This one-pan cauliflower taco skillet swaps traditional rice for riced cauliflower and packs in vegetables, beans, and classic taco flavors. It’s a simple, low-carb, vegetarian dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes and works well when your pantry is stocked with frozen and canned goods.
About this Taco Skillet
This cauliflower taco skillet offers the familiar Mexican-inspired flavors of a classic beef-and-rice skillet but uses frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice and skips meat to keep it vegetarian. It’s flavored with taco seasoning, tomato, green chiles, hot sauce or vinegar, and finished with melted cheddar and fresh toppings. Because it relies on mostly canned and frozen ingredients, it’s a convenient pantry-friendly meal.
Why make this taco skillet?
- Vegetarian: Packed with plant-based protein from beans and fiber-rich vegetables.
- Low-carb option: Uses cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice.
- Pantry-friendly: Uses mostly frozen and canned ingredients (aside from an onion and optional fresh toppings).
- Kid-friendly: Mild, cheesy, and easy to customize to family tastes.
What you need
This recipe is designed for convenience: frozen riced cauliflower, frozen corn, canned beans, and a few pantry staples. Use your favorite brand of riced cauliflower or make your own from fresh cauliflower if you prefer.
Frozen items
- Riced cauliflower (frozen): about 10 oz.
- Frozen corn: about 5 oz. (canned corn works too).
Pantry & fridge items
- Vegetable broth: 1 cup (or chicken broth/water).
- Taco seasoning: 3–4 tablespoons (homemade is recommended for best flavor).
- Canned beans: pinto and black beans, drained and rinsed.
- Canned green chiles: mild flavor—substitute jalapeños if you want more heat.
- Tomato sauce: 1/2 cup for richness and color.
- Hot sauce or vinegar: 2 tsp hot sauce, or 1 tsp apple cider vinegar to brighten flavors.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: about 1 cup, thick cut if possible.
- Onion & garlic: 1/4 medium yellow onion, minced; 1 tbsp minced garlic.
- Salt: to taste.
- Toppings (optional): cilantro, sliced avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, cherry tomatoes.
All about cauliflower rice
Cauliflower rice is simply finely chopped cauliflower that resembles rice grains. It’s lower in carbs and higher in vitamins and fiber compared with traditional rice. While it looks similar, cauliflower rice doesn’t absorb liquid or cook the same way as grain rice, so it can’t be substituted 1:1 in recipes that require rice to swell and soften in liquid. For this skillet, frozen riced cauliflower makes the process quick and consistent, but fresh riced cauliflower works as well when used in the same quantities.
Fresh vs frozen cauliflower rice
If you prefer to use freshly riced cauliflower, you can substitute it 1:1 for the frozen package listed here. The main difference is that fresh cauliflower may release more water while cooking, so adjust steaming time and seasoning as needed.
How to make the cauliflower taco skillet
Step 1 — Steam the frozen vegetables
Place the frozen riced cauliflower and frozen corn into a large skillet. Add 1 cup vegetable broth and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high, cover, and steam for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any clumps.
Step 2 — Add the remaining ingredients
Stir in the taco seasoning, onion, garlic, pinto beans, black beans, canned green chiles, tomato sauce, and hot sauce or vinegar. Mix well to combine, cover again, and cook over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes so flavors meld and the cauliflower softens.
Step 3 — Finish with cheese
Uncover, taste, and adjust salt and heat. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the skillet, replace the lid, and let sit for 3–5 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
Step 4 — Serve
This taco skillet is versatile. Serve it as a bowl topped with avocado, cilantro, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, or use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, or nachos. For tacos, warm corn or flour tortillas and add pico de gallo or sliced jalapeños if desired. For nachos, spread tortilla chips on a sheet, top with the cauliflower mixture and extra cheese, and broil briefly until bubbly.
Recipe Details
Servings: 6 • Prep: 10 minutes • Cook: 15 minutes • Total: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 oz riced cauliflower, frozen
- 5 oz frozen super sweet corn
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 3–4 tbsp taco seasoning (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 15 oz canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4.5 oz canned green chiles
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tsp hot sauce (or 1 tsp apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup thick-cut shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt, to taste
- Toppings: cilantro, sliced avocado, Greek yogurt/sour cream, sliced cherry tomatoes
Instructions (condensed)
- Combine frozen cauliflower and corn in a large skillet with 1 cup vegetable broth. Break up clumps and steam covered over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.
- Add taco seasoning, onion, garlic, both beans, green chiles, tomato sauce, and hot sauce. Stir, cover, and cook 5 more minutes.
- Uncover, taste and adjust salt or heat. Sprinkle on the cheese, cover, and let melt 3–5 minutes.
- Serve with desired toppings and enjoy as a bowl, taco filling, burrito filling, or over nachos.
Tips & Notes
- Nutrition information does not include optional toppings.
- Add cooked ground beef or shredded chicken if you want extra protein; this adapts easily for non-vegetarian diets.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days and reheat quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
Calories: 453 kcal • Carbohydrates: 71 g • Protein: 26 g • Fat: 7 g • Fiber: 18 g • Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates and should be used as approximations.