Home › Recipes › Side Dishes

Vegan Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice

Name: Vegan Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 7 full sheets GimMe Organic roasted seaweed; 1 medium head cauliflower (about 4 cups cauliflower rice if buying prepackaged); 2 cups chopped mushrooms; 2 cups chopped green onion; 1 cup chopped red pepper; ¼ cup Tamari or Soy Sauce; 4 teaspoons finely chopped garlic; 4 teaspoons sesame oil; 4 teaspoons maple syrup

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on August 31, 2026

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

Recipe Print Add As A Trusted Google Source

My vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is packed with flavor and texture and is a fantastic low-carb option to traditional fried rice. I use fresh vegetables, cauliflower rice, and roasted seaweed to create a quick meal that takes just 20 minutes to make. It is great as a light meal or a hearty side dish.

A close up of a blue bowl filled with Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice and veggies

Healthy meals do not have to be complicated, and this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is a recipe I make when I need something a little lighter than vegan fried rice. Everything cooks in one pan; it is easy to customize, and it is naturally gluten-free and low in carbs. The roasted seaweed adds an amazing savory flavor that elevates the simple vegetables into a meal with a more sophisticated taste.

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

❓Recipe FAQs

🍚 More Rice Recipes!

I first made this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice when my husband and I were making a conscious effort to eat fewer carbs. I was making dinner, which I usually serve with 4 ingredient cilantro lime rice, and was prepared to just do plain cauliflower rice. But when I realized that I had all the ingredients I needed to turn it into something spectacular, I went for it. It was so delicious that everyone ended up eating more of the stir fried cauliflower rice than the main dish.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

This vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is a great example of how simple ingredients can deliver surprisingly bold flavors. Cauliflower keeps the dish light, while mushrooms, peppers, and green onions add plenty of texture, color, and nutrients. If you are trying to eat fewer carbs and stay gluten-free, this is one recipe I always recommend to my clients as a health coach. It is important to me that there is no feeling of deprivation, no matter what diet you follow, and this meal is beyond satisfying.

Everything cooks in one pan, making this one of the easiest meals to prepare on busy days. I start by pulsing the roasted seaweed into flakes, then pulse the cauliflower until it resembles rice. After that, everything is quickly sauteed until the vegetables are tender while retaining a slight bite. I mix the seaweed through just before serving to keep it from becoming soggy. Making this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is a lot quicker than any dish with actual rice.

I will forever be grateful that my kids actually enjoy roasted seaweed sheets, and it is probably one of the main reasons why they love this dish so much. When it was my youngest’s birthday a few years ago, I asked him if there was anything special he wanted for his school lunch and for dinner, and he requested stir-fry cauliflower rice. For both. Ha! And when my other kids heard this, they wanted the same in their packed lunches. Try this recipe this week, and see how quickly it becomes a favorite in your house.

🥘 Ingredients

Every ingredient in this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice recipe contributes either flavor, texture, or nutrition. This is what I use to create a surprisingly satisfying meal with very little effort:

A close up of seaweed used to make Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice

Roasted seaweed sheets: These add a savory flavor that is difficult to achieve with just vegetables alone.

Cauliflower: I use fresh cauliflower and pulse it into rice-sized pieces. You can also use pre-riced cauliflower.

Mushrooms: These add a hearty, meaty texture while soaking up all the savory flavor in the sauce.

Green onions: I use green onions for a mild onion flavor and a touch of freshness in the finished stir-fry.

Red bell pepper: Sweet red pepper adds color, crunch, and natural sweetness that balances the savory ingredients.

Tamari or soy sauce: Tamari provides the salty umami base of the sauce while keeping the recipe gluten-free. If gluten is not a concern, soy sauce works just as well.

Fresh garlic: I add garlic for an aromatic flavor that pairs well with the sesame oil.

Sesame oil: Just a small amount adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes the dish taste like it is from your favorite takeout restaurant.

Maple syrup: I use this to balance the saltiness of the tamari and round out the overall flavor without making the stir fry overly sweet

🔪 How To Make

Once all of the vegetables are prepped, it takes me just a few minutes to make vegan stir fry cauliflower rice. This is the process I follow every time:

Pulse seaweed sheets: I place the roasted seaweed sheets into a food processor and pulse until they become fine flakes, then set them aside.

Pulse cauliflower: Next, I cut the cauliflower into florets, removing most of the thick stem, and pulse in the food processor until they resemble rice-sized pieces.

Saute ingredients: I heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Then I add the riced cauliflower, mushrooms, green onion, red bell pepper, tamari, and maple syrup. I cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Superfood Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice in a blue bowl sitting on a wooden surface

Stir in seaweed flakes: After the vegetables are cooked, I remove the pan from the heat and stir in the seaweed flakes.

Enjoy: I serve the stir fry cauliflower rice immediately as a main dish, or alongside other asian inspired meals.

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice recipe is to avoid overcooking the cauliflower rice. It only needs a few minutes to become tender, and cooking it too long causes it to release excess moisture and lose its light, fluffy texture. I always remove it from the heat while it still has a slight bite.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Grate the cauliflower: If you do not have a food processor, you can use a cheese grater to grate your cauliflower. I recommend using the larger holes of a box grater for the best results.
Cook over medium to medium-high heat: This helps the excess moisture evaporate quickly instead of steaming the vegetables.
Do not overcrowd the pan: If I am doubling the recipe or using a smaller pan, I cook the rice in 2 batches so the vegetables saute instead of becoming watery.
Use freshly riced cauliflower: I use freshly riced cauliflower wherever possible, as it has a firmer texture than frozen cauliflower rice and produces the best stir fry.
Wait until the end to add seaweed: Mixing it in after cooking preserves its flavor and keeps it from becoming soft during the saute.

📖 Variations

The great thing about this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is that it is very flexible and easy to adapt with whatever vegetables and protein I have on hand:

Add plant-based protein: To turn this recipe into a more substantial main course, I stir in 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, baked tofu cubes, or cooked chickpeas during the final 3-4 minutes of cooking. I love making this bowl meal during the colder months.

Spicy Korean: For a touch of heat, I whisk in 1 tablespoon of gochujang into the tamari along with 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar before adding it to the pan. I finish each serving with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sriracha. My husband loves this extra spicy version.

Tropical stir fry: For a sweeter flavor, I replace the red pepper with 1 cup diced pineapple and add 1/2 cup of frozen peas, and serve it with shredded baked jackfruit smothered in gluten-free vegan teriyaki sauce. My kids love the added sweetness.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

As a side dish, this vegan stir fry cauliflower rice is perfect as is, but if you want it to be part of a more cohesive meal, I suggest pairing it with crispy baked tofu teriyaki. And if you do not mind adding even more vegetables to the mix, try it with vegan kung pao tofu.

The last time I made this rice, it was for a dinner party. I set out a range of proteins and mains that all went really well with the rice. There were tofu skewers with ginger soy marinade, a bowl of crispy air fryer tempeh, and portobello mushroom steaks, which I marinated in gluten free stir fry sauce. I highly recommend trying any one of these combinations.

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Refrigeration: I allow the stir fry to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It keeps well for up to 4 days.

Freezing: This rice can be frozen for up to 2 months, but the cauliflower softens after thawing.

Reheating: If frozen, I thaw the rice in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat it in a large skillet over medium heat until warmed through. If any liquid has accumulated during storage, I cook for an extra minute or two to allow it to evaporate.

❓Recipe FAQs

What can I use instead of roasted seaweed sheets?

If I do not have roasted seaweed sheets, I stir in 2 tablespoons of furikake seasoning for a similar savory flavor. The dish will also be delicious without any seaweed. If you want to boost the umami flavor, try adding 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds and an extra teaspoon of tamari.

What other vegetables work well in this stir fry?

This recipe is perfect for cleaning out the refrigerator. I regularly swap in 1 cup broccoli florets, snap peas, shredded carrots, diced zucchini, or baby spinach, depending on what I have available. Quicker-cooking vegetables like spinach get added during the minute or two, so they do not overcook.

Can I use fresh seaweed instead of roasted sheet for this meal?

I would not recommend it for this recipe. Roasted seaweed sheets have a concentrated savory flavor and crisp texture that blend perfectly into the cauliflower rice. Fresh seaweed contains much more moisture and has a different texture, so it will not produce the same result.

🍚 More Rice Recipes!

Love this plant based side dish recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!