Cauliflower Rice Caprese Recipe

Andrea Castrovillari | Cooking with Mamma C

You’ll love this Cauliflower Rice Caprese with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and balsamic glaze! A quick and easy side dish that’s low carb and gluten free.

Have you jumped on the cauliflower rice bandwagon yet? I’ve been seeing recipes everywhere for a while now. But I wasn’t an early adopter, as they say in the tech world.

Because, I’m lazy in the kitchen. Unless I’m making a special dinner like Homemade Manicotti, I’m all about the shortcuts. I have no desire to shred a head of cauliflower, and frozen cauliflower rice never appealed to me.

Then, out of nowhere, my grocery store started carrying fresh, bagged cauliflower rice (called “pearls”) in the produce section. I did a double take the first time I spied it. What?!!!

I immediately threw two packages in my cart and had a spring in my step for the next hour of shopping. I know. It doesn’t take much. But this was brilliant.

Cauliflower Rice Caprese Photo

The first time I made the cauliflower rice, I simply sautéed it with just a little olive oil and seasoning. It wasn’t bad, but my hubby, who’s a member of my Tough-Crowd Taste Tester Group, (otherwise known as my household) said it was too bland. It needed something.

And, I had to agree. All I could taste was cauliflower, and not much else. I found myself with a huge bowl of leftovers.

My wheels started turning. I needed to conquer the cauliflower with more dominant flavors. This is one veggie that works best as the backup singer, not the lead.

Cauliflower Rice Caprese Picture

And I swear, developing a recipe to blog about was the furthest thing from my mind. I just wanted a delicious lunch, you know?

I looked over and saw some sad-looking tomatoes in my tiered, wire baskets on my kitchen island. (Is it just me, or do tomatoes get super ripe in a New York minute?) My basil plant was sitting pretty on my corner window sill. And, the deli drawer in my fridge had all the Italian cheese.

I stock mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan and Romano like toilet paper. We must never run out!!!

And, although anything Caprese usually involves fresh, buffalo mozzarella, I only had the regular kind. But, I knew it would work just fine.

Cauliflower Rice Caprese Image

So, I adorned my cauliflower rice with some cut-up tomatoes, cubes of mozzarella and ribbons of basil. Then I stirred in olive oil and seasonings. And, of course…I drizzled balsamic glaze all over the top.

And, I was a goner.

Cauliflower Rice Caprese was officially a thing. A beautiful thing.

I’ve made it three times so far, and now just microwave the cauliflower pearls for a few minutes in lieu of sautéing them. So easy. So fast. So delicious.

Cauliflower Rice Caprese Pic

I must share this with the world. Or at least the blogosphere.

You’re welcome.

Enjoy!

P.S. If you love all things Caprese, you must try my Salmon Caprese with Balsamic Glaze. Or how about this Cauliflower Caprese Skillet on Food Fanatic?

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Cauliflower Rice Caprese Recipe

    5 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bag Cauliflower Rice, or pearls – use fresh
  • 2 medium whole Fresh Tomatoes
  • 3 1/2 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, buffalo or regular, cubed
  • 6 Fresh Basil Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Balsamic Glaze, or more to taste; see notes

Directions

  1. Use a fork to poke holes in your bag of cauliflower pearls. Place the bag of cauliflower on a plate and heat it in the microwave on high for four minutes.
  2. While your cauliflower is cooking, prepare your tomatoes. Rinse and pat the tomatoes dry, and cut out the cores. Cut the tomatoes into fourths and scrape out the seeds. Cut up your tomatoes into 1 ½-inch pieces.
  3. Cut your mozzarella into cubes and set them aside.
  4. Pour your cooked cauliflower into a medium serving bowl. Add your tomatoes and mozzarella.
  5. Stack your basil leaves three at a time, roll them up tightly, and slice them into ribbons. Add the basil to your bowl.
  6. Add your olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Use a spoon to mix the cauliflower rice Caprese until it’s combined.
  7. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the top and serve at room temperature, with extra glaze if desired.
  8. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days. Bring leftovers to room temperature (by heating slightly in the microwave, if needed) before serving. 

Notes

  • You can find balsamic glaze in most grocery stores, near the vinegar.

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Published:
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Cuisine:
Italian
Category:
Healthy Eating
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Related Recipes:
Italian Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Healthy Eating Recipes, Basil Recipes, Tomato Recipes, Side Dish Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Meatless Monday Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Low Carb Recipes, Vegetable Recipes
Recipe Yields:
5 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Andrea Castrovillari
Recipe Yields: 5 servings
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 7 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 5

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 64
Calories 156

% Daily Value*
12%
Total Fat 8g
2%
  Saturated Fat 0g
5%
Sodium 119mg
3%
Total Carbohydrate 10g
1%
  Dietary Fiber 0g
  Sugars 8g
9%
Protein 5g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Andrea Castrovillari

About Andrea

Andrea, the content creator behind Cooking with Mamma C, can’t imagine life without homemade Italian meals. Neither can we! That's why she's our Italian fanatic!

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