My Chipotle copycat cilantro lime cauliflower rice is rich and bright, with a coconut cream trick that never tastes tropical — 2.2g net carbs. It's 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.
I love serving this next to my butter chicken, and it works just as well with pork chops or steak.
Riced cauliflower in the skillet, ready for the chicken broth.
How to Rice Your Own Cauliflower
Chop a head of cauliflower into florets and pulse half of them in a food processor until the pieces look like rice or couscous. Do not over process it or it turns mushy. Repeat with the other half. If you are short on time, store bought riced cauliflower from the produce section or the freezer aisle works great.
Storing Leftovers
Cool leftovers quickly by spreading them on a baking sheet or moving them straight to the refrigerator. Try not to leave the rice out for more than two hours. It keeps for three to four days in the refrigerator.
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.
2
Sauté with butter
Add butter, salt and pepper and saute cauliflower for 1 minute.
3
Add flavor
Reduce heat to low and add lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, cumin and coconut milk. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
115
Fat
9.3g
Protein
3.6g
Total carbs
5.6g
Net carbs
2.2g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
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 2g 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.
Verdict first: the lime zest is the step I’d been skipping, and it turns out it’s doing most of the work. Juice adds acidity; zest carries the actual lime flavor, and without it the dish reads citric rather than bright. I figured it was cosmetic. It’s not. The coconut cream confused me for a similar reason. I kept expecting it to announce itself, but it’s more like butter at the end of a pan sauce, rounding off the edges without changing where the flavor lands. Made this correctly for the first time tonight and it’s a different recipe than the one I thought I was making.
2.2 net carbs stopped me when I first ran the numbers. Quarter cup of coconut cream in savory rice, still under 3g. The broth is where most people overpour: half a cup exactly, or the cauliflower comes out waterlogged and the cream won’t bind. I leave the lid off for the last 90 seconds on medium-high to pull the moisture before butter goes in. That’s what makes the cream coat instead of pool. Skip the cumin and the lime goes one-note: 1/4 teaspoon holds everything together. Six batches in, that sequence doesn’t move.
Katie, the husband test is everything. I’ve made this for people who eat real rice every day and nobody picked up on the swap. Once the cauliflower dries all the way down after steaming, it just stops being cauliflower. The lime and cumin carry the flavor from there. Build a full burrito bowl over it next if you haven’t. It holds under toppings better than Chipotle’s version does.
So I’ve been on a burrito bowl kick all summer and this is exactly the base I’ve been missing. My whole family does keto but my husband has a thing against coconut flavor (not an allergy, he’s just weirdly anti-coconut) and I’m nervous he’s going to clock it in the finished dish. The coconut cream and lime combo sounds so good, but does the taste actually come through once you add all the lime juice and cilantro and cook it down? Or does it kind of disappear? I’ve swapped heavy cream in other keto recipes where coconut milk showed up and it usually works texture-wise, so wondering if that’s a reasonable sub here. Trying to get this dialed in before our pool day this weekend. Really don’t want to make two separate batches of cauliflower rice for the same meal.
The coconut taste disappears. I’ve made this for people who are very anti-coconut and nobody ever picks it up, the lime and cilantro completely take over. Heavy cream as a direct swap works, same 1/4 cup, though it’ll be slightly less rich than the canned stuff. I’d do it.
Toast the cumin in the butter for 30 seconds before the cauliflower goes in, the smell alone is worth it. Completely changes the whole dish. Now I do it every time and I’m not going back.
I almost skipped the coconut cream because I was convinced it was going to taste like a pina colada situation, but I went for it anyway. It doesn’t taste tropical at all (I honestly don’t know what it does but something about it makes the whole thing feel rich and not sad). This is my first time making cauliflower rice from scratch instead of the frozen bags and I kept going back for bites while I was building my bowl. Do you think it would still be good if I made it a few hours ahead for a cookout?
Make it the morning of, store it covered in the fridge, and give it 3-4 minutes in a hot skillet right before serving. It releases a little water as it sits but the dry heat brings it back.
Threw in a minced jalapeño with the butter and it completely changed the heat level in the best way. Still tastes like the Chipotle version but with actual kick. Might be the only way I make it now.
Zest the lime before you juice it, or you’ll spend ten minutes trying to zest a collapsed lime. The coconut cream is subtle enough that nobody guesses it’s in there, but it’s what makes the whole thing taste richer than plain cauliflower rice has any right to.
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.
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.
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.
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.
