Mix and match your way to a healthy, tasty lunch with this Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad—a Tex-Mex-inspired favorite lunchbox recipe.
This Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad is a perfect example of a typical lunch bowl I make. I prepare the cauliflower rice and red onion relish on Sunday evening and keep them in the fridge for the first three lunches during the week. The cauliflower rice takes the place of a grain, on which I layer beans, corn, roasted red peppers and salsa. If you follow the recipe, you’ll have enough ingredients to make 3 servings of this particular salad, or you can prepare the cauliflower rice base and switch things up with different toppings for each serving. This salad is great warm, but it is equally delicious straight out of the fridge for a completely hassle-free lunch.
Recipe
Ingredients
For the onion relish:
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- juice of 1 large lime
For the salad:
- 1 batch cauliflower rice
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup frozen corn kernels thawed (or kernels from 1 ear fresh corn)
- 1 roasted red bell pepper chopped
Garnishes:
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 3 tbsp roasted pepitas
- ¾ cup chopped cilantro
- sliced avocado or guacamole
Instructions
Make the onion relish:
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In a small bowl, combine the onion, cilantro and lime juice. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Assemble the salad:
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In a large bowl, season the cauliflower rice to taste with kosher salt and pepper, then, if packing ahead for lunches, divide between 3 portable containers with airtight lids. Divide beans, corn kernels, and roasted red peppers among each of the containers, then top each portion with ⅓ of the salsa verde, cilantro, pepitas, and onion relish. Seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days. When packing lunch, include guacamole or a small avocado to eat on the side.