., spices, garlic, olive oil). Additionally, it cooks in about 5 minutes, a fraction of the time it take to cook rice.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Begin by making the cauliflower rice. If using packaged cauliflower rice, skip to next step.
- In a paella pan or large skillet, heat the oil (or water, if making the dish oil-free) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, cook and stir for 30 seconds longer.Add the smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme, salt and tomatoes to skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the water; cook and stir 30 seconds and then add the cauliflower. Cook, stirring to coat and combine the cauliflower, for 4 to 5 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove pan from heat and sprinkle with the peas.
- Cover pan; let stand for 3 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with optional lemon wedges.
This is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a main dish at lunchtime, or enjoy as a side. It rewarms well, too, so make it ahead of time and pack for several days worth of lunches. YUM!
Happy eating!
Cauliflower Rice Paella (Vegan, GF)
Ingredients
- 1 medium, ~6 in/15 cm diameter head cauliflower, riced (see DIY cauliflower rice post)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or oil of choice, or water for OIL-FREE
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup 250 mL canned, petite-diced tomatoes with their juices
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, more or less to taste
- 2/3 cup 150 mL water, white wine or low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup 250 mL frozen green peas (see note for KETO)
- 1/2 cup 125 mL fresh parsley leaves, minced
- Optional: lemon wedges
Instructions
- Begin by making the cauliflower rice. If using packaged cauliflower rice, skip to step 2.
- In a paella pan or large skillet, heat the oil (or water, if making the dish oil-free) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cook and stir for 30 seconds longer.
- Add the smoked paprika, turmeric, thyme, salt and tomatoes to skillet. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the water; cook and stir 30 seconds and then add the cauliflower. Cook, stirring to coat and combine the cauliflower, for 4 to 5 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove pan from heat and sprinkle with the peas. Cover pan; let stand for 3 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with optional lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Great recipe; I’m cooking this tonight .I am allergic to pepper and tomatoes unfortunately .What can I replace them with ? I am going to add mushroom , runner beans ; lower in carbs
Hi Angela,
Thank you! You could do the vegetables you like–the runner beans and mushrooms sound good. You could also used diced cooked beets to replace the tomatoes, or cooked butternut squash. Diced cooked eggplant would also be delicious.
Perhaps puree 1/3rd cup of chickpeas/white beans, with 1/3 veggie broth, plus any tomato juice, & mushrooms, to make a protein rich umami [savory]sauce, & complete vegan dish.
Serve with garlic bread, scones, rice, or bread pudding, Biscotti, orzo pasta/rice/millet/sorghum/Couscous, [& leave the cauliflower in fine pieces, if one only has standard {non riced) cauliflower] or dinner roll [to sop clean the bowl], etc. if one isn’t avoiding carbs/grains.
If one IS avoiding carbs/grains, they could still mix in a vegan protein such as: ground almonds, white beans, chickpeas, yellow split peas, red lentils, etc., to make it even more nutritious, filling, & still plant based.
One could also add various herbs, for color & taste.
A fruity dessert [cobbler, pie, or 100% fruit sorbet, Mixed fresh fruit, etc.] would be a nice finishing touch
I made this today. It was absolutely delicious. I did add some mushrooms to use up veg I needed to get rid of. Thank you for the recipe!
Excellent, Jennifer!
I made this recipe today for a big crowd and it was AH-mazing!!!
Added in some grilled zucchini and portobello mushrooms and it was scrumptious!
For some reason, I cannot print the recipe from this website.
So glad it was a success, Roddy!
Sorry, there was a bug with the recipe plugin; it is now fixed 🙂
can I make this with sea food and take out the tomato bell pepper and garlic but guess I can give it a go
Hi Karen,
Bell pepper and garlic are typical ingredients I paella, I would leave them in and add in whatever other ingredients you like.