Thai Beef Basil Cauliflower Fried ‘Rice’

Cauliflower fried ‘rice’ turns into a complete meal with ground beef and Thai Basil. The flavors are similar to the Thai dish Kao Phat Kra Pao, but with fewer carbs and more nutrition.

Anytime I can make a dish healthier without sacrificing taste, I’m all for it! This dish is no exception, it tastes just as good as Thai Beef Basil Fried Rice, but fewer calories, carbs, and packs in more nutrition.  If you haven’t jumped on the cauliflower rice bandwagon, then you definitely need to. It’s such a good alternative to rice if you want to cut back on some carbs and calories. You could make your own cauliflower rice by placing it in a food processor, but I love the convenience of packaged riced cauliflower. You can find it packaged fresh or frozen.

I will confess that I did not have Thai Basil on hand when I photographed this Thai Beef Basil Cauliflower Fried Rice.  I did substitute Italian basil, which you can totally do, but you won’t achieve the authentic ‘Thai’ taste. If you can get Thai Basil at you local Asian store then that’s great, if not, use Italian basil in a pinch 😉

The flavors of this dish are similar to my Beef Basil Recipe, but this is more of a one pan meal and made with ground beef instead. This Thai Beef Basil Cauliflower Fried Rice reheats well, so it’s a great option for meal prep too!  This dish doesn’t photograph well, but I promise that it doesn’t lack in flavor. Adjust the spice level to your desire and you can have an Authentic Thai dish that is good for you.

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Thai Beef Basil Cauliflower Fried ‘Rice’

Cauliflower fried 'rice' turns into a complete meal with ground beef and Thai Basil. The flavors are similar to the Thai dish Kao Phat Kra Pao, but with fewer carbs and more nutrition.

Servings 1

Author Renee Fuentes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Oil
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 Onion Chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
• 2 Thai Chili's More or Less depending on spice level. Can also substitute with Jalapenos.
• 2 Eggs
• 16 oz Riced Cauliflower Fresh or Frozen
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce Divided
• 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 2 Cups Thai Basil Leaves Can substitute Italian basil

Instructions

1. Marinate the ground beef with 1 tbsp of soy sauce and mix it well. Set aside and prep the remaining ingredients.

2. Dice half an onion set aside. Pound chili's and garlic together to form a paste. If you don't have a mortar, you can finely chop them together. Or use diced Jalapenos and Garlic. Rinse and dry about 2 cups of Thai basil leaves, or regular Basil.

3. Add oil to a pan and saute the onions, garlic, and chili over medium-high heat. Then add the ground beef and cook thoroughly.

4. Push everything to one side of the pan, add a little more oil and crack 2 eggs into the hot oil. Give them some time to set, then mix in with the other ingredients. Add cauliflower rice, along with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Cook for a couple of minutes to incorporate sauce into the cauliflower rice.

5. Turn off the heat, add basil, and stir till it becomes wilted. Taste and add salt/pepper if needed.

Recipe Notes

If you're in a pinch and can't get Thai Basil, then you can substitute Italian Basil.

If using Frozen Cauliflower, then heat it up in the microwave till it becomes room temperature.