Cauliflower rice and split peas will change the way you look at cauliflower rice. It’s a Whole30 compliant version of split peas cook-up rice, a beloved Guyanese dish.
Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas
Truth: I was so excited when the good folks at Whole30 announced that peas were now compliant (green beans and most peas including sugar snap peas, snow peas, green peas, yellow peas, and split peas). Click here to learn more about this change and why it happened.
I knew I would now be able to enjoy more Caribbean dishes like split peas and rice or split peas cook-up. So of course the first thing I tried to replicate was split peas and rice or rice and split peas if you must. Rice and peas is such a large part of Caribbean Cuisine that I am thrilled that peas are now in!
Love Cauliflower Rice dishes? Try my Cauliflower Fried Rice next.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas Recipe
- Delicious: Since I promised in another post that I wouldn’t say that cauliflower rice tastes exactly like rice, I will not, but the flavor was very, very close to real rice.
- Healthy Rice Alternative: This recipe is not only Whole 30 compliant but also low-carb and gluten-free. but it’s still hearty and satisfying, just like rice.
- Quick & Easy: This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and as little as 10 if you soak the peas beforehand.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas
Recreate a Caribbean classic using frozen cauliflower rice.
- Dried split peas: I boil the peas in a few cups of water with a pinch of salt until tender.
- Water: Use this to boil the yellow split peas.
- Riced cauliflower: I prefer frozen cauliflower rice. I microwave it to loosen it up but not to fully cook it. Click here to read why I prefer frozen cauliflower rice over freshly made cauliflower rice.
- Green onions: Thinly sliced is my preference for this dish and I reserve some of the green parts to garnish at the end.
- Garlic cloves: Grated garlic adds depth of flavor to the rich coconut flavor of the rice.
- Wiri wiri peppers: Wiri wiri pepper is a pepper unique to Guyana. It is rich in flavor as well as heat. So often I just add it whole to dishes (so do most Guyanese people). It flavors the food without adding any of the heat. Don’t know what wiri wiri pepper is or don’t have any on hand? Don’t worry, you can use a whole habanero pepper or scotch bonnet or just skip it all together.
- Seasoning: Use salt and black pepper.
- Dried thyme: This fresh herb has a robust and earthy flavor that adds an aromatic quality to the dish.
- Thick coconut milk: For this recipe canned is better than fresh because you really need the thick, coconut cream type coconut milk to stick to the cauliflower rice. I love this Thai Kitchen coconut milk because it comes in a container versus a can and only has two ingredients: coconut and water.
- Coconut oil: Use this to sauté the garlic, wiri wiri peppers (if using) and green onions.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas
Once you have your cooked yellow split peas, everything else comes together pretty quickly. I want to build all of the flavors before adding the cauliflower rice because I don’t want it to get mushy. When making this dish with real rice, you would cook the split peas in the herbs, then add the coconut milk, then add the rice and cook together.
For this version, I cooked the fresh herbs in the coconut milk broth, then added the cauliflower rice, followed by the split peas. At the very end, I toasted everything in the pan for a few minutes to amplify the flavor. It was a huge success!
For the best results, let the cauliflower rice steam in the coconut milk for a few minutes so that it soaks up all the flavor of the coconut milk.
At this point, you have a complete dish without adding any peas. If you don’t have peas, you can stop right here and you’d have an amazing coconut cauliflower rice.
Adding the yellow split peas
If you love yellow split peas then proceed to this next step. It is so worth it. For this cauliflower rice and split peas recipe I use 1/4 cup of split peas to 4 cups of cauliflower rice so it has a great peas-to-rice ratio. However, if you want to add less peas or more cauliflower rice, go for it!
The brightness and flavor of the split peas complimented the dish so well. It made the cauliflower rice so hearty!
This cauliflower rice and split peas dish was so tasty that when my husband had it with his dinner he said he couldn’t even tell that it wasn’t rice. It tasted real deal good!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cauliflower rice is generally considered a nutritious alternative to traditional rice because it has fewer calories and carbohydrates while being rich in vitamins and minerals. Cauliflower rice is also a healthy option for those looking to reduce their calorie or carb intake, particularly for low-carb or keto diets.
While split peas don’t necessarily require soaking, doing so can help reduce cooking time. Soak them in cold water for a few hours or overnight.
Use frozen cauliflower rice instead of fresh cauliflower. Frozen riced cauliflower, maintains its texture when cooked, without becoming soggy.
Splits peas are legumes. The plant-based protein is often confused with a grain but they can be eaten as a vegetable.
Cauliflower Rice and Split Peas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried split peas
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups riced cauliflower I prefer frozen
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 2 wiri wiri peppers or other chili added for flavor and not heat
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup thick coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Add split peas, a pinch of salt and about 4 cups of water to a small saucepan on high heat.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium for a slow simmer.
- Simmer until split peas are fork tender and all the graininess is gone.
- Drain split peas from the water and set aside.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, bring 2 tablespoon of coconut oil up to temperature.
- Add the garlic, wiri wiri peppers (if using) and green onions, reserving a tablespoon of the green part of the green onions for garnish.
- Sauté for a minute or two, then add the coconut milk.
- The coconut milk should start boiling immediately.
- Add the riced cauliflower, salt, black pepper and dried thyme.
- Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes stirring often.
- Next add the cooked and drained split peas and mix together well
- Increase the heat and let the dish toast for a minute, then remove from the heat.
- Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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