I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach, gluten-free recipe creator, and home detoxification expert with a focus on gut health. I show burned-out women with digestive issues how to take a proactive, holistic approach to healing by sharing nutrient-dense recipes, and sustainable lifestyle tips that are easy to implement in everyday life.
When I started cutting back on grains to calm the inflammation in my body, I fell in love with cauliflower rice, but it took me a few years to discover riced broccoli. The only place I’d ever seen it was Trader Joe’s.
The first time I riced broccoli, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was. Now, this surprisingly simple, but flavorful side dish is a regular in our home. Its versatility is yet another reason why I love this riced broccoli recipe.
Plus, because you’re using the entire head of broccoli instead of just the florets, you’ll get more meals for your money while also reducing methane-producing food waste. That’s a win in my book!
This riced broccoli with carrot and cumin makes a wonderful side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
This easy riced broccoli recipe may sound simple enough, but it’s packed with highly nutritious, inexpensive ingredients, making it a fantastic option to include in your regular meal rotation. It’s also easily scalable for a single person or a large family as the quantity of broccoli stalks and carrots doesn’t need to be exact.
Refrigerated Ingredients:
Broccoli Stalks – The next time you buy fresh broccoli, look for bunches that have decent stalks. Save the stalks in a silicone pouch or glass food storage container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. I usually make a batch of riced broccoli a day or two after eating the florets.
Broccoli stalks are just as nutritious as florets. They’re a good source of dietary fiber, which aids digestion and helps keep you regular. Eating them before any carbohydrates will also slow the absorption of glucose into your bloodstream, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. The stalks from 1-2 pounds of broccoli crowns are sufficient. The exact quantity doesn’t matter in this recipe.
Carrots – Rainbow carrots are great for varying your nutrient intake. You can use any color of carrot with this recipe, but white or yellow carrots will look best once mixed with the green stalks. The color of the carrot won’t change the flavor, so experiment! 1-2 large carrots will do the trick. Adjust based on the amount of broccoli stalks you have.
Cilantro – Cilantro is great in this recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand it’ll still taste delicious. It is wonderful at binding to heavy metals to help detoxification and, similar to cumin, aids in digestion by increasing gastric juice secretion. It’s also high in phytochemicals and flavonoids. ¼ cup of chopped cilantro is plenty.
Pantry Ingredients:
Garlic – 1 large clove of garlic helps add a little more dimension to this riced broccoli recipe. Fresh garlic contains powerful antioxidants, so fresh is preferred, but it’s fine to substitute with ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic if you need to. Just a heads up, minced shallots and garlic burn easily, so cook them on low to medium-low heat and stir frequently.
Ghee – You’ll need 2 teaspoons of ghee or butter. Ghee is another word for clarified butter. The milk solids have been removed so it’s pure fat, but it still has that delicious buttery flavor. Ghee is often a safe cooking oil for people with sensitivities to dairy since it doesn’t contain any whey or casein, but trust your body. I find the flavor really enhances this riced broccoli recipe.
Shallot – Shallots are in the allium family, so they’re related to onions and garlic. They have a delicate, mild and slightly sweet flavor compared to onions, which allows them to enhance any dish without overpowering. If you can’t find shallots, try half of a small Vidalia onion instead. 1 medium shallot will work.
Your Favorite Broth or Stock – 2-4 tablespoons of stock will help deglaze your pan at the end of cooking. I always have a carton of broth or stock open in the refrigerator. It’s wonderful for adding moisture to sauteed veggies, deglazing pans, or adding flavor to rice or quinoa by substituting the broth for water.
Chicken broth is my go-to in this recipe mainly because the light color won’t alter the appearance of the broccoli. Remember mixing paint in elementary school? Well, green and orange make brown. A vegetable stock with lots of carrots (i.e. orange in color) will dull the vibrant green of the riced broccoli and make the dish look brownish and a little less appetizing. The good news is, it’ll still taste great, so just use what you have available.
Seasonings:
Fine Sea Salt – ¼ teaspoon of fine sea salt is enough to start with. I prefer Real Salt, but any fine sea salt will work. You may need to adjust the amount more or less to taste based on how much riced broccoli your stalks end up yielding. Always start with less and add more as needed.
Fresh Black Pepper – I only ever use fresh black pepper from our pepper mill, so I don’t measure it out. 6-10 cranks on the fine-grain setting is enough pepper for me, but add more or less to suit your preference.
Ground Cumin – 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cumin really elevates the riced broccoli. Cumin is a powerful, anti-inflammatory spice that comes from the Mediterranean and South Asia. Whenever my husband says, “Wow, this is amazing, what did you put in it?” the magic ingredient is almost always cumin. Cumin helps the pancreas secrete more of its own enzymes which allows you to digest and absorb nutrients from your food more efficiently.
How to Make Easy Riced Broccoli with Carrot & Cumin
First Prep the Veggies:
Mince the shallot and garlic and set each aside in a small bowl.
Trim any dried or brown ends off the broccoli stalks, or any pieces that look especially woody. Cut into 2″ pieces.
Remove the ends of the carrot and chop it into 2″ pieces, leaving the skin on for extra nutrients.
Add the carrot and broccoli stalk pieces to a food processor. Process on medium for about 10-20 seconds. You want pieces that are a little larger than actual rice grains. If they’re too fine the mixture can become mushy and it’s more likely to burn on the stove. You may want to try a few seconds at various speeds to get the right consistency.
Cook the Riced Broccoli:
Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-low.
Add the shallots, stir and cook for one minute.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli mixture, salt, pepper and cumin to the shallot and garlic and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If the mixture feels too dry or starts to stick to the bottom of the pan (or if you simply want to add some extra moisture to your dish), reduce the heat and add 2-4 tablespoons of stock or broth to deglaze the pan. Stir to loosen any stuck pieces off the bottom and cover for 2 minutes to trap the moisture and lightly steam the veggies.
Finish by incorporating fresh cilantro. Serve the riced broccoli as a side dish or as a base to a protein bowl.
I particularly enjoy this easy riced broccoli recipe with coriander chicken or shrimp. Alternatively, for a filling breakfast that won’t affect blood glucose levels, top it with scrambled eggs and/or a few slices of crispy oven-baked turkey bacon.
This consistency works best for riced broccoli. If you prefer a slaw consistency, use the shredding attachment on your food processor.
Notes:
To make this riced broccoli recipe vegan use cold or expeller-pressed avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil instead of ghee. To deglaze the pan use water or vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
You can use any color of carrot with this recipe, but white or yellow carrots will look most appetizing.
Riced broccoli can be easily frozen to cook later. Simply process the broccoli stalks and carrot together and evenly spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Pop the baking sheet in the freezer, and once it’s frozen, pour the frozen riced broccoli mixture into a freezer-safe container such as a silicone zip-top bag. Freezing it on a baking sheet ahead of time helps to prevent it from becoming a solid block of riced broccoli.
This riced broccoli recipe is packed with ingredients that are high in nutrients and flavor. It’s easy to make and comes together in less than 20 minutes!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
1–2 large carrots with skin, cut into 2” pieces
Stalks from 1–2lbs broccoli crowns, cut into 2” pieces
2 teaspoons organic, grass-fed ghee or butter*
1 medium shallot, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (such as Real Salt) – adjust more or less to taste
6–10 cranks of fresh black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 C fresh, organic cilantro, chopped (optional)
2–4 tablespoon chicken or beef broth, or veggie stock (optional)
Instructions
Prep the Veggies:
Mince the shallot and garlic and set each aside in a small bowl.
Trim any dried or brown ends off the broccoli stalks, or any pieces that look especially woody. Cut into 2″ pieces.
Remove the ends of the carrot and chop it into 2″ pieces, leaving the skin on for extra nutrients.
Add the carrot and broccoli stalk pieces to a food processor. Process on medium for about 10-20 seconds. You want pieces that are a little larger than actual rice grains. If they’re too fine the mixture can become mushy and it’s more likely to burn. Try a few seconds at various speeds to get the right consistency.
Cook the Riced Broccoli:
Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-low.
Add the shallots, stir and cook for one minute.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the broccoli mixture, salt, pepper and cumin to the shallot and garlic and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If the mixture feels dry or sticks to the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat and add 2-4 tablespoons of stock or broth to deglaze the pan. Stir to loosen any stuck pieces off the bottom and cover for 2 minutes to trap the moisture and lightly steam the veggies.
Finish with fresh cilantro. Serve the riced broccoli as a side dish, or as a base to a protein bowl. It pairs well with coriander chicken or shrimp or topped with scrambled eggs in the morning for a filling breakfast.
Notes
*You can use any color of carrot with this recipe, but white or yellow carrots will look best once mixed with the green stalks.
**To make vegan use cold or expeller-pressed avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil instead of ghee and use veggie stock or filtered water to deglaze the pan.
To Freeze for Later: Process the broccoli stalks and carrot together and evenly spread the mixture on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the baking sheet in the freezer, and once it’s frozen, pour the frozen riced broccoli mixture into a freezer-safe container such as a silicone zip-top bag. Freezing it on a baking sheet ahead of time helps to prevent it from becoming a solid block.
