Keto Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
Published September 14, 2020 • Updated March 2, 2026
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My copycat version of Chipotle's cilantro lime cauliflower rice, with a coconut cream trick that makes it rich and bright without tasting tropical. This is the keto side dish I build burrito bowls around every week.
When Chipotle added cilantro lime cauliflower rice to their menu back in 2021, I was already three years into making my own version at home. And honestly, mine is better. Not because I’m trying to brag, but because I add one ingredient most people skip: coconut cream.
I figured this out after making the recipe without it for months. Lime juice and cilantro alone taste sharp and thin. The cauliflower rice was fine, but it never had that rounded, satisfying quality I was after. A quarter cup of full-fat coconut cream changed everything. It adds richness without making the dish taste tropical at all. I use Thai Kitchen or Chaokoh (the canned stuff, not the carton).
The other thing I’ve learned after years of making cauliflower rice is that sogginess is the number one reason people give up on it. Here’s what I do: steam the riced cauliflower in chicken broth just long enough to soften it (2-3 minutes with the lid on), then pour off any extra liquid and let the skillet do the work. No lid after that. The dry heat firms everything up. If you’re using frozen riced cauliflower, thaw it first and squeeze it out in a clean towel. Otherwise you’ll end up with mush.
I use ghee instead of regular butter most of the time. After testing both for years, ghee gives a cleaner flavor because there’s no water content creating steam in the pan. Regular butter works too, but you have to watch it more closely so it doesn’t brown. Olive oil is fine in a pinch, though it dulls the bright lime note.
The cumin is intentionally light at 1/4 teaspoon. I tested up to 1/2 teaspoon and it buries the lime. You want back-of-throat warmth, not taco seasoning. If you love cumin, go ahead and add more, but try it my way first.
This is my go-to base for keto burrito bowls. I make a big batch, pile on grilled chicken or steak, add some cheese and sour cream, and dinner is done in 15 minutes. It pairs well with Mexican coleslaw on the side, or wrap it in keto tortillas if you want a handheld version. If you’re looking for more cauliflower rice variations, my keto Spanish cauliflower rice and cauliflower fried rice use the same anti-soggy technique. And if you want a different low carb side altogether, roasted air fryer cauliflower is another one I rotate through weekly.
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Ingredients
4 cups riced cauliflower -
1/2 cup chicken broth
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1 tablespoons butter or ghee
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3/4 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon pepper
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juice and zest of 1 lime
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2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
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1/4 teaspoon cumin
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1/4 cup coconut cream
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Cook cauliflower rice
Add cauliflower rice and chicken broth to a skillet. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Pour out excess fluid if desired.
Sauté with butter
Add butter, salt and pepper and saute cauliflower for 1 minute.
Add flavor
Reduce heat to low and add lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, cumin and coconut milk. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep cauliflower rice from getting soggy?
I steam it with the lid on for only 2-3 minutes, then take the lid off and let the skillet do the rest. Dry heat after steaming is the whole trick. I also pour off any excess liquid before adding butter. If you're using frozen rice, thaw and squeeze it in a clean towel first. I've tested both ways and skipping the squeeze step is the number one reason people end up with mushy cauliflower rice.
Can I use frozen cauliflower rice instead of fresh?
I've tested both many times. Frozen works, but it releases significantly more water than fresh. Thaw it first and squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel before it goes in the pan. Fresh gives a slightly firmer bite and takes about 30 seconds less to cook, but frozen is a perfectly good shortcut when I'm in a rush.
How many net carbs are in cilantro lime cauliflower rice?
My recipe comes in at roughly 4-5g net carbs per serving, depending on the size of your cauliflower. I've been tracking macros since 2012 and this is one of the lowest carb side dishes in my rotation. The coconut cream adds a tiny bit, but we're talking less than 1g extra for a big flavor payoff.
Is this the same as what Chipotle used to serve?
I was making my own version for years before Chipotle added theirs in 2021. The bones are the same (cilantro, lime, cauliflower rice), but I add coconut cream and cumin, which Chipotle's didn't have. Mine is richer and more complex. Chipotle pulled theirs from the menu, but I'm still making this every week.
Can I freeze leftovers of this cauliflower rice?
I've frozen batches and they reheat fine, but the texture is slightly softer than fresh. Freeze in flat portions in zip-top bags so they thaw evenly. When reheating, I use a hot skillet (not the microwave) to crisp it back up. It keeps in the freezer for about a month before the lime flavor starts to fade.
What is the coconut cream for — can I leave it out?
This is my secret ingredient. I added it after noticing that lime juice alone made the rice taste sharp and thin. The coconut cream rounds everything out and adds richness without tasting tropical at all. Use full-fat canned coconut cream (Thai Kitchen and Chaokoh both work). You can leave it out, but you'll notice the difference. If dairy isn't an issue, a tablespoon of sour cream works as a substitute.
Can I skip the cilantro if I hate cilantro?
I get it. Some people taste soap. I've made this with flat-leaf parsley instead and it's still good, just a different vibe. The lime and coconut cream carry the flavor even without cilantro. You could also try fresh basil for a Thai-inspired twist. I wouldn't skip the herb entirely though, because the green brightness is part of what makes this dish work.
Do I need both lime juice and lime zest, or can I skip one?
I use both for a reason. The juice gives you acidity and brightness, and the zest gives you that concentrated lime oil flavor that doesn't fade during cooking. I've made it with just juice and it tasted flat. The zest is what makes your first bite actually taste like lime. One medium lime gives me enough of both.
Cauliflower rice makes an easy low-carb side dish for anyone looking to cut carbs without sacrificing flavor. You can have this on the table in under 30 minutes! I love pairing it with my 
The coconut milk gives the cauliflower rice a subtle coconut flavor while keeping carbs low. This is ideal for meal prep – make it ahead and take it to work the next day, or freeze it for later. Think of it as a low carb Chipotle copycat (if you’ve been to Chipotle, you know exactly what I’m talking about!).
Made this for burrito bowl night and my daughter, who normally scrapes cauliflower rice to the side of her plate without touching it, ate two full portions and then asked why it tasted 'creamy like real rice.' I had to think about it for a second before I remembered the coconut cream. She has no idea it's cauliflower and I'm not telling her. Going in the permanent rotation.
'Creamy like real rice' might be the best description this recipe has gotten. Don't tell her.
My wife used to drag me to Chipotle every Friday before we went keto, and I kind of forgot about it. Made this last week and the second the lime and cilantro hit the pan, it all came back. Glad this exists.
The lime and cilantro hitting the pan is the whole trigger. I was making this before Chipotle added theirs in 2021, so there's some irony that it's my recipe bringing back Chipotle Fridays.
Burrito bowls were the one thing I genuinely mourned when I went keto two years ago, not the chips, not the tortillas, the rice. This brought it back in a way I wasn't really prepared for. The coconut cream sounds like it would make everything taste tropical but it just disappears into the background and gives the cauliflower this body that plain riced cauli never has. I've been building bowls every Sunday since and actually looking forward to them now, which I didn't think I'd say again.
Coconut cream shouldn't work in savory rice but it does. That body without the tropical note is the whole reason I kept testing until I landed on it.
My daughter never lets me forget she's caught me sneaking cauliflower rice before. Made burrito bowls Tuesday. She cleaned her bowl without a word. The coconut cream surprised me. Takes that raw vegetable edge right off. Adding this to taco nights.
Silent bowl from someone who was keeping count. The lime and cumin are already halfway to taco mode anyway.
Chipotle bowls were the one thing I genuinely grieved when I went keto. Found this last week and the coconut cream in the cauliflower rice is what got me - it's creamy without tasting tropical at all, which I wasn't expecting. Building bowls every night this week.
Lime alone tastes sharp and flat here. The coconut cream was the fix, and yeah, it does zero tropical damage. Full-fat canned, not the light stuff.
Made this as the base for a full burrito bowl dinner I threw last week, double batch. I have one friend who is convinced cauliflower rice is always a sad substitute and will tell you about it, so I was watching her face when she took the first bite. She ate through her bowl, went back for more of just the rice on its own, and when she finally asked what made it taste so rich I explained the coconut cream. She didn't believe me at first. The way the lime zest and coconut cream come together makes it taste like something you built carefully, not just a vegetable you threw seasoning at. We do burrito bowl nights pretty regularly now and this is the recipe I'm building them around.
The skeptic going back for seconds on just the rice is the whole point of that reveal. Coconut cream never tastes like coconut, it just makes everything taste like you knew what you were doing.
I've tried maybe four or five cauliflower rice recipes over the past couple months and they all kind of blurred together, bland with a little butter flavor, and I just made peace with it being a vehicle for other things. This one is different and I'm a little annoyed it took me this long to find it. The coconut cream doesn't taste like coconut at all (I was genuinely worried about that), it just gives the whole thing some weight the others never had. The lime zest especially, I kept leaning over the pan to smell it while it was cooking. Built a burrito bowl with this on Sunday and my first thought was that the cauliflower rice was actually the best part, which has never happened to me before. Going back through Annie's other side dishes now because clearly I've been missing things.
Smelling the zest while it cooks is half the experience. Cauliflower rice being the best part of the bowl - that's a new one for me. I'll take it.
I've been making this every Sunday for the past three weeks for burrito bowl meal prep. The coconut cream was the thing I almost skipped because it seemed like it would make everything taste tropical, but it actually keeps the cauliflower from drying out when you reheat it midweek. Mine has been good through Thursday every time. Doubling the batch this weekend.
Sunday batch on repeat. The coconut cream is why it holds (lime juice alone gets sharp by Wednesday). Doubling makes sense.
First time making cauliflower rice from scratch and I had no idea the coconut cream was even a thing, but it completely won me over. The lime zest comes through so well, bright without being sharp. Question though: does adding a bit more coconut cream make it richer or does it start tasting tropical?
Richer, not tropical, at least up to about 1/3 cup. The lime keeps the coconut flavor in check. Past that I haven't tested but I'd go slow.
Fourth batch this month and the coconut cream thing is straight witchcraft. Zero tropical taste, just richness you can't get from butter alone.
Witchcraft is the right word. I spent months trying to figure out why the lime made it taste thin before I landed on coconut cream. Full-fat canned only, the light version doesn't do the same thing.