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An easy-to-make dish that couldn’t be tastier! Cuban rice is one of those recipes that never lets you down and can be made in a matter of minutes.
Cuban rice as the name suggests includes rice, plantain, egg, and tomato sauce, simple ingredients that we usually already have at home. I think what makes this dish so successful is its combo of sweet and salty flavors.
But,wait… it’s not really Cuban
Despite its name, this recipe is actually Spanish. This dish originated in the Canary Islands where, during colonial times, (although it was probably influenced by the customs of emigrants from Cuba, where it was common to mix rice with fruits).
Fried eggs were one of the most recurrent meals at that time and people were eager to mix them with everything, the canary plantain became a favorite. My advice is to choose bananas that are still green because if they are too ripe they fall apart when cooked.
Paleo take on Cuban rice
Today, I have replaced the traditional rice with cauliflower. This Cauliflower Cuban Rice dish is truly spectacular plus it has many advantages:
- Although I prefer mine cooked, you can simply grate the cauliflower and eat it raw.
- It only takes a few minutes to cook, much less than conventional rice.
- It does not contain carbohydrates, making it lighter than rice
- Once grated, you can store the cauliflower rice in the refrigerator without cooking or even freezing it.
Here are some recommendations to ensure you make the perfect Cauliflower Cuban Rice:
- Make sure to discard the stem and only use the florets this will leave you with a smoother and more uniform texture.
- To make the rice looser and less mushy, it is best to use a large frying pan so that the florets don`t stick together.
- The best way to guarantee you will get a good texture is by drying the cauliflower very well after washing it to remove all the excess water.

Cauliflower Cuban Style
Ingredients
- 1 small cauliflower
- 2 plantains (as green as possible)
- 1/2 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- butter
- salt
- 2 eggs
- homemade tomato sauce
- fresh thyme
Instructions
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Wash and dry the cauliflower (very well) and then grate.
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Put a little butter in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the garlic and then add in the finely chopped onion.
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When browned, add in the cauliflower, a little salt, and leave over medium heat for 10 minutes.
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Fry the eggs and plantains with another dab of butter.
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Next, take your plate and put on some of your homemade tomato sauce first, then add your cauliflower rice and on top it off with the banana and egg.
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Garnish with fresh thyme.