Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice

Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice has all the flavors that people love in Dirty Rice, without so many carbs. And Cauliflower Dirty Rice is super easy to make!

PIN the Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice recipe to try it later!

Dirty Rice is a Creole or Cajun dish that combines white rice with onions, green pepper, sausage or ground beef, and chicken livers, and it’s a wonderful spicy dish that’s loaded with flavor. So let me start out by saying that of course this Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice isn’t authentic Louisiana Dirty rice because it uses frozen cauliflower rice instead of rice and I use my favorite Turkey Italian Sausage.

But even with those changes, the flavors in my Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice definitely will remind you of Louisiana Dirty Rice, I promise!

I made this with Jake and Kara on a day when it was really dark outside and I had a miserable time trying to get good photos. And I was thinking I’d make it again and try to improve the pictures, but then this morning I pulled the leftovers out of the fridge, heated it up, took one bite, and decided I needed to share the recipe right away!

And this dish would probably be a photography challenge even on a day when the light was much better, so I hope you can overlook the fact that this isn’t overly photogenic and think about the combination of flavors!

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• uncooked hot Italian turkey or pork sausage
• chopped chicken livers (completely optional, although they are traditional in Dirty Rice)
• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• green pepper
• yellow onion
• Minced Garlic (affiliate link), minced garlic from a jar is fine for this recipe
• frozen cauliflower rice
• Spike Seasoning (affiliate link)
• cayenne pepper (affiliate link) or Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (affiliate link)
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• green onions (optional)

How low in carbs is the cauliflower dirty rice?

This delicious version of dirty rice made with cauliflower has only about 5 net carbs per serving, so enjoy!

Do you have to use chicken livers in the cauliflower dirty rice?

Traditional Dirty Rice recipes often have chicken livers, and although I do like chicken livers, they are completely optional for this recipe.

What other sausage can you use in Cauliflower Dirty Rice?

If you want even more spicy flavor, Cajun Andouille Sausage would be delicious in the dirty rice, but any type of slightly-spicy pork, turkey, or chicken sausage that you like will be good here.

What if you don’t want to use cauliflower rice?

If you like the idea behind this dish but aren’t a cauliflower rice fan (or don’t care about the carbs,) you might enjoy Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice with Sausage and Peppers. That recipe has similar flavors, with an easy preparation method where the rice is cooked in the slow cooker. You could also make this recipe with one of the many varieties of low-carb rice products that are on the market, but I haven’t tried that.

Want more amazing dinner ideas with cauliflower rice?

You can check out 30 Keto Cauliflower Rice Recipes, Low-Carb and Keto Soups with Cauliflower Rice, and Cauliflower Rice Casserole Recipes for lots more ideas using cauliflower rice to make a tasty dinner.

How to make Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. Start by browning the spicy Italian sausage in a little olive oil until it’s completely cooked through and nicely browned.
2. Chicken livers are totally optional, but if you want to add some, chop them finely and add to the pan when the sausage is nearly done. I’d use about 1/2 cup chopped chicken livers.)
3. While sausage cooks, cut up the green pepper (or two if you’re a green pepper fan) and one yellow onion.
4. Remove cooked sausage to a plate, add a little more olive oil, and cook the chopped green pepper and onion over medium-high heat until they’re starting to soften, about 4 minutes.
5. Then add the minced garlic and cook a minute or two more.
6. Break apart the frozen cauliflower rice inside the bag, then open and add it to the skillet.
7. Cook over high heat, turning often, until the rice is cooked through and excess water has evaporated. This will take 7-8 minutes for most cauliflower rice.
8. Then add the cooked sausage back into the pan and gently stir into the rice. Add the Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), salt, and pepper. 
9. Taste for spiciness, and add a little Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (affiliate link) or Cayenne Pepper if you’d like it a bit spicier. Cook 3-4 minutes more, or until the sausage is heated through.
10. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

I would happily eat a bowl of this Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice and call it a one-dish meal, but if you wanted to add more protein this would taste great with Chicken with Lemon, Green Olives, and Capers, Spicy Broiled Shrimp, Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce, Slow Cooked Salmon with Butter, Garlic, Capers, and Lemon, or Herb-Marinated Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.

More Tasty Recipes with Cauliflower Rice

• Cauliflower Rice Sausage Casserole
• Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp
• Cauliflower Rice with Basil, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts
• Roasted Cauliflower Rice Medley with Pine Nuts
• Easy Cauliflower Rice with Garlic and Green Onion

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 8 side dish servings

Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 26 minutes

Total Time 36 minutes

If you like Dirty Rice but don't want so many carbs, you have to try this Low-Carb Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice!

Ingredients

• 1 19.5 oz package uncooked hot Italian turkey sausage or pork sausage
• 1/2 cup finely chopped chicken livers (completely optional, but traditional in Dirty Rice)
• 2 tsp. + 1 T olive oil
• 1  green pepper chopped (see notes)
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 1 T minced garlic (Minced garlic from a jar is fine for this recipe.)
• 20 oz. frozen cauliflower rice (see notes)
• 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or use any all-purpose seasoning that you like)
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper or 1/2 tsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (more or less to taste)
• salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• sliced green onions for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and when the oil is hot squeeze the sausage out of the casings, break apart with a turner, and cook until sausage is completely cooked through and nicely browned. 
2. If you want to add chicken livers, chop them finely and add to the pan when the sausage is nearly done.
3. While sausage cooks, cut up the green pepper (or two if you're a green pepper fan) and one yellow onion.
4. When sausage is done, remove cooked sausage to a plate, add the one tablespoon of olive oil, and cook the chopped green pepper and onion over medium-high heat until they're starting to soften, about 4 minutes. (Don't worry if it seems like too much olive oil, because you'll be adding the cauliflower rice.
5. When the onions are starting to brown, add the minced garlic and cook a minute or two more.
6. Break apart the frozen cauliflower rice inside the bag, then open and add it to the skillet. Turn heat to high and cook the cauliflower rice mixture, turning often, until the rice is cooked through and excess water has evaporated. This will take about 7-8 minutes for most cauliflower rice.
7. Then add the cooked sausage back into the pan and gently stir into the rice. Season with Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), salt, and pepper. Taste for spiciness, and add a little creole seasoning (affiliate link) or Cayenne Pepper if you'd like it a bit spicier.
8. Cook the mixture 3-4 minutes more on high (or medium high if it seems like it is getting too hot). Cook until the sausage is heated through.
9. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve hot.
10. The will keep in the fridge for a day or two and can be reheated in the microwave or in a hot frying pan.

Notes

Use two green peppers if you're really a fan.

We used two 10 oz. packages of frozen cauliflower rice. If you're using frozen cauliflower rice from a big bag you need about 5 1/2 cups.

I love Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (affiliate link) and would use that for this dish if you have some, but Cayenne Pepper will be fine if you don't want to buy another seasoning mix.

This recipe was inspired by Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice with Sausage and Peppers and tested with Jake and Kara.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 103Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 64mgSodium 461mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Spicy Cauliflower Dirty Rice is a good dish for any low-glycemic or low-carb diet, including Keto and any phase of the original South Beach Diet. South Beach would prefer turkey or chicken Italian sausage if you can find that.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more tasty ideas with cauliflower. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This cauliflower dirty rice recipe was first posted in 2019. It was last updated with more information in 2023.

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