Unilever Hellmann’s® Vegetarian Cauliflower Fried Rice Bowl with Turmeric Dressing

Disclosure: Thank you to Unilever for partnering with me to bring you this recipe on behalf of Hellmann’s®

I have kind of a chicken or the egg question for you: is the best part of takeout the takeout leftovers or the original takeout? Are they the same? Does the delicious factor of leftovers have to be reserved for the same dish, only later in time? Deep thoughts. Luckily, today’s recipe for a vegetarian cauliflower fried rice bowl with turmeric dressing kind of skirts the issue because, to put it right out there, this tastes like all the best parts of leftover fried rice.

I won’t deny the obvious: you do have to cook this yourself so technically not as joyous in the time category as true leftovers, but it’s worth it. That’s a big theme on this blog: if we make you work, it’s worth it (remember that sous vide then fried turkey sandwich?). The base of the cauliflower fried rice is cauliflower rice that we’re jazzing up. Now, if you’re not familiar with the cauliflower rice phenomenon, let’s dive into that food fad. Essentially, this method turns the typical head of the cruciferous veggie you’re familiar with into a rice-like texture. To me, it falls into the reasoning of why spiraled veggies are so popular: attempts to replace a starch or simple carb with a vegetable in a way that is socially acceptable (rice or noodle?). It’s a food fad I can support if it means eating more veggies and reserving the times you go for rice or pasta for when you really, really want it and getting the best kind you can. So in this case, I knew this was a great opportunity to play with the (reality) kind of funky flavor of cauliflower and bring it out to meld with some Asian flavors like ginger and soy sauce. Maybe it is that little bit of cauliflower funk that makes the first time taste, like really melded together leftover fried rice flavors, but whatever it is, it works! 

The sauce is really key in this recipe. You’ll see in the recipe video that the cauliflower rice and soy sauce on the stove top take a nice brown fried-rice-esque color, but once we add the turmeric mayo dressing it becomes even more golden and glorious. The base of the dressing is Hellmann’s® Organic Mayonnaise (it also comes in roasted garlic and chipotle flavors!) because it provides a rich, pure and creamy starting point. Mayo is my condiment of choice when it comes to sandwiches (tomato sandwich season we go through a ridiculous amount of mayo) but it goes way beyond a sandwich spread. It can be a sauce base like today, or even the browning agent on grilled cheese or the moisture in a chocolate cake. It has a ton of culinary possibilities. The Hellmann’s® Organic Mayonnaise uses all organic ingredients including cage free eggs. It’s also an excellent source of omega 3 ALAs (you definitely want omega 3 ALAs in your life). 

So beyond this dish as a bowl, as you see it, I also want to mention this would be an insanely good filling for lettuce wraps and you can even add in some chicken, beef or tofu. And even the toppings I’m using today can easily be adjusted to fit your preference. Add pickled cucumbers,  radishes and cucumbers for a vinegar punch. Want a lighter dish? Shred some lettuce. Spicier? More garlic? Think of this recipe as the base for what could be your healthier take out night. It just starts with some cauliflower rice and a turmeric dressing. 

Unilever Hellmann’s® Vegetarian Cauliflower Fried Rice Bowl with Turmeric Dressing

/// Ingredients ///

• 1/4 c Hellmann’s® Organic Mayonnaise 
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• juice of half an orange
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 cups cauliflower rice
• 1/2 T coconut oil
• 1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 small head of broccoli cut into florets (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons salted, roasted peanuts
• a few leaves of fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chiffonaded fresh mint
• 1 green onion, sliced into rounds
• 1 teaspoon spicy Asian hot sauce
• squeeze of lime

/// Directions ///  Make dressing by adding Hellmann’s® Organic, ginger, juice of an orange and turmeric to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside. In a skillet over medium high heat, melt coconut oil and then add cauliflower rice. Cook five minutes and add garlic. Stir and cook for another minute. Add soy sauce and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until cauliflower is coated in soy sauce and slightly soft. Remove from heat. Stir in turmeric dressing. Add to a serving bowl. Prepare toppings and steam broccoli florets. Add broccoli, green onion, peanuts, cilantro, mint and hot sauce to the top of the cauliflower rice. Enjoy! 

Want to see how to make it? Check out the full video on YouTube or below!

Thanks for thinking beyond the norm with me! Remember you can head back to see how to go beyond a scoop with ice cream in this Breyers® ice cream slab cake with my buckwheat cinnamon roll base. 

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1 Contains 830mg ALA per serving, which is 51% of the 1.6g Daily Value for ALA