Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage

After all the kitchen failures I've had, it's nice to have something work out once in a while.  I didn't even know I was going to make this, let alone blog about it.  But it was SO good, I couldn't NOT post it.

This was my first attempt at cauliflower rice (as far as I can remember, lol!) and I have to say I'm a huge fan.  I love that it's just like rice in that it'll take on the flavor of whatever you cook it with; so it's very versatile.  I also love that after eating a big bowl of it I don't feel like I just ate a brick because it's all VEG! That's a big score in my book.

We love jambalaya in our house so this was right up our alley.  The flavors are spot on, just enough spice to give it a good kick but not too much you can't taste anything else. I used Aidells Organic Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Chicken Sausage, which is nitrate free and has no added hormones. But feel free to use any kind of Cajun style sausage you can find. I served the cauliflower rice with Cajun seasoned tilapia and steamed asparagus.  It was perfect!

Cauliflower Dirty Rice with Andouille Sausage
1 head cauliflower, thick core removed and chopped into florets 
1/2 onion, diced 
olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced 
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, sliced 
1 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. ground black pepper 
1/4 tsp.  cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. dried thyme 
1 Tbsp. dried oregano 
1/2-1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped


Place cauliflower florets in a food processor with a chopping blade and pulse until finely chopped.  If necessary, chop in batches. Prepare the rest of the veggies because cooking will go quickly.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and translucent; 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and sauté another 3-4 minutes, then add sausage and cook until browned.  Add the cauliflower, spices and seasonings and chicken broth and simmer until veggies are tender but not mushy; about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  Serve warm and garnish with fresh parsley.

SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Always Order Dessert