Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto – All Day I Dream About Food

This Cauliflower Risotto is a satisfying low carb twist on the classic Italian dish. Made with riced cauliflower and plenty of savory mushrooms, it has all the creamy texture you crave without the extra carbs. It’s a perfect keto-friendly comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes!

Take my advice, my friends, and run to your kitchen to make this easy keto-friendly cauliflower risotto. It is so rich and delicious, you won’t believe it’s not made with actual rice. It’s one of my all-time favorite cauliflower rice recipes. 

It elevates all of your favorite low carb meals. Pair it with keto pork tenderloin or pecan crusted salmon for a healthy gourmet dinner!

 

Back in the day, I loved traditional risotto and I blame Trader Joe’s for that. It was my first introduction to cooking with arborio rice, and I was amazed that this gourmet side dish came from my own pan.

When I went low carb, I missed that flavor so much, I decided to give it a go with keto-friendly ingredients. And to my absolute delight, I found that I liked it just as much as the real thing. Possibly more, as it didn’t fill me up or spike my blood sugar.

I first created this recipe back in 2016 and I decided to use all the same tricks I’d learned over the years. The key to getting that ideal creaminess is the slow addition of liquid that evaporates before the next addition. I used this approach here as well, since cauliflower has a much higher moisture content than grains of rice.

I tested this cauliflower risotto recipe with both fresh and frozen riced cauliflower. There seemed to be very little difference between how they cooked. So you can make it with whatever is available: fresh, frozen, or cauliflower florets that you rice yourself.

Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower rice: You can rice it yourself or buy cauliflower rice.
• Fat: You can use butter, olive oil or coconut oil.
• Mushrooms: I like the look and flavor of cremini mushrooms.
• Garlic: I love the flavor that fresh garlic offers. Garlic powder just can’t compare!
• Broth: You can use chicken or vegetable broth.
• White wine: This adds depth to the dish but you can replace it with more broth if you prefer.
• Heavy cream: This lends a creamier texture to the cauliflower risotto.
• Parmesan cheese: Don’t skip this! It gives the whole recipe a classic flavor and texture.
• Herbs: Feel free to add a little fresh thyme or sage in there as well!

Quick Overview: How to Make Cauliflower Risotto

1. Prep the vegetables: This recipe comes together quickly so it’s good to have everything prepared before you start. Chop the mushrooms in small pieces and mince the garlic. And if you’re working with whole cauliflower, grate it or process it until it resembles grains of rice.
2. Melt the butter: Set a large skillet over medium heat and let the butter melt.
3. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic: Once the butter is nice and hot, add the mushrooms and garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Add the riced cauliflower: It really doesn’t matter if it’s fresh or frozen, it takes just about the same time to cook through and become tender. Toss to coat in the butter and mushrooms.
5. Slowly add the liquids: Just like traditional risotto, you want to add the liquid a little at a time, allowing it to evaporate between additions.
6. Stir in the Parmesan: I recommend freshly grated Parmesan for this. It will help thicken the risotto as you mix it in.

Tips for Success

The trick to a really creamy consistency is to add the liquid a little at a time and let it evaporate before adding more. This is the same technique used for conventional risotto and it’s worth the time and effort.

Chopping the mushrooms finely gives great coverage and flavor throughout the whole dish.

If you need to be dairy-free, try using avocado or olive oil for the butter, coconut cream for the heavy cream, and dairy-free Parmesan.

Keto Side Dishes

Want to round this out for a full meal? Here are a few of my favorite pairings:

Cauliflower Risotto Recipe

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

This Cauliflower Risotto is a satisfying low carb twist on the classic Italian dish. Made with riced cauliflower and plenty of savory mushrooms, it has all the creamy texture you crave without the extra carbs. It’s a perfect keto-friendly comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes!

• 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter
• 8 ounces (226.8 g) mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 ounces (340.2 g) riced cauliflower, (the frozen version works just as well as the fresh, no need to thaw)
• 1/4 cup (60 g) dry white wine
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup (58.75 g) chicken broth
• 2 to 4 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, add more as desired

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add the chopped mushrooms and garlic and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and just turning golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.

• Reduce the heat to medium low, add the cauliflower, and toss to coat in the butter. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid has bubbled away. Add the broth a few tablespoons at a time, stirring frequently and letting it evaporate each time.

• When the cauliflower is becoming tender, add a little more broth and a few tablespoons of cream. Cover with a lid and continue to cook, allowing the cauliflower to steam until tender. Addi a bit more broth and/or cream if needed.

• Stir in the Parmesan and add any additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with additional grated parmesan as desired.

Storage Information: Store the leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Serving: 1serving (about 2/3 cup) | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.5g | Protein: 9.2g | Fat: 19.7g | Fiber: 2.3g