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    Home » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Paella with Cauliflower Rice

    Published January 6, 2019. Last modified November 23, 2019 By Gary White

    3.0K shares
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    Instant Pot Paella image for Pinterest

    Cauliflower "rice" paella has never tasted so good! Perfect recipe for Paleo, Whole30 compliant, and low-carb diets.

    cauliflower paella in white bowl

    I can hear the skeptics already. But trust me when I tell you... This Instant Pot paella is amazing. The flavors, the textures, the colors - it all works! The cauliflower is NOT mushy (which happens so often with cauliflower "rice").

    The best part about this recipe (in my opinion) is it's versatility with different dietary needs. Whether you're doing Paleo, Whole 30, gluten-free, or dairy-free - this recipe is good to go!

    Suggestions for Whole30 Ingredients

    Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Paella | The Foodie Eats

    Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Paella | The Foodie Eats

    The Process

    diced chicken breast in bowl with seasonings

    Combine the chicken, 1 Tbsp. oil, paprika, and oregano in a small bowl.

    chicken marinating in bowl

    Marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

    box grater in mixing bowl

    Using a box grater...

    cauliflower grated on box grater

    ...grate the cauliflower until it is in small, rice-size pieces. Set aside.

    sausage browning in Instant Pot

    Turn on sauté setting on Instant Pot. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp. of oil, then brown sausage on both sides. Remove and set aside.

    chicken browning in Instant Pot

    Add chicken and marinade to Instant Pot and cook thoroughly (about 7-8 minutes). Remove and set aside.

    onions sautéing in Instant Pot

    Add onions to IP...

    onions sautéing in Instant Pot

    and sauté until translucent (about 3 minutes).

    onions and garlic sautéing in Instant Pot

    ...Then add garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.

    grated cauliflower seasoned with salt and turmeric

    Add cauliflower, turmeric, and salt to IP...

    grated cauliflower seasoned with salt and turmeric

    Mix well to combine.

    grated cauliflower and sausage seasoned with salt and turmeric

    Then add stock, chicken, and sausage and mix again.

    grated cauliflower and sausage seasoned with salt and turmeric, topped wit fresh thyme

    Top with a layer of thyme sprigs.

    grated cauliflower and sausage seasoned with salt and turmeric, topped with raw shrimp

    Then nestle the shrimp on top in an even layer. Lock lid and cook for 1 minute at high pressure.

    grated cauliflower and sausage seasoned with salt and turmeric, topped with cooked shrimp

    Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure and remove lid. Turn off IP to avoid overcooking. Remove shrimp and set aside. Remove thyme sprigs and discard.

    cauliflower paella in fine mesh strainer

    Pour all contents of pot into a fine mesh strainer to remove liquid.

    cauliflower paella topped with fresh parsley

    Then return to pot and mix in parsley. Serve in a bowl and top with shrimp.

    And this is the AMAZING Result…

    cauliflower paella in white bowl

     

    ★ Did you make this Instant Pot Paella? Please give it a star rating below! ★

    cauliflower paella in white bowl

    Instant Pot Paella with Cauliflower Rice

    Paella has never tasted so good for you, with cauliflower rice! Perfect recipe for Paleo, Whole30 compliant, and low-carb diets.
    4.84 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Spanish
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Marinating Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 218kcal
    Author: Gary White

    Ingredients

    • ¾ lb. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks
    • 3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
    • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. dried oregano
    • 1 large head cauliflower grated
    • 1 Tbsp. turmeric
    • 2 tsp. sea salt
    • 2 sausage links cut into ½-inch slices (see note)
    • 12 oz. large shrimp peeled, deveined
    • ½ cup yellow onion diced
    • 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • 6 sprigs thyme
    • 2 Tbsp. parsley fresh, chopped

    Instructions

    • Combine the chicken, 1 Tbsp. oil, paprika, and oregano in a small bowl. Marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
    • Using a box grater, grate the cauliflower until it is in small, rice-size pieces. Set aside.
    • Turn on sauté setting on Instant Pot. Once hot, add 2 Tbsp. of oil, then brown sausage on both sides. Remove and set aside.
    • Add chicken and marinade to Instant Pot and cook thoroughly (about 7-8 minutes). Remove and set aside.
    • Add onions to IP and sauté until translucent (about 3 minutes). Then add garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
    • Add cauliflower, turmeric, and salt to IP. Mix well to combine. Then add stock, chicken, and sausage and mix again.
    • Top with a layer of thyme sprigs. Then nestle the shrimp on top in an even layer.
    • Lock lid and cook for 1 minute at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure and remove lid. Turn off IP to avoid overcooking.
    • Remove shrimp and set aside. Remove thyme sprigs and discard.
    • Pour all contents of pot into a fine mesh strainer to remove liquid, then return to pot and mix in parsley.
    • Serve in a bowl and top with shrimp. Enjoy!

    Notes

    For a Whole30 compliant sausage, we recommend Aidells Chicken & Apple sausage.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1154mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1305IU | Vitamin C: 22.1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3.7mg
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    THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT OUR DISCLOSURE PAGE.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ido

      April 05, 2019 at 7:30 pm

      Looks amazing and I would like to try it.
      One thing isn't clear to me, when you put the chicken and marinade in the instant pot for 7-8 minutes, is it on saute or pressure cooker???

      Reply
      • Gary

        April 06, 2019 at 9:20 am

        Continue on sauté setting. I'll clarify the instructions.

        Reply
        • Hooms

          July 22, 2019 at 1:27 am

          I want to use riced cauliflower that comes in a bag from Trader Joe’s. How many bags would I need?

          Reply
          • Gary White

            July 25, 2019 at 9:55 am

            Great question! Unfortunately, I haven't tested this recipe with store bought riced cauliflower, so I'm unable to advise on how much you would need.

            Reply
    2. Kate

      September 05, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing! Thanks!

      Reply
    3. Rebecca

      January 05, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great recipe! Wonderful flavor and a bonus that it's low carb!

      Reply
    4. Donald J. Hanle

      January 29, 2020 at 10:43 am

      I made this but thought I had made a mistake when I "riced" my Cauliflower in my Vitamix. The "rice" is much more fine grained than if I'd just used a grater, and it hit me after I had used the Vitamix that this might turn into mush in the Instapot. I am happy to say it turned out fine.

      I did double the garlic called for in the recipe and I used a tad more smoked Paprika. The result was good enough I'm adding this to my recipe repertoire as a perfect weeknight meal that has sufficient leftovers for work the next day.

      When I make this again, I will add some green and red bell pepper to plus up the veggie content.

      I do have one question, however. Paella usually uses saffron. I started to add it, but then held back, wondering if pressure cooking the saffron might somehow adversely affect it. Does anyone know?

      Anyway, thanks for a great recipe that is truly a keeper!

      Reply
      • Gary White

        January 29, 2020 at 4:57 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! We used turmeric instead of saffron, because it is more easily assessable and cheaper. 🙂 You would not want to use both turmeric and saffron together.

        Reply
    5. Linda

      February 05, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      Could you use regular paprika instead of smoked paprika? Also, doesn’t the shrimp over cook with a minute pressure cooking?

      Reply
      • Gary White

        February 09, 2020 at 2:54 pm

        You can definitely use regular paprika. And no, the shrimp are not overcooked.

        Reply
    6. Lisa O'Malley

      February 06, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      How many does this recipe feed?

      Reply
      • Gary White

        February 07, 2020 at 8:00 am

        There are 6 servings.

        Reply
    7. Char

      February 07, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      I doubled the recipe. I used chicken andouille, and jumbo shrimp. I did have to cook on high for an extra 2 minutes because of all the shrimp, but it turned out really well (the "rice" was even still firm)! I also "riced" my cauliflower in my food processor, and it was perfect. This is very turmeric-forward, but I don't generally cook with turmeric. It's very tasty- especially reheated and served with a little parmesan on top!

      Reply
    8. Shayna

      February 26, 2020 at 2:34 pm

      This looks delicious and I can't wait to make it. Do you have any recommendations for extra veggies I could throw in?

      Reply
      • Gary White

        March 01, 2020 at 4:52 pm

        When we are not doing a round of Whole30, we love to toss some peas in!

        Reply

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