Artificial Food Coloring Free Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice Salad
This vibrant, crunchy salad is everything you want in a warm-weather bowl — bright citrus, creamy avocado, hearty black beans, and a gentle kick from red pepper flakes, all built on a base of lightly sautéed cauliflower rice. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means there's zero risk of the synthetic dyes that sneak into so many packaged grain mixes, canned sauces, and bottled dressings. The golden hue you see in the dressing comes entirely from ground turmeric, a real spice with nothing artificial behind it. Pulsing cauliflower in a food processor is genuinely one of the easiest kitchen tricks around, and once it's toasted in the skillet and cooled, it soaks up that cumin-lime vinaigrette beautifully. The combination of textures — tender cauliflower, crisp bell pepper, silky avocado — keeps every forkful interesting. It works as a satisfying lunch on its own or as a bold side dish alongside grilled proteins, and it holds up well in the fridge for a short while if you want to get ahead on meal prep.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cauliflower rice
- 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 lbs), cut into florets
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed if frozen
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 green onions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Working in two batches, pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor (or grate on the large holes of a box grater) until broken down into rice-sized pieces, about 8–10 pulses per batch. You should have about 4 cups of cauliflower rice.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cauliflower rice, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is just tender and any excess moisture has evaporated, about 5–7 minutes. Spread onto a large plate or sheet pan and let cool for 10 minutes.
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